Pakistan’s National Tariff Commission has imposed provisional anti-dumping duties on imports of soda ash from Turkiye and Kenya after finding, on a preliminary basis, that the products were being dumped in the local market and had caused material injury to domestic producers.
The commission said the duties will apply for four months.
Most Turkish exporters will face a 5.58% duty, selected Turkish producers 3.49%, and all exporters from Kenya 12.54%.
The investigation was launched on July 18 last year following an application by two major domestic producers — Lucky Core Industries Limited and Olympia Chemical Limited. Lucky Core has an annual soda ash capacity of about 560,000 tons, while Olympia Chemical’s capacity is about 306,000 tons.
Soda ash, classified under PCT Code 2836.2000, is a key input for industries including glass manufacturing, detergents, chemicals, paper, metallurgy and water purification.
Pakistan’s soda ash market is dominated by local producers, with Lucky Core accounting for about 60% of demand, Olympia Chemical about 30%, and imports making up the remaining 10%, according to industry data cited in the case.
Based on an injury investigation covering fiscal years 2022 to 2025 and a dumping analysis for fiscal years 2024 and 2025, the commission said it observed rising import volumes, price undercutting and price depression.
It also cited declining market share, lower capacity utilization and pressure on the profitability of the domestic industry.
The commission said the provisional duties will not apply to imports used as inputs for export-oriented products or to imports for foreign grant-in-aid projects or those covered under applicable exemption schemes.
The move follows a previous anti-dumping probe launched in 2021 against soda ash imports from Turkiye on a petition by the same companies. That investigation was terminated in 2022 without the imposition of duties.
Lucky Core’s soda ash segment accounts for about 30% of the company’s overall value, according to market estimates. In fiscal year 2025, the segment’s revenue fell about 15% year over year, while gross margins declined to 23% from 31% in fiscal year 2022.
Overall gross margins for Lucky Core remained broadly flat at around 19% in fiscal year 2025, highlighting the pressure on its soda ash business during the period identified by the commission as injurious.
Industry observers say the provisional duties could provide structural support to Pakistan’s soda ash industry over the medium term. However, they add that exemptions for export-oriented users and the final duty rates to be determined in the commission’s final findings will remain key factors to watch.
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