Blanket producers filed complaints with anti-dumping authorities to stop Chinese imports of blankets, saying the blankets have flooded the market with poor quality products that do not meet manufacturing specifications.
The producers attached documents and receipts with their complaints to prove that the Chinese blankets are sold at prices lower than their rates in China.
Hamdy al-Tabbakh, vice president of the bedding products export council, said local products are taking heavy losses due to the high rate of blanket smuggling. He also said the market has been saturated with Chinese products that are sold at low rates. Out of every three blankets sold on the market, two are smuggled, and one is produced locally, he claimed.
He said local production already satisfied a considerable part of local market needs, with around 3 million blankets made every year. Around 200,000 blankets are exported, he said.
"The private sector has the capacity to boost its production to cover local market needs and export an additional 300,000 blankets if the problems of smuggling and dumping are resolved," he said.
Tabbakh also called for better monitoring of customs checkpoints.
