The National Tariff Commission (NTC) announced provisional anti-dumping duties on imports of polyester filament yarn (PFY) into Pakistan originating in or exported from Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand.

The NTC launched the investigation on May 12, 2005 on dumping of PFY following an application registered by Merchant Association, Karachi, on behalf of the local industry manufacturing PFY, under the Anti-Dumping Duties Ordinance, 2000.

According to an official declaration, the applicant identified 38 exporters/producers from Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand involved in dumping PFY and appealed that an anti-dumping duty might be imposed on all imports of PFY from the said countries.

Because of large number of exporters/producers, the NTC turned to sampling and selected 13 exporters/producers to be inspected in this case.

The NTC imposed provisional anti-dumping duties (equal to the amount of provisional dumping margin established) on dumped imports of PFY for a period of four months implementing from November 12, 2005.

As per the details, the duties imposed on the selected 13 importers of the four countries were: Indonesia PTSK Keris 4.19 per cent; PT Indorama, 0.00 per cent; PT PanAsia 27.78 per cent; PT Sulindafin, 12 per cent; and all others 15.55 per cent.

The exporters of Korea on which anti-dumping duty was imposed: Tongkook Corporation 0.00 per cent; Hyosung Corporation 29.07 per cent; Hualon Corporation 36.56 per cent and all others 8.92 per cent. Malaysia: Hualon Corporation (M) Sdn 14.80 per cent; Global Trade Well 24.84 per cent; Fotex Trading 22.97 per cent; and all others 14.80 per cent. Thailand: Jong Stit Company 0.00 per cent; Tuntex 18.93 per cent; Chiem Patana 29.68 per cent; and all others 18.93 per cent.

The concerned parties can also present briefs mentioning their opinions on a particular issue or issues to the NTC up to 30 days before the date of final determination.

Any foreign producer, who was not selected in sampling and therefore not investigated, if wants an individual dumping margin, it may voluntarily present required information to the NTC within a period of 15 days from the date of publication of this notice.

The NTC will take into account the information, if not unduly burdensome and does not prevent timely completion of this investigation, to establish individual dumping margin for that foreign producer subject to the verification of the information presented for this purpose, if necessary.

The local PFY industry contains 19 units. Total installed production capacity of these units is approximately 105,000 tons per annum. Installed production capacity of the current functioning nine units is approximately 84,865 tons per annum.

Moreover, the local demand for PFY in Pakistan is being coped with through sales by the local industry and by imports. The domestic use of PFY is determined by combining local industry's sales and total imports, and this is mentioned here as the total domestic market, which is approximately 135,000 tons per annum.

PFY is mainly used as raw material in the production of art silk fabrics and garments by loom operators and circular knitting operators. The imports of PFY used in the production of commodities for export purposes are freed from all duties and taxes under the DTRE scheme and hence, the imposition of anti-dumping duty will have no impact on the imports of PFY that are used for export.

Moreover, no anti-dumping duty is imposed on significant part of imports of PFY from Korea, Thailand and Indonesia, which were found not to be dumped or whose dumping margin is demininis (less than two percent) during the period of investigation.

The NTC shall make the final decision within six months from the date of publication of notice of preliminary determination.

If the final determination is affirmative, then the ordinance stipulates that the NTC may impose final anti-dumping duty on the dumped imports equivalent to the dumping margin, for a period of up to five years.

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