During the first week of August a number of articles appeared with respect to export duties and their possible introduction. Schedule No.1 Part 7 to the Customs and Excise Act do provide for the imposition of export duties. At present South Africa does not apply any export duties and nor, to my knowledge, have such duties ever been imposed since the Harmonised System came into operation. The call for the imposition of export duties relates to the South African ferrochrome sector in an article that appeared in Business Report. The article quotes Chief Executive Stuart Elliot who is quoted saying that South Africa should consider export duties and other controls to stop a surge in chrome ore sales to the People’s Republic of China so that local ferrochrome makers could stay competitive. Mr Elliot indicated that local ferrochrome producers had hired independent consultants to investigate the industry and that a report with proposals to control exports would be submitted to the Government by next month.