Saudi out but Oman still on Indian polypropylene anti-dumping list

13/01/2012 12:00 - 400 Views

Plastics executives across the GCC 'remain concerned' that Oman continues to be subject to Indian polypropylene anti-dumping duties, after Saudi Arabia was removed from the list late last year.

In December 2010, India's Ministry of Finance imposed anti-dumping duties on poly-propylene manufacturers in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Singapore, attracting accusations of protectionism from industry leaders in the Gulf region.

However, major regional producer Saudi Arabia was removed from the list on December 30 leaving Oman, which produces nine per cent of the GCC's polypropy-lene supply through Oman Polypropylene – now part of national petrochemicals conglomerate Orpic – as the sole Gulf state subject to the duty.

Dr Abdulwahab al Sadoun, the secretary general of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), told Muscat Daily that although the decision to remove anti-dumping duties on Saudi polypropylene imports, the association 'remains concerned' about Oman.

He said, “The GPCA's position remains firm that Oman and other GCC industries are not engaged in dumping in India or anywhere by any means, and that GCC industries are strongly committed to complying with international-trade laws and regulations.” Sadoun added that although only a small percentage of the Gulf's polypropylene exports go to India, the Indian downstream industries “will benefit from a lifting of the anti-dumping duty.”

An official from Oman Polypropylene, who did not want to be named, said India has lifted the duty from Saudi Arabia because of political pressure built by the Saudi government ahead of the Saudi commerce minister's visit to India.

He said,“It is clear that the duty has been lifted due to pressure. The Directorate General for Anti-dumping in India called a meeting of affected companies on December 20 2011, but the meeting did not take place and the decision on Saudi Arabia came out on 30 December 2011.

“It remains to be seen what steps the Omani government plans to take like its Saudi counterpart.”

By Alex Adams & Gulam Ali Khan

Source: muscatdaily.com