Lifting of import duties on Australian barley seen boosting beer makers

China will scrap anti-dumping duties and countervailing duties on imports of barley originating in Australia starting Saturday, the Ministry of Commerce said on Friday.

In a statement published on its website, the ministry said it is no longer necessary to continue to impose such duties, in keeping with the shifting dynamics in the Chinese barley market.

The anti-dumping tariffs and countervailing duties were imposed in mid-2020 at rate of 73.6 percent and 6.9 percent, respectively. At the time, they were intended to be effective for five years.

In April, at the request of the China Alcoholic Drinks Association, which claimed that the current supply of domestically produced barley products is unable to meet domestic consumption demand, the ministry decided to review whether such duties need to be continued.

The ministry said that removing tariffs on Australian barley will effectively alleviate the pressure on malt manufacturers and beer makers, in terms of production and costs, and also facilitate the upgrade of the domestic beer industry and product diversification.