Indian phthalic anhydride producers await official ruling on anti-competitive imports

16-Oct-08

Import of low-priced cargoes of phthalic anhydride (PA) into India from its Asian counterparts is a cause of serious concern for Indian PA producers. The sub-costs import of cargoes from South Korea, Indonesia and Taiwan led to an unplanned half-month shut down of South India-based PA producer, Thirumalai Chemicals' 140,000 tpa PA plant near Chennai. The approximate difference in the imported PA offers and domestic prices of PA is around US$200/mt and such anti-competitive imports have resulted in slimming margins of domestic PA producers. Owing to difficult situation, Thirumalai Chemicals and other PA producers have appealed to the Indian government to impose anti-dumping charges on the imposts of PA from certain countries and are awaiting an official decision from the government until December.