Trade ministry probes MDF dumping charges

The investigation puts focus on assessing the dumping behavior of Thai and Malaysian MDF exporters and the damage done to the local plywood board industry. (Illustrative photo)

The move comes after four local medium density fibreboard (MDF) producers sent a dossier to the ministry’s Trade Remedies Authority calling for an anti-dumping investigation. They include VRG Kien Giang MDF JSC, MDF VRG Quang Tri, Kim Tin MDF, and VRG Dongwha MDF - a joint venture between the Republic of Korea’s Dongwha International company and Vietnam Rubber Group.

These firms criticized MDF products imported from Thailand and Malaysia for being sold at dumping rates ranging between 18.59 and 50.6 per cent in the Vietnamese market. They blamed the alleged dumping behavior for considerably damaging the domestic production of plywood boards.

According to the ministry, current legal regulations state that following the launch of an anti-dumping investigation, competent agencies are to raise questions for stakeholders in order to collect relevant information for reviewing and defining the dumping charge.

The investigation puts focus on assessing the dumping behavior of Thai and Malaysian MDF exporters, the damage done to the local plywood board industry, and the causal relationship between the dumping and the damage.

If needed, the ministry could apply temporary measures to inhibit further dumping based on preliminary investigation results, with a view to helping the domestic industry avoid significant damage.

The ministry is likely to verify information provided by related parties and to hold public consultations for stakeholders so they can directly raise their concerns ahead of the final conclusion.

It has called on other local MDF producers to provide relevant information and offer their opinions on the issue in a bid to protect their legitimate rights and benefits.

A definitive anti-dumping duty may be levied on imported MDF products which entered for consumption not more than 90 days prior to the date of application of provisional measures, the ministry warned.