NTC slaps 9.03% anti-dumping duty on Chinese Alu Alu foil used in medicine blister packs
The National Tariff Commission found that cheap Chinese imports of the aluminium foil that seals tablets and capsules hurt a Lahore maker. The provisional duty runs for four months.
Pakistan's National Tariff Commission (NTC) has imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty of 9.03% on imports of Alu Alu foil from China, the cold-formed aluminium and plastic laminate that drug makers use to blister-pack tablets and capsules, Business Recorder reported on 25 October.
The duty is set at the injury margin, which is lower than the full dumping margin the commission calculated, and it stays in force for four months from the day the notice appears in the press.
What is covered
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | Alu Alu foil: aluminium laminated with polymers such as OPA and PVC |
| Types | Cold forming foil and tropical foil |
| PCT codes | 7607.1990 and 7607.2000 |
| Origin | China |
| Duty | 9.03% provisional |
| Law | Section 43, Anti-Dumping Duties Act, 2015 |
| Applicant | Zenith Packages Industries (Pvt) Ltd, Lahore |
Only one Chinese exporter, Yangzhou Jerel Pharmaceutical New Material Co Ltd, answered the commission's questionnaire.
Why the NTC acted
The commission opened the case on 23 July 2026. It looked at dumping between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, and at injury to local industry over three years, from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026. It found:
- a sharp rise in the volume of dumped imports;
- price undercutting, and pressure that pushed local prices down or stopped them rising;
- falling market share, sales, output, capacity use, profits and return on investment for the local maker;
- knock-on effects on stock levels, wages, growth and the ability to raise capital.
What happens next
Importers, exporters and other interested parties can ask for a hearing in writing to the Secretary, National Tariff Commission, Islamabad, within 15 days of the notice being published. The final decision is due within 180 days of the preliminary finding; the duty can then be confirmed, changed or dropped.
What it means for medicine prices
Alu Alu foil is a small part of what a strip of tablets costs, so a 9% duty on the foil alone should not move shelf prices much. It does raise packaging costs for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies that import the foil from China, while giving the Lahore manufacturer room to compete. Duties are charged on the rupee value of imports, so a weaker rupee adds to the bill; follow the rate on our dollar to rupee page and work out tax on goods with the sales tax calculator.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does the anti-dumping duty on Alu Alu foil last?
- The 9.03% provisional duty runs for four months from the date the NTC notice is published in the press, while the commission reaches a final decision within 180 days.
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