Ukraine's Interdepartmental Commission for International Trade has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into imports of general-purpose incandescent light bulbs from Belarus to Ukraine.

Ukraine's largest light bulb producer, Lviv-based PrJSC Iskra plant lodged a respective complaint with the Commission, an announcement in the government's Uriadovy Kurier newspaper said on Friday.

Iskra says that the share of imports from Belarus in relation to Iskra's production in 2015, 2016, and a combined period of the second quarter of 2016 and the first quarter of 2017 decreased by 13% and increased by 63% and 113% compared to 2014, respectively. However, the plant's production decreased by 18%, 27% and 45%, and production capacity by 5%, 15% and 15%, respectively.

In addition, the applicant's sales in the domestic market fell by 4%, 20% and 22%, respectively; while the selling price decreased by 20%, 24% and 24% and sales revenue shrank by 61%, 1% and 40%, respectively.

Iskra also announced a decrease in profitability by 72%, 49% and 79%, respectively, and a decrease in the average number of the employment by 6%, 15% and 21%, respectively.

According to the announcement, the investigation concerns general-purpose incandescent light bulbs with wattage of no more than 200 watts and voltage exceeding 100 volts (code 8539 22 90 10 under the Ukrainian classifier of goods UKT VED ) that originate from Belarus.

The Commission's decision of December 28, 2017, shall come into force from the date of its publication.

The Iskra plant produces light bulbs, quartz-halogen lamps, floodlights, mini and car lamps, compact florescent tubes, and sodium and mercury lamps. It also offers incandescent lamps, lighters, headlight lamps, and bulbs and glass pipes. The company operates in Ukrainian and internationally.