REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Turkey objects to Indonesian plan of imposing Safeguard Measure Import Duty (BMTP) on wheat flour import. Such measure would inflict losses to Indonesian interest, the Chairman of Turkey Exporters Association, Turgay Unlu, said.

BMTP, he said, could raise the wheat flour price in national market as well as affect the food stability. By decreasing the number of the flour import, he predicts that Indonesia will have a hard time finding the best price of flour.

"Wheat flour has become the second staple food in Indonesia after rice. The demand is increasing," he said last week.

Indonesian wheat flour consumption was increasing on 5-6 percent in 2011, while the price of wheat in international market climbed 41 percent. By September 2012, the wheat price is increasing on 30 percent. 

He said that the protest conducted by local flour producers to impose an anti-dumping duty on flour imports from Turkey was violating the regulation of World Trade Organization (WTO). The regulation says a country can impose safeguard measure if the imported products threats local industries severely. He said that the import declining of flour from 2011 to 2012 did not threat local industries.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Indonesian Flour Mill Association (Aptindo), Ratna Sariloppies, said that several importers turned into producers. It causes the import declining. The increasing price of wheat also contributed to the falling number of import. She refuted the Turkey’s objection and she guaranteed that BMTP would not impact the flour price or flour scarcity.

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