Itac on 28 September initiated a sunset review investigation, lodged by Lasher Tools, into the anti-dumping duties on garden tools (garden picks, spades and shovels, rakes and forks), classifiable under tariff subheadings 8201.30.03, 8201.10.10, 8201.30.90 and 8201.90.20, originating in or imported from the People’s Republic of China, on which comment is due by 27 October.
On 21 July 2017, Itac notified Southern African Customs Union (SACU) manufacturers that unless a substantiated request was made by the SACU industry indicating that the expiry of the anti-dumping duties against imports of garden picks, spades and shovels, rakes and forks originating in or imported from China would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping and material injury, the anti-dumping duties would expire on 17 October. A detailed response to Itac’s sunset review questionnaire was received from Ussher Inventions (Pty) Ltd, trading as Lasher Tools, on 17 April 2017.
Lasher Tools alleged and submitted evidence to indicate that the expiry of the anti-dumping duties would likely lead to the recurrence of material injury in the form of price undercutting; price suppression (picks); net losses; negative cash flow; decline in sales, employment, production volumes, market share, productivity (with the exception of rakes), growth; capacity utilisation and return on investment.
On this basis, Itac found that there was prima facie proof indicating that the expiry of the anti-dumping duties would likely lead to the recurrence of material injury.
The period of investigation for dumping is from 01 July 2016 to 30 June 2017, and the period of investigation for material injury is from 01 July 2014 to 30 June 2017.
