LETTER: Don’t worry about slapping anti-dumping duties on Brics friends, minister
Ebrahim Patel battles with imposing anti-dumping penalties on powerful allies, but it’s worth remembering that Brics is a political grouping, not a formal trade agreement
Michelle Gumede’s article about the challenge facing Ebrahim Patel, SA’s trade, industry & competition minister, with signing off the anti-dumping duties recommended by the International Trade Administration Commission (Itac) on some of the Brics members raises some interesting issues (“Ebrahim Patel faced with Brics juggling act after Itac recommends anti-dumping penalties”, May 2).
One should remember that Brics is a political grouping, not a formal trade agreement. The idea that SA trade authorities would have a tough time imposing anti-dumping duties when there is a clear case for such measures among some Brics members is probably a challenge worth discussing.
But I don’t foresee an issue here. SA should be able to continue administering its trade policy the usual way. We have duties on Brazil poultry, so the same should apply in any scenario with evidence to support an intervention.
After all, SA has imposed anti-dumping measures on trade partners with which it has a free-trade agreement, such as the EU.
Wandile Sihlobo
Department of agricultural economics, Stellenbosch University
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