DTI slaps anti-dumping duties on Thai gypsum boards

MANILA, Philippines —  The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has ordered the imposition of temporary anti-dumping duties on gypsum board imports from Thailand used for walls, ceilings and partitions, saying these products are hurting the local industry.

In Department Administrative Order 24-10, acting Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said a provisional anti-dumping duty in the form of a cash bond on gypsum board imports from Thailand will be in place for a period of four months from the date of issuance by the Bureau of Customs of the relevant Customs Memorandum Order.

The computed dumping margin or amount of bond for gypsum boards from Thailand ranges from $0.01 to $0.06 per kilo.

Under Republic Act 8752 or the Anti-Dumping Act of 1999, the DTI may initiate an anti-dumping probe after receiving a petition for such from the domestic industry.

The DTI conducted a probe following a petition filed by Knauf Gypsum Philippines Inc. (KGPI) for an anti-dumping duty on gypsum boards from Thailand.

KGPI claimed that gypsum boards from Thailand were being dumped into the country and in the process, were hurting the domestic industry.

Dumping takes place when an exporter sells products to an importer in the Philippines at prices below the normal value in its home country.

Roque said the DTI found that gypsum boards with thickness of 9mm and 12mm from Thailand were indeed being dumped into the country.