Gov’t slaps antidumping duties on Turkish firms

MANILA, Philippines–Antidumping duties have been slapped on at least 13 Turkish firms that shipped wheat flour to the Philippines, following an investigation by the Tariff Commission.

“The commission, having established that the threat of material injury to the domestic industry is imminent, hereby orders that antidumping duties be imposed on imports of wheat flour originating … from the Republic of Turkey for a period of five years,” the agency said.

The 58-page decision dated Nov. 11 also prescribes a schedule of the duties, which range from 2.87 percent to 16.19 percent of the shipment price.

Each flour trader was assigned a particular rate depending on the perceived threat to the local industry.

The companies sanctioned are Unay Gida Nak San Ve Tik Ltd Sti, Dost Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret AS, Tekinak Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret AS, Tekirdag Un San Ve Tic Ltd Stl, Karahan Degirmencilik Ltd Stl, Akduy Gida Traim Tarim Ins Nak San, Erisler Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret, Eksun Gida Tarim San Ve Tic AS, Turun Gida San Ve Tic AS, Kale Madencilik San Ve Tic AS, Doruk Marmara Un Sanayi Ciligi AS, Ulusoy Un Sanayi ve Ticaret, and Ulas Gida Un Teksil Nakliye Ticaret Ve Sanayi AS.

Antidumping measures are some of the trade protection mechanisms available under the World Trade Organization.

Such measures provide relief to a domestic industry that has suffered from the inflow of foreign goods that are relatively cheaper than their normal value.

The Department of Agriculture has been tasked to issue an order implementing the antidumping duties.

Ric Pinca, executive director of the Philippine Association of Flour Millers Inc. (Pafmil), said the dumping duty should have been higher.

“But Pafmil is thankful that a dumping duty has been imposed as this allows a certain level of parity that was not available to local flour millers before,” Pinca said.