New Indonesia Polyester Staple Dumping Petition Filed

Producers of Synthetic Fiber have filed petition against three polyester staple fiber (PSF) exporter countries for dumping allegation in domestic market.

Secretary General of Indonesian Synthetic Fiber Producer (Apsyfi), Asima N. Sitorus named the three are Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea.

The association, representing eights PSF producers, raised the petition to Indonesian Anti Dumping Committee (KADI) last week.

Apsyfi urged KADI to impose temporary anti dumping duty on the three alleged countries, a stride allowed by WTO terms, to protect local industries from deeper injuries.

Synthetic Fiber, he added, falls under classification of strategic industry as it provides raw material for textile and textile products industry employing 1,2 million workers.

The sanction imposition is deemed as imperative to shield domestic industry from this dreadful import pressure.

Tougher competition

The alleged dumping practices have inevitably created tougher competition for local producers as they must struggle against the far lower price for the same product.

"There's no way we could compete with dumped imported products. Therefore government must immediately impose the sanction."

Asima elaborated local producers have suffered from severe losses ever since indicated by the slump in sales and production utility, disabling them to cover the costs.

Even one PSF producer in Tangerang must close down the business since last year as the grave consequence to note here.

"The closure has remorsefully sparked massive lay offs."

KADI Chairman Halida Miljani Amir admitted the association has received the petition and would soon examine data and preliminary evidence proposed to decide whether or not it should proceed with dumping investigation.

"It may take up to 37 days to complete the examination."

Should the committee comes with assessment that the case needs further legal proceedings, it would then issue initiation publicly announced to all concerning parties.

"We expect all parties, particularly exporters on allegations could show cooperativeness by filling out questioner correctly."

Otherwise KADI could use data provided by petitioner as reference to take further measures as approved by WTO terms.

"Under such circumstances, it would be them to suffer most as we may impose the highest tariff on them."

She elaborated that Apsyfi raised petition for the same product last year but failed to erect the committee response for lack of data and procedural matter. The allegations were launched against Taiwan, South Korea, India, Saudi Arabia and China.