Mexico imposes five-year anti-dumping duties on Chinese boxboard imports following investigation

Key takeaways:

• Mexico’s Ministry of Economy concluded its investigation, imposing definitive anti-dumping duties on Chinese boxboard imports for five years.
• The resolution found Chinese imports were dumped in Mexico, supporting definitive trade measures nationwide immediately following publication.
• Duty rates vary by producer, ranging from $0.2837 to $0.4854 per kilogram, depending on the exporter.
• Importers can avoid duties only by proving goods did not originate in China, regardless of routing arrangements.
• The measure increases protection for domestic producers and may support greater participation from alternative suppliers in the Mexican market.

Mexico’s Ministry of Economy published on Wednesday July 8 its final decision in the anti-dumping investigation into boxboard imports from China, imposing definitive countervailing duties that will remain in force for five years.

The conclusion, published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), found that Chinese imports had been sold in the Mexican market under dumping practices, justifying the imposition of definitive anti-dumping measures on the products covered by the investigation.

The resolution will enter into force on the day following its publication.

The new anti-dumping duties vary by Chinese producer and will apply to boxboard imports entering Mexico under the main tariff classifications covered by the investigation.

The definitive duties were set at $0.4388 per kg for Guangxi Jingui, $0.2837 per kg for Jiangsu Bohui, $0.4854 per kg for Ningbo Asia, $0.3909 per kg for Shandong Bohui and $0.4854 per kg for all other Chinese exporters.

Collection of the duties will be carried out by Mexico’s Ministry of Finance and Public Credit and will apply nationwide.

According to the resolution, importers will be exempt from the duties only if they can demonstrate that the goods did not originate in China, even when shipments are routed through third countries.

Sources told Fastmarkets that Mexican market participants had been expecting the government to adopt measures aimed at protecting domestic producers.

For some Chinese suppliers, the definitive anti-dumping duties are higher than the provisional compensatory quota of $0.3702 per kg that had served as the market benchmark throughout the investigation period and was estimated to represent a duty burden of up to 60% of final prices.

The measure strengthens protection for Mexico’s domestic boxboard industry while potentially creating opportunities for suppliers from other countries to increase their participation in the Mexican market.

The Mexican Ministry of Economy had also formally launched an anti-dumping investigation into boxboard imports originating from Austria, Finland and Sweden in April, after accepting a petition filed by two major domestic producers, Productora de Papel and Cartones Ponderosa.

Stay informed with continued coverage of trade measures, market developments and regulatory changes affecting boxboard markets.