Turkey opens an investigation into Saudi Arabia dumping of “polyethylene”

Turkish officials decided to open an investigation against illegal price dumping of low-density polyethylene, following an appeal by Petkim, the first and only integrated petrochemical plant in Turkey, to the Ministry of Trade.

According to an article in the daily Hurriyet newspaper, if the investigation finds any error, the Turkish government will impose additional taxes on imported Saudi goods.

Allegations of sanctions by the Saudi authorities on Turkish goods have also circulated through the media so far, although there has been no official confirmation by the kingdom.

Petkim, a subsidiary of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), suffered from deteriorating economic indicators due to what Saudi Arabia had done, according to the “Prevention of Unfair Competition” statement issued by the Ministry of Trade.

The statement said that import prices of low-density polyethylene decreased significantly between 2017 and 2020, as Saudi Arabia occupies a critical position in the global import market.

The statement also stated that the investigation has so far found that imports in the first six months of 2020 lowered domestic production prices.

Officials also spoke to the media, who did not reveal their identities, saying that Petkim had already appealed to the ministry before the media published allegations of Saudi sanctions imposed on Turkish goods.

“Coherent statements were submitted in the request to open the investigation, and it was decided to open it,” says one official. “Turkey is a country committed to international trade rules.”

Additional taxes may be imposed on goods imported from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the investigation may take between 12 and 18 hours.

The officials added that the investigation may end early if the Saudi authorities fail to cooperate with their Turkish counterparts, and a temporary solution is being considered for use during a transitional period.

It is reported that the company “Maersk”; The world’s largest container and supply ship company, earlier warned its customers that goods exported from Turkey to Saudi Arabia are very likely to be banned from entering.

The allegations regarding Riyadh’s ban on Turkish goods prompted the transport sector to take some precautions, the most prominent of which was that Maersk sent an email to its customers warning them of the dangers of exporting goods to Saudi Arabia from Turkey and the possibility of seizing them in customs.

In the emails, Maersk warned its customers by saying that exports would be subject to a “slowdown in customs operations”.

The company said, “There may be long waiting times for the goods to enter the country and they may be left entirely to customs,” adding that any expenses that may arise from bureaucratic processes will fall on the customer, and that he must pay if he decides to export his goods to the Kingdom … We advise our clients to take All necessary precautions. ”