Indian PP makers ask for new dumping investigation

22 June 2009 08:01  [Source: ICIS news]

Mumbai (ICIS news)--Indian polypropylene (PP) producers have petitioned the government to investigate imports from South Korea, Taiwan and the US for possible dumping, industry sources said on Monday.

“There has been a spurt in imports from these countries; a case is being prepared,” said a source close to Reliance Industries, the country’s largest PP producer.

A second source said producers had asked for investigation of imports from the three countries during 2008/09. He estimated that the country had imported 41,000 tonnes from South Korea, 18,100 tonnes from Taiwan and 18,200 tonnes from the US during this period.

It would take some time for the government to study the petition and complete its investigation, said a third source.

The latest petition follows the Indian anti-dumping authority’s decision last week to impose company specific stiff anti dumping duty (ADD) on PP imports from Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Oman.

This decision was based on an application by Reliance, which was supported by Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd, the country’s only other PP producer.

Indian PP consumption was estimated at 1.8m tonne in 2008/09, up 3% from the previous year. The country imported around 250,000 tonnes and exported a similar volume.

Double-digit consumption growth has been forecast in 2009/10 led by strong demand from the packaging sector and restocking across the chain.

But Indian PP exports were also projected to rise once Reliance fully commissioned its new 900,000 tonne/year PP plant at Jamnagar. The first source estimated that industry exports were likely to be in the 0.8-1m tonne range depending on when Reliance commissioned its second PP line.

The company achieved full production at one line in June while operations at the second line in the new plant were due to start in July.

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By: Malini Hariharan
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