The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) last week issued Decision No. 3044/QĐ-BCT to apply safeguard measures on some DAP and MAP fertiliser products imported into Viet Nam.

The fertiliser products under the measures have the codes: 3105.10 .20, 3105.10.90, 3105.20.00 and 3105.30.00, as well as 3105.40.00, 3105.51.00, 3105.59.00 and 3105.90.00.

On May 12, MoIT issued Decision No. 1682A/QĐ-BCT on initiating a fertiliser dumping investigation and considering the application of safeguard measures on some imported fertiliser products into Viet Nam.

The decision was issued after the Viet Nam Competition Authority under the ministry received a request from Company Limited DAP - Vinachem and DAP No 2 -Vinachem Joint Stock Company to apply global safeguard measures on the products, alleging that the increase of imported goods has damaged the domestic industry.

The goods being investigated are all types of inorganic or complex inorganic fertilisers mixed with nitrogen and phosphorus, in which nitrogen content is at least 7 per cent and phosphorus content is at least 30 per cent.

According to this decision, the applied temporary safeguard tax is VNĐ1,855,790 (US$82) per tonne and is effective from August 19, 2017.

The temporary measures will be applied for a period not exceeding 200 days from the date of coming into effect.

This measure will end on March 6, 2018, or when MoIT brings out a decision to impose an official measure.

Last year, Viet Nam spent $1.1 million to import 4.15 million tonnes of fertiliser, the General Department of Viet Nam Customs reported.

MoIT estimated that fertiliser import spending in 2017 is similar to 2016 at $1.1 billion and the main import market is China. 

VNS