Latest anti-dumping decision welcomed

An announcement that the Australian Government will apply dumping duties on all canned tomatoes from Italy has been applauded by key industry bodies.

The Australian Food and Grocery Council welcomed the announcement, citing high and rising input costs, retail price deflation and high compliance costs as factors that were placing pressure on Australia’s food and grocery processing industry.

“In this environment the threat of product dumping is a serious issue warranting the tougher anti-dumping measures introduced by the federal government. Today’s decision by the Australian Government sends a message to our international competitors that Australia is not an easy target for dumping goods,” said AFGC Chief Executive Officer Gary Dawson.

In its submission to the Anti-Dumping Commission, AFGC member company SPC estimated that from 2010 to 2014 the processed tomato industry in Italy received more than €900 million (approximately AU$1.2 billion) in subsidies through programs under the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy.

Dawson said the dumping decision recognised the impact of these subsidies on the Australian agri-food sector.

“Australia is regarded as a high quality, safe and premium food producer. The food industry and the growers supplying it want to compete with international manufacturers and producers on a level playing field. This type of action gives our food processors and growers the opportunity to do just that,” said Dawson.

The Australian Made Campaign also welcomed the penalties imposed by the Anti-Dumping Commission.

“Consumers in Australia prefer Australian Grown produce and this should not be distorted by ridiculously unfair pricing,” said Australian Made Campaign Chief Executive Ian Harrison.

“It makes no sense for the great produce grown in the Goulburn Valley and processed by companies such as SPC Ardmona to lose out in the marketplace against illegally dumped products.”

A previous anti-dumping investigation into canned tomatoes found that 103 of the 105 exporters from Italy were illegally dumping products in Australia and duties were applied. The recent decision applies duties on the remaining exporters: 8.4% on Feger tomato products and 4.5% on La Doria tomato products.