On April 26, Brazil will reactivate again on the agenda of the World Trade Organization, the complaint against Costa Rica for the imposition of a safeguard to increase the tariff on sugar.
After the Costa Rican authorities raised the tariff on imported sugar from 45% to 73%, the South American country decided to raise before the World Trade Organization, a process to exercise the right of suspension.
In June of this year, the Alvarado administration decided to increase to 79% and for the term of three years, the tariff on sugar entering the country.
Arguing that the unusual growth in sugar imports is harming local production, the Alvarado administration decided to raise the tariff on products entering Costa Rica from 45% to 73% for a three-year period.
The Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC) concluded the investigation requested by the Agricultural Industrial League of Sugar Cane (LAICA) and 4 mills, on the safeguard measure against imports of solid state, granulated sugar, known as white sugar, used for domestic and industrial consumption, justifying a deterioration in the main economic indicators of the National Production Branch (RPN), details an official statement dated June 15.
With a lawsuit against the Ministry of Foreign Trade in Costa Rica the virtually monopolistic Liga Agrícola Industrial de la Caña de Azúcar is attempting to limit the quotas for historical importers of the grain.
The administrative proceedings presented by Liga Agrícola Industrial de la Caña de Azúcar (LAICA) against the Ministry of Foreign Trade (COMEX), aim to limit the quotas for historic imports of sugar, and could have consequences for other mass consumption products in the country.
Days after the Brazilian government noted that the additional duty of 6.82% violated the WTO anti-dumping agreement, the Solis administration has reduced it by half.
The Ministry of Economy partially upheld the appeal filed by the sugar importer Maquila Lama and decreased the additional tariff to 3.67%, on top of the 46% already paid on sugar imported from Brazil.
A change of minister in Costa Rica will aid in increasing the cost of sugar via an import tariff hike, harming consumers and the food industry, and increasing protection for the powerful sugar lobby.
EDITORIAL
The decision taken by the new chief of the Ministry of Economy reflects a clear interest in meddling in a process that should be resolved at a technical and non-political level.The decision to declare whether or not dumping occured in a particular market and what measures should be taken in response, corresponds to the office of Trade Defense, and should be free from any possible political bias.
The Ministry of Economy has decided to impose a new tax of almost 7% on sugar imported from Brazil, in response to a lawsuit brought by the union of local producers.
With this new protectionist measure the government is trying to put an end to a conflict that arose in 2015 between the Agricultural Cane League (Laica) and the importer Maquila Lama, when this company denounced a proposal to amend the regulation on sugar fortification claiming it attempted to restrict trade of imported grain.
At the request of the Agricultural Cane League the government has extended until the end of November the investigation into alleged dumping against the sugar importer La Maquila Lama.
The as yet unresolved conflict could once again make its presence felt with the import of organic sugar on the part of the Agricultural Cane League and also the importer La Maquila Lama, who filed with the Commission to Promote Competition (COPROCOM) a complaint of alleged monopolistic practices.See: "Sugar War in Costa Rica".
Maquila Lama has denounced the Agricultural Industrial Cane League for "pressuring wholesale businesses to remove" the product that the importer distributes.
In a statement the company Maquila Lama says that"... for several days notices have been received from stores that sell the Mr. Maximus brand of sugar, in which it was indicated that sales representatives from LAICA have come to offer better conditions such as providing credit and transportation of the product to their outlets, among other things, with the condition that they stop selling Mr. Maximo sugar on their premises. "
In Costa Rica the virtually monopolistic Industrial Sugar Cane Agricultural League is supporting a recent decree that protects blocking imports of sugar by forcing sugar fortification to be done it its place of origin.
EDITORIAL
A statement issued by the Industrial Sugarcane Agricultural League (LAICA) abounds in views on the relevance of sugar fortification -which nobody questions-, and on the supposed benefits that the company brings to the Costa Rican consumers, including " stable prices. "
The union of sugar producers may have presented inaccurate information to accuse a company for allegedly dumping of sugar from Brazil.
From a statement issued by Maquila Lama:
Maquila Lama requested the hearing after being denounced for importing sugar from Brazil
LAICA and perito must testify about the test for an alleged case of dumping
• Legal Advisor to Maquila Lama warns of severe implications of providing a document that does not have support or validity for the opening of an investigation.
español
5883
