Brazil's ministry of foreign trade imposed Thursday five-year antidumping duties of up to $888.27/mt on imports of austenitic stainless steel tubes from Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, it said in a filing in the country's official gazette.

The ministry has verified the "existence of dumping in exports of stainless steel tubes from Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam to Brazil, and harm to the domestic industry occurred from such practice."

The duties are applicable to welded tubes of austenitic stainless steel (grades 304 and 316) of circular section, with an outside diameter of 6 mm (1/4 inch) or more, but less than 2,032 mm (80 inches), with a thickness of 0.40 mm or more and less than or equal to 12.70 mm, usually classified under HS codes 7306.40.00 and 7306.90.20.

The antidumping duties imposed on Malaysian companies ranged between $367/mt and $740.02/mt. For Thai companies, the duty was fixed at $747.56/mt, while for Vietnamese exporters, the fee ranges between $782.11/mt and $888.27/mt.

The decision follows a complaint filed January 31 by tube and pipe producers Aperam Inox Tubos Brasil and Marcegaglia do Brasil. Aperam is the country's sole producer of austenitic stainless steel.

Chinese exporters of welded tubes under HS code 7306.40.00 already face definitive dumping duties ranging from $359.66/mt to $911.71/mt, which were applied in July 29, 2013.