Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The United States has lowered the rate of its provisional anti-dumping duty on Indonesia`s polyethylene retail carrier bags to 9.18 percent from 67.18 percent previously.

"The final rate of anti-dumping duty will be decided on April 14 and we will later lodge the second complaint," Director of Trade Safeguard at the Trade Ministry Ernawati said here on Friday.

The anti-dumping duty imposed on the Indonesian products was the lowest among those charged to similar products from other countries such as Vietnam, she said.

"Last week the International Trade Commission (ITC) which determined losses as a result of dumping allegation asked for clarification. We told them that the products exported to the US were hand-made while the US alleged that they came from mass production," she said.

Ernawati said one of the Indonesian companies accused of dumping polyethylene retail carrier bags in the US market would provide extra data to the ITC.

In December 2009, the US anti-dumping authorities made verification of the Indonesian exporters accused of dumping polyethylene retail carrier bags in the US market. The US had lowered anti-dumping duty on the Indonesian products beforehand.

The US-anti dumping authorities have accused 13 Indonesian polyethylene retail carrier bag makers of dumping practices based on the results of investigation conducted since April 20, 2009. (*)