A January announcement in the government’s Official Bulletin confirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Trade had launched the probe into illegal imports of phenolic plywood originating from Brazil, Uruguay and China.
The ministry invited submissions and comment from all interested parties.
In its announcement it made clear that the national commission for foreign trade had established there is sufficient evidence supporting the allegations of injury from dumping to national plywood producers.
The investigation follows a request by the Argentine plywood producer Forestadora Tapebicuá.
The commission considered that phenolic plywood imports have "increased significantly, both in absolute terms and relative to consumption and national production" during the analysed period.
The relevant imports rose sharply from just 12% of domestic consumption in 2009 to 60% in January 2012. Meanwhile, sales of national plywood including that of Forestadora Tapebicuá plunged from 88% in 2009 to 38% in January last year. The applicant company saw its sales fall from 58% in 2009 to just 22% in 2011, the agency found.
