U.S. advances dumping against resin imports from four countries

U.S. advances dumping against resin imports from four countries    The U.S. Commerce Department said a type of imported resin used to make plastic bottles, sheet and strapping is being dumped on the domestic market.
   The department said the dumped bottle-grade polyethylene terephthalate comes from India, Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand. The commodity was sold at less than fair value in the United States with a calculated dumping margin of up to 52.54 percent, the department said.
   Dumping is the import of goods at a price below the domestic market or a third-country price or below the cost of production. A dumping margin represents by how much the fair-value price exceeds the dumped price.
   Specific preliminary margins are set at:
   * India: Reliance Industries Ltd. at 52.54 percent and all others at 21.23 percent.
   * Indonesia: P.T. Polypet Karyapersada at 27.61 percent; P.T. SK Keris at 27.61 percent; P.T. Indorama Synthetics Tbk at 0.74 percent (below threshold for imposing duties); all others at 18.65 percent.
   * Taiwan: Far Eastern Textile and all others at 0.09 percent (below threshold for imposing duties).
   * Thailand: Thai Shinkong Industry Corp. at 41.28 percent and all others at 26.03 percent.
   Imposition of antidumping duties requires final affirmative determinations both from the Commerce Department that dumping occurred and from the U.S. International Trade Commission that the imports injured American industry.
   The department is expected to make a final determination on imports from Indonesia by Jan. 3, and in investigations concerning the three other countries by March 11. The ITC is scheduled to issue its final ruling in these three latter cases by April 25. The date of an ITC determination on imports from Indonesia has yet to be determined.
   Meanwhile, Customs and Border Protection is instructed to collect duties or bonds on any subject imports. The money will be returned in case of a negative determination.
   According to the Commerce Department, U.S. bottle-grade polyethylene terephthalate resin imports from the four countries amounted to $167.1 million in 2003.