The Viet Nam Competition Authority (VCA) issued a document last week certifying that the domestic fertiliser companies’ dossiers on the possibility of applying trade defence instruments are valid.

The response comes after the VCA, under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), received a report in early April that some domestic fertiliser producers are requesting that trade defence measures be applied for a number of imported fertiliser products due to its negative impacts on domestic production.

The fertiliser products in the requested list have the codes: 3105.10.10, 3105.10 .20, 3105.10.90, 3105.20.00, 3105.30.00, 3105.40.00, 3105.51.00, 3105.59.00, and 3105.90.00.

These commodities are all inorganic or complex inorganic fertilisers mixed with nitrogen and phosphorus (P2O5), in which nitrogen content is at least 7 per cent and P2O5 content is at least 30 per cent.

The addition or mixture of other elements such as magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), sulphur (S), potassium (K) and other trace elements don’t change its physical and chemical nature nor the product’s purpose. The addition of micronutrients is appropriate for each soil type and crop group.

In addition, imported goods are investigated regardless of colour.

In order to evaluate the situation and make a decision on initiating an investigation, as well as to ensure the rights and interests of enterprises under the country’s trade defence policies, the VCA has asked businesses producing the listed types of fertilisers to provide the following details: business information; design capacity and production of fertilisers for 2014, 2015 and 2016; companies’ ideas on the case; and other relevant evidence. The deadline to submit the details is before 5pm on April 24.

The import of such fertilisers has sharply risen since early 2016, which has affected local production and caused heavy losses to domestic fertiliser producers. — VNS