DOC Lowers Antidumping Tariff on 29 Vietnam Shrimp Exporters

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) has decided to reduce antidumping tariffs on 29 Vietnamese shrimp exporters to 2.5% from 4.27% on average.

 

According to the DOC’s preliminary result of the 4^th administrative review on Vietnamese shrimp exported to the U.S. from Feb 1 2008 to Jan 31 2009, 29 Vietnamese companies will enjoy a tax cut to 2.89%.

 

Minh Phu Seafood Corporation, which had tax exemption in the third review, will be imposed the highest one at 3.27%, while Nha Trang Seafoods will be taxed the least at 2.5%, said Truong Dinh Hoe, general secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

 

Other Vietnamese shrimp exporters will be imposed 25.76% tax.

 

Hoe said that currently Vietnamese companies exporting shrimp to the U.S. have not yet been levied until the DOC gives the final decision 90 days after the 4^th administrative review’s result was announced.

 

Vietnam officials will meet with the U.S. counterparts at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) headquarter in Geneva on Mar 23 on its shrimp antidumping dispute,

 

Peter John Koeng, a member of the Administrative Conference Advisory Group to the U.S. Congress cum member of Squire Sanders, a U.S. law firm said that Vietnam has few opportunities in wining the U.S. because the U.S. used to win at the final review in general.

 

“The DOC will likely continue imposing antidumping tariff on Vietnamese frozen shrimp. To force the DOC to remove the tariff, Vietnam should prove that the removal does not affect prices in the U.S. and Vietnam exports its shrimp to many countries worldwide, not only to the U.S.,” the lawyer said.

 

Vietnam exported $1.6 billion worth of shrimp to 82 countries and territories worldwide last year with the U.S. being the second biggest importer after Japan. (Youth, Labor)