A local industry group has denied dumping paper following a measure by Australia to impose anti-dumping duties on Indonesian exports.

Australia announced on Wednesday that it would impose punitive levies on imported A4 paper from Indonesia, along with Brazil, China and Thailand following an investigation carried out by its anti-dumping committee.

Indonesia Pulp and Paper Association (APKI) expert board member Rusli Tan shrugged off the finding, saying that certain paper products were actually sold at low prices in the neighboring country in line with their specifications.

“Some paper products are sold in Australia at low prices according to varying brightness levels, instead of being dumped,” Rusli told The Jakarta Post.

He urged a fairer evaluation of the latest measure and asserted the mutual relationship between the two countries as a basis of consideration. “We import much from Australia, including wheat and fruits. Even all of the industrial salt we use to process pulp comes from the country,” Rusli said.

Australia’s anti-dumping duties are meant to protect its sole A4 paper manufacturer, Australian Paper, which runs a mill in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley. Its investigation found paper from the accused countries had been dumped with dumping margins ranging between 2.9 percent and 45.1 percent.

“This decision is about ensuring a level playing field between Australia and our trading partners,” said assistant minister for industry, innovation and science Craig Laundy said in a statement published on its government website.

Indonesian paper producers have faced recurrent allegations of both dumping and subsidies. The country is now ranked the world’s seventh-largest pulp and paper producer with production capacity of 12 million tons last year.

The Trade Ministry’s director general of foreign trade, Oke Nurwan, confirmed his office had obtained the notification of the anti-dumping measure from its Australian counterpart.

“Our affected producers have the option to appeal. So now they will need to review the measure first,” he told the Post, adding that the government would also provide any necessary assistance.

Companies charged with punitive tariffs will have 30 days to propose an appeal to the anti-dumping review panel.

In contrast with the Australian finding, the ministry’s data showed Indonesia’s paper exports to Australia had followed a downward trend.

Last year, exports of paper for writing, printing and other graphic uses, totaled US$38.7 million, down from $45.66 million in 2012.