§ 80. Mr. James Davidsonasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now withdraw the provisional order requiring a £9 per ton anti-dumping duty on nitrogenous fertilisers from Belgium, Holland and West Germany, in view of the fact that this fertiliser is being bought at the current world price and the order is against the interests of the agricultural industry and of many merchants selling to farmers.
§ Mr. MasonNo. The test of dumping is whether the export price of the goods is less than the corresponding domestic price in the exporting country, and not whether the goods are sold in the country of destination at or below world price. The Board of Trade's announcement of 19th February invited representations from interested parties in order that the Board may take their views into account in considering whether it would be in the national interest to impose definitive anti-dumping duties.
§ Mr. James Davidsonasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement regarding the purposes of the provisional order requiring a £9 per ton anti-dumping duty on nitrogenous fertilisers from Belgium, Holland, and West Germany.
§ Mr. MasonThis charge is not a duty; but security, normally by cash deposit, is required by Her Majesty's Customs for the payment of any definitive duty which may be imposed after the Board of Trade has completed its investigation. The charge, which applies at present only to imports of Belgian and West German calcium ammonium nitrate, was imposed after the British manufacturers had produced satisfactoryprima facie evidence that these imports were dumped, and causing them material injury, and that provisional action was essential having regard to the likely amount of the imports and the seasonal pattern of trade.