On Nov. 12, the Turkish government announced an increase of custom duties for corn (maize), sorghum and millet from 50% to 130%, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) said. The country has produced a record domestic crop, per the FAS, and local officials have released repeated statements that corn imports will not be necessary this year.

 

Turkey’s marketing year 2008-09 crop is forecast at a record 4 million tonnes, as planted area rose 22% from the previous crop year; and yields were excellent the FAS said.

 

In the 2008 annual tariff rate announcement published Dec. 31, 2007, the tariffs for corn, sorghum and millet were set at 35%, with a footnote saying the rate would rise to 70% from May 15, 2008. However, because of the jump in commodity prices and the need to import more, a cabinet decision published on April 8, 2008, gave the Turkish Grain Board (TMO) the right to import 300,000 tonnes of corn with zero duty by May 31, 2009. This quota was added to another 300,000 tonnes zero-duty quota issued in September 2007. TMO has imported 295,000 tonnes of corn under each of these quotas.

 

The same April 8, 2008, cabinet decision reduced the tariff on corn, sorghum and millet outside of any quota from 35% to 20%, valid until July 31, 2008, when the tariff rate increased to 50%.

 

 

 

World Grain