Filipino canners urge rethink on US law
United States to reassess its trade law and create a level playing
field for tuna product imports, according to a report on Fis.com.
The Tuna Canners Association of the Philippines (TACP) is urging the United States to reassess its trade law and create a level playing field for tuna product imports, according to a report on Fis.com.
A TCAP spokesman said association representatives met US officials last week to express their sentiments over the controversial US Trade Act 2002, reports the Philippine Star. At the meeting local canners expressed appreciation for the Congressional Act that has increased the import quota for canned tuna from 2.4 million cases to 2.54 million cases.
"But the tuna canners were disappointed that the Andean countries were given duty-free status for their exports of pouched tuna to the US, a move that may edge out the Philippines altogether," said the spokesman.
TCAP pointed out that pouched tuna would compete directly with its own canned tuna exported to the US market. The country exports only large sized institutional cans and although tuna in retail sized pouches is more expensive than in retail sized cans, large size pouched tuna is cheaper than the canned version.
TCAP said this provision of the legislation favours Thailand, who owns the brand Chicken of the Sea, widely distributed in the US in retail sized cans.
"It will be damaging to the Philippines when the demand for pouched tuna in all sizes increases, especially when Andean canning plants begin converting their canneries to pouched tuna production," the spokesman said.
According to TAP the US envoy agreed to pass the association's comments to Washington legislators for review and evaluation.
