‘Turkey won’t obstruct import of Nepali yarn’

Kathmandu, Dec. 23: Correcting its earlier warning to impose a ban on Nepali yarn's import to the country, Turkey has officially said that it would not restrict the import of the Nepali product.

Suspecting that the Nepali producers were exporting foreign yarn with 'made in Nepal' tag to Turkey, the latter had expressed its intent to follow strict measures while importing Nepali yarn.

Turkey has already initiated a process to slap anti-dumping duty charging the same allegations earlier this year which had created anxiety among the Nepali yarn exporters.

There are 20 spinning mills in Nepal and Reliance Spinning Mills, Triveni Spinning and Jagadamba spinning mills are the major exporters. These three mills are exporting 80 per cent of their production.

After Turkey started a process to start circumvention process to Nepali yarn products, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies sent a delegation led by it Joint-Secretary Rabi Shankar Sainju to Turkey which met the senior officials of the Ministry of Economy there and urged them to review the decision.

Following the request by the Nepali delegation, Turkey sent a delegation to inspect Nepali spinning mills and conduct a study on the matter.

The Turkish government had reviewed its decision after its delegation submitted the report that there was no misappropriation in Nepal's exportable yarn items.

On 10 December, the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi officially informed the Embassy of Nepal in India that Turkey had decided not to obstruct the export of Nepali yarn.

President of Yarn Manufacturers' Association of Nepal Pawan Golyan said that with the decision of the Turkish government an unfortunate situation in Nepal's international trade has been prevented.

All the yarn producers are thankful to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies for its effort to persuade Turkey in reviewing its decision, he said.

Turkey is the major export market of Nepali yarn. About Rs. 20 billion has been invested in the yarn industry in Nepal.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 24 December 2018.