BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced Monday that it will impose anti-dumping duties on imports of methyl isobutyl ketone from the Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan, and South Africa.

The duties will last for five years starting Tuesday, the ministry said.

According to the ministry's final ruling, companies from ROK, Japan, and South Africa have dumped the compound on the Chinese market and such imports have caused substantial damage to the domestic industry.

The anti-dumping duty rates for imports from two ROK companies ranged between 18.5 percent and 32.3 percent, the rates for imports from three Japanese companies was set at 45 percent to 190.4 percent, and that for South African products was set at 15.9 percent to 34.1 percent, said the ministry.

It launched an anti-dumping investigation into imported methyl isobutyl ketone in March last year.

Methyl isobutyl ketone, an organic compound, is used as a solvent for gums, resins, paints, and varnishes.