Millers seek extension of dumping duty on Turkish flour

MANILA, Philippines — Local flour millers want the government to extend by five years the dumping duty imposed on Turkish flour as the imported product continues to threaten the domestic industry.

The Philippine Association of Flour Millers (PAFMIL) said in a statement it has written the Department of Agriculture asking the agency to endorse to the Tariff Commission (TC) the group’s request to initiate an expiry review of the five-year anti-dumping duty on wheat flour from Turkey which is set to expire on Jan. 8 next year.

In a noticed dated Aug. 29, TC said it would commence with its expiry review and hold a preliminary conference on the request on Sept.9.

TC ordered the imposition of dumping duty on Turkish flour on Jan.8, 2015 for five years after finding that such imports pose a threat to the local industry.

Through the expiry review, TC will determine if there is a need to extend the dumping duty.

Republic Act 8752 or the Philippine Anti-Dumping Law requires the  petition for extension to be filed at least six months before expiry date.

PAFMIL said there is a need to extend the dumping duty on Turkish flour “due to the likelihood of recurrence of dumping and again becoming a threat to the local industry which is still recovering from losses caused by dumped Turkish flour in the past.”

In justifying its petition, PAFMIL cited Turkish Flour, Yeast and Ingredients Promotion Group chairman Turgay Unlu who said Turkey was targeting the Philippines as an export market.

In addition, the Turkish government, which has invested in a new global certification scheme for its wheat flour, is looking to launch such in the Philippines first before other countries.

PAFMIL said there are reports which show Turkey as the world’s leading flour exporter as it processes 18 million tons of flour for the domestic and export market, but still has extra capacity.

The Philippines is the third biggest export market for Turkish flour, after Iraq and Syria.

In 2012, Turkey shipped $68.5 million worth of wheat flour to the Philippines, representing eight percent of total Turkish wheat flour exports.