Recently, the Turkish government released its final decision on anti-dumping investigation of US cotton. Based on assertions that US cotton was dumped into Turkey injuring the domestic fiber market - which the National Cotton Council (NCC) steadfastly challenged - a three per cent CIF (cost, insurance and freight) duty has been imposed on all US cotton fiber imports into Turkey, effective immediately.

The country is the second largest export market for US cotton with shipments ranging between 1.5 and 2.0 million bales. The duties automatically put US cotton at a competitive disadvantage to cotton produced in other countries, thus seriously jeopardizing business with Turkish mills.

According to NCC Chairman Shane Stephens, the investigation, which was initiated in October 2014, was clearly in response to several US trade investigations of Turkish steel imports. In an unusual move, he noted that the Turkish government self-initiated the investigation without any showing of special circumstances as is required under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.