Flour traders continue importing, albeit in smaller volumes, to keep their presence in the market.
Ernesto Chua, president of Malabon Long Life Trading Corp., said importers have shifted sourcing from Turkey to Vietnam where the product comes in duty-free.
Chua said following the imposition of anti-dumping duties on Turkish flour , importing from that country is no longer competitive.
Chua said traders continue to bring in soft flour which is used for biscuits and snacks in much smaller volumes and at limited margins “to maintain our presence in the market.”
“We still have a role play in the market.”
In 2020, the government extended anti-dumping duties on imports of wheat flour originating and exported from Turkey until 2023 to a range of 2.87 to 29.57 percent.
The anti-dumping duties were first imposed in 2014 after local millers proved that Turkish flour imports threatened to cause material injury to the domestic milling industry. – Irma Isip
