New Challenges for Vietnamese Shrimp

New Challenges for Vietnamese Shrimp

Vietnam will have greater difficulties exporting its shrimp products to the US market after the US Department of Commerce (DOC) announced temporary duties on shrimp imports from India, Ecuador, Brazil and Thailand, which were lower than those on Vietnam.

The DOC set tariffs of between 3.56 and 27.49 per cent for India, between 5.56 and 10.25 percent for Thailand, between 6.08 and 9.35 per cent for Ecuador, and between 8.41 and 67.8 per cent for Brazil. DOC’s ruling identified one company from Brazil having not dumped shrimp on the US market.

Black tiger shrimps are a major export of Vietnam to the US. Vietnam’s main rivals include India and Thailand. The fact that DOC has set tariffs on shrimp from India and Thailand lower than Vietnam’s products will cause real difficulties for Vietnamese producers and exporters. At the same time, other countries will try to occupy further market shares thanks to their price advantage over Vietnam.

After DOC issued its preliminary ruling, concerned parties will be invited to send their comments on the ruling. The DOC will consider all comments and evidence before issuing its final ruling on December 17, 2004.

If ITC issues its final decision concluding that imports cause damage or threaten to cause damage to domestic production, DOC will impose anti-dumping tariffs and will guide the customs agencies to collect deposits in cash for imported goods which are considered to have been dumped on the US market.

• B.T