Pakistan’s exports of cement to South Africa may face problems as the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa has accepted an application
in which it is alleged that portland cement imported from Pakistan is being dumped on the South African Customs Union (SACU) market.
The application was lodged by AfriSam (South Africa) (Proprietary), Lafarge Industries South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, NPC Cimpor (RF) (Proprietary) Limited and PPC Limited (the applicant) pleaded that portland cement, classifiable under tariff subheading 2523.29 arriving from Pakistan, was causing material injury to the SACU industry concerned.
The applicant submitted sufficient evidence and established a prima facie to enable the Commission to arrive at a reasonable conclusion that an investigation should be initiated on the basis of dumping, material injury and/or threat of material injury and casualty.
Some nine to 10 leading cement manufacturers were exporting cement to South Africa. Portland cement originating from Pakistan is imported in bag form only.
It is, therefore, in the bagged cement market where Pakistani imports compete with the domestic industry and where the domestic industry is suffering material injury as clearly demonstrated in the injury information furnished.
By Aamir Shafaat Khan
Read the full article here: http://www.dawn.com/news/1127310/south-africa-probing-cement-dumping-from-pakistan
