Serbia's import flour from flour

Since the entry into force of this decision to set the 0.04-center fee for import flour from Serbia, the import of flour from this country has evidently declined compared to the same period last year.

Out of 3.8 million pounds of flour imports from Serbia in the same period last year, it has dropped to 800 thousand kilograms, Kosovo Customs spokesman Adriatic Stavileci has said.

By comparing the same period in 2016 to Serbia's import flour from 2016, we see that Serbia's import of flour from October 23rd is for 3,033,785.50 KG”, the Stavileci response reported.

But monetaryly, there is a drop of 780 thousand euros to 194 thousand.

The trade ministry's decision has come after a long research and complaint by the Kosovars' Association after Serbia imported flour below the market price in Kosovo.

This MTI decision, according to economics expert Lulzim Beqiri, is fair and welcome.

“Minister Hasani's decision of supporting measures for local producers, where Serbian companies are forced to pay a total of 0.04 cents for import of flour, is welcome, as Serbian flour companies are known to have exported to the Republic of Kosovo under the cost of production, which has even damaged the local producer, and the minister with it towards applying this safeguard clause.” He said.

According to Beqiri, Kosovo should apply such measures to other products entering the market from Serbia.

The Republic of Kosovo must apply other measures to products that enter the market from import, especially to traditional local products, meat, flour, potatoes, milk, etc. The local producer is experiencing the hand of the state, and this is to greet, I hope that even in other cases Kosovo should react and protect the local manufacturer, always suggesting even improving the quality of local products”, Beqiri told Arbush.info.

The Arbre portal, theinfo, has also sent questions to the Ministry of Trade and Industry about where the replacement of flour that has been imported so far from Serbia will come about, but have not answered that question.

Officials from the MTI information office have only said that the import level of flour has dropped since making the decision.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has taken protective anti-Magping measures, on October 23rd 2017, to the Serbian state towards Serbian companies, respectively, which export flour to Kosovo. It is noteworthy that the import of flour since the introduction of the safeguard clause remains at very low”, the MTI response reported.