Canadian tribunal says wheat gluten dumping is likely hurting industry

The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) has concluded that “there is a reasonable indication that the dumping of wheat gluten from Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom has caused injury to the domestic industry.”

An investigation on the matter began on June 19, with a preliminary determination set to be issued by Sept. 17.

Dumping is when “goods are sold to importers in Canada at prices that are lower than the selling price of comparable goods in the country of export or when goods are sold to Canada at unprofitable prices,” according to Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA).

Dumping can also consist of “increased volume of subject goods, price undercutting, price depression, and adverse impacts on market share, sales volume, and profitability.”

For 2024-25, Statistics Canada estimated that total production of durum wheat in Canada to be 5.9 million tonnes, with total supply projected to be 6.3 million tonnes. Domestic consumption was forecasted to represent 13 per cent of the total supply.

Total trade in goods and services (including exports and imports) between the U.K. and Italy was £53.7 billion in the four quarters to the end of the first quarter of 2026, according to data from the U.K. government.

This also made Italy the U.K.’s 10th largest trading partner in the four quarters to the end of first quarter of 2026, accounting for 2.8 per cent of total U.K. trade.

The CITT also announced a preliminary injury inquiry into a complaint by Great Pacific Enterprises Limited Partnership (Genpak) based out of Mississauga, Ont., with the company alleging it has “suffered injury as a result of the dumping and subsidizing of paperboard cups and containers from China.”

The CITT will determine whether there is a reasonable indication that the alleged dumping and subsidizing have either caused or threatened injury on Oct. 16, with the investigation set to conclude by Nov. 16.