Turkey hits US with retaliatory tariffs
Ankara, June 21 : Turkey on Thursday became the latest country to hit back at the US for its tariffs on steel and aluminium.
Turkey's Ministry of Economy said that it was imposing tariffs worth $267 million on US goods, targeting items like coal, paper, walnuts, tobacco, rice, whiskey and cars after negotiations with Washington failed to yield meaningful progress, CNN reported.
"Turkey is committed to active, robust and reciprocal trade relations with the US -- but with the understanding that fairness cannot be one-sided," Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said in a statement. "We cannot and will not allow Turkey to be wrongly blamed for America's economic challenges."
The US enacted 25 per cent tariffs on imported steel and 10 per cent tariffs on imported aluminium in March. Exemptions were initially given to the EU, Canada and Mexico, but the Trump administration let them lapse at the beginning of the month.
Turkey didn't receive an exemption.
Later, the EU, Canada and Mexico announced retaliatory tariffs against the US. China imposed tariffs on $3 billion of US products in early April in response to the steel and aluminium measures.
Turkey is the world's eighth largest steel exporter, according to a report prepared in March by the Department of Commerce. The US was Turkey's top market for steel in 2017.
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Liquor manufactures can sell liquor on tetra packs in Odisha: Minister
Bhubaneswar (PTI): Odisha Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan on Friday said the government has allowed the sale of liquor on tetra packets with certain criteria in its new Excise Policy for 2026-29.
Speaking to media persons here, Harichandan said selling liquor in tetra packs was there in the state's excise policy since 2014. However, it is not yet made available in the Odisha market, he said.
"If any licensed liquor manufacturer or vendor wants to produce or sell the liquor on tetra pack, they can do it. The government will not restrict them," he clarified.
The state government is giving priority for proper regulation of manufacturing and selling of liquor in the state, the minister added.
"We just ensure that there is no illegal sale of liquor in the state," he stated.
As per the new Excise Policy, which came into force from April 1, India-made foreign liquor (IMFL) manufacturers can supply their products in tetra packaging and in glass bottles in specified sizes. Only 180 ml can be supplied in tetra packs.
The tetra packs must have six protective layers and must have the shelf life or the date fit for consumption clearly mentioned on the packaging, the policy guidelines said.
Before using the tetra packs for packaging of liquor, the manufacturing units must take certification from the Central Food Technology Research Institute or Indian Institute of Packaging, or any such institute as notified by the excise commissioner, it said.
Earlier, opposition leaders had demanded the rollback of the government's decision to introduce the sale of liquor in tetra packs, calling the move "unethical" and "anti-youth".
