ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: The National Tariff Commission (NTC) has initiated anti-dumping investigations against the allegedly dump imports of Urea Formaldehyde Moulding Compound (UFMC) from China causing injury to the domestic manufacturing industry.
The case has been initiated on the application filed by the Dynea Pakistan, Karachi on Dec 31, 2004 on behalf of the domestic industry producing UFMC alleging dumping into Pakistan of the product originating in and or exported from China.
The major uses of the investigated product identified by the applicant were in the tableware, kitchenware etc. It is the sixth anti-dumping investigation being carried out by the NTC.
The earlier five investigations against the dumping of tinplate from South Africa, Sorbitol 70 solution from Indonesia and France, Glacial Acetic Acid from Taiwan, Acrylic Tow from Uzbekistan and PVC resin from Iran and Korea were resulted in imposition of anti-dumping duties against the exporters.
However, for the first time Pakistan has initiated a case of anti-dumping against a Chinese manufacturer for making alleged dumping of its goods in the Pakistani market.
The applicant alleged that dumping of UFMC by a number of Chinese exporters into Pakistani market was causing material injury to the domestic industry mainly by way of price depression, decline in profit, adverse effect on cash flows, increase in inventory, negative effect on investment and ability to raise capital.
According to the notice of anti-dumping duty released here on Wednesday, the commission would now investigate the case to determine whether the product was being actually dumped in Pakistani market. The investigation would be completed within a period of 12 months.
However, if the commission established that there was a need for imposition of provisional anti-dumping duty, it might do so after two moths of the initiation of the investigation case.
The commission intended to make the final selection of the samples after having consulted the parties concerned that have expressed their willingness to be included in the sample.
In order to obtain information/data deemed necessary for this investigation, the commission would send questionnaires to the concerned parties who must reply within 37 days of dispatch of such questionnaire and cooperate within the framework of the investigation.
Where any interested party refused or otherwise did not provide the required information within the prescribed time limit or significantly impedes the investigation, preliminary and final determination by the commission would be made on the basis of best available information in accordance with section 32 of the ordinance.