Anti-dumping duty to be imposed on Turkish flour

MANILA, Philippines - The Tariff Commission (TC) has ordered the imposition of anti-dumping duties on imports of wheat flour from Turkey for five years after finding that such imports threaten the domestic industry.

In a decision dated Nov. 11, the TC said anti-dumping duties ranging from 0 to 16.19 percent on 17 exporters of flour from Turkey would be imposed for a period of five years.

The TC said the anti-dumping duties are to be imposed after “having established that the threat of material injury to the domestic industry of such imports is imminent.”

As for new exporters or producers of Turkish flour that have not exported to the Philippines during the period of investigation, their individual margins of dumping would be determined following a review to be carried out on an accelerated basis.

No anti-dumping duties would be levied on imports from new exporters or producers while the review is being undertaken.

The TC decision was issued following a of formal investigation on a petition filed by the Philippine Association of Flour Millers, Inc. (PAFMIL).

In its petition, the PAFMIL claimed that local flour could not compete with Turkish flour being sold in the country at dumping prices.

Dumping takes place when a country exports a commodity at prices lower than its domestic prices.

The PAFMIL in a statement yesterday said  the TC’s decision affirms the Department of Agriculture’s finding of dumping based on a preliminary investigation it conducted on the petition. 

The group said that while higher duties should be imposed,  it welcomes the decision given by the TC.

“The PAFMIL believes that the dumping duty should be higher, but is thankful that a dumping duty is imposed as this allows a certain level of parity that was not available to local flour millers before,” the group said.

PAFMIL groups large local flour manufacturers RFM Corp., Liberty Flour Mills, Wellington Flour Mills, Universal Robina Corp., General Milling Corp., Philippine Four Mills and Pilmico Foods Corp.