NTC initiates probe against Phthalic Anhydride dumping

The National Tariff Commission (NTC) on Thursday initiated an anti-dumping investigation against alleged dumping of Phthalic Anhydride (PA) into Pakistan by Indian exporters.
This investigation has been initiated in response to an application filed with the Commission by Nimir Chemicals Pakistan Limited, a domestic producers of PA.
PA is an industrial raw material used by industries in the chemical sector. Its uses include production of plasticisers, alkyd resins, polyester resins, dyes and pigments, etc. Its total imports (both from India and other sources in the recent past have been as follows:

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Year      Quantity (MT)

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2002               1076

2003               5879

2004               6974

January-March 2005 1019

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The commission has asked the interested parties to apply for registration within 10 days. As laid down in the Ordinance and Anti-Dumping Duties Rules, 2001 the commission is expected to send questionnaires to the known exporters, foreign producers and imports of the investigated products, asking them to inform within 37 days.
Once the requisite information has been received from the interested parties and examined the commission would make a preliminary determination in 60 days. In case of an affirmative preliminary determination a provisional anti-dumping dumping duty (equal to the amount of dumping margin) may be applied for a period of four months.
PA, classified under Pakistan Customs Tariff Code 2917,3500, is alleged to have been exported to Pakistan at dumped prices (prices less than the normal value of the product, ie the price at which PA is sold in India in the ordinary course of trade) by different exporters and producers from India and that such alleged dumping has allegedly caused injury to the domestic industry.
This is the eighth investigation initiated by the commission under the Ordinance. The commission has imposed definitive anti-dumping duties on tinplate imported from South Africa, Sorbitol 70 percent solution imported from France and Indonesia and Glacial Acetic Acid imported from Taiwan, Acrylic Tow imported from Uzbekistan and PVC Resin (suspension grade) imported from Korea and Iran.
A provision of anti-dumping duty has also been imposed on import of urea formaldehyde moulding compound from China. The seventh investigation against the alleged dumped imports of polyester filament yarn is at an advanced stage, according to the schedule of investigation given in the respective notice of initiation.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2005