MANILA, Philippines - The Turkish Flour Yeast & Ingredients (TFYI) Promotion Group, a semi-government entity representing Turkish flour exporters, is backing the Filipino-Chinese Bakery Association Inc.’s (FCBAI) position to inhibit Department of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala in the ongoing investigation involving the anti-dumping case on Turkish flour to have a fair decision on the matter.
In a statement, TFYI chairman Turgay Unlu said Alcala’s pronouncement of an administrative order that recommends the imposition of a 20-percent tariff on Turkish flour is highly preemptive given that all parties concerned still have until Aug. 16 to respond to the petition.
Unlu noted that their group as well as trade partners like FCBAI have yet to receive a copy of the directive.
“Since the onset of the dumping issue on Turkish flour in the Philippines, the TFYI Promotion Group has relied on the merits of our defense to dispel unfounded accusations against Turkey’s wheat flour exports. However, with a favorable recommendation to the petitioner even before the evaluation period has expired, Alcala explicitly influenced the course of the investigation,†he said.
Alcala last month signed an administrative order which recommends to the Tariff Commission the imposition of a provisional duty on Turkish flour at a higher 20 percent from seven percent, while an investigation on the Philippine Association of Flour Millers, Inc.’s (PAFMIL) petition to permanently raise the import duties is being conducted.
The PAFMIL filed a petition before the DA to raise the import duty on Turkish flour claiming that Turkish flour millers are selling their flour here at dumping prices or at prices lower than in Turkey’s domestic market.
The Tariff Commission has said the DA should complete its preliminary investigation on the matter and submit its findings with the answers of the respondents to the complaint first.
Unlu said the approval of the motion to inhibit Alcala from the investigation and leave the Tariff Commission to take charge “will lead to a fair and unbiased determination on the anti-dumping case.â€
The TYFI has earlier denied the PAFMIL’s claims that Turkish flour is being sold here at dumping prices.
This, as the group noted that their flour shipments here are made specifically for the Philippines and not sold in Turkey.
Bakers announced earlier that they would raise the price of Pinoy Tasty to P40 from P37 per loaf, and the price of Pinoy Pandesal to P24 from P22.50 per pack of 10 starting Aug. 20, due to the non-availability of low-priced Turkish flour with the duty of shipments of flour from overseas seen to go up.
The Department of Trade and Industry has said there should be no price hikes however, with Turkish flour shipments still expected to arrive in the country.