VASEP Protests Antidumping Tariff on Vietnam's Shrimp

VASEP Protests Antidumping Tariff on Vietnam's Shrimp 

At a recent meeting held in Ho Chi Minh City, VASEP announced the US Department of Commerce (DOC)'s final decision on tariffs imposed on Vietnamese shrimp exports, will increase between 0.17 per cent and 0.25 per cent against the level announced by the DOC on November 30, 2004.

Under the DOC's decision, VASEP said, the Ngoc Sinh and Phuong Nam companies will enjoy a 4.57 per cent tariff as other voluntary defendants, while the Truc An, Hai Thuan and Nha Trang companies will have to pay a tax rate of 25.76 per cent.

VASEP also said that the DOC failed to fully take into account the competitive advantages brought about by the Vietnamese exporters due to the favorable natural conditions and low labor costs in Vietnam.

In particular, the DOC's decision, which deprives four Vietnamese exporters of a specific tariff, is unfair, as these businesses are independent companies that do not rely on the Vietnamese Government, VASEP said.

The association went on to say that the decision on taxes on shrimp imported from Vietnam and the five other countries will not resolve the existing difficulty of the US shrimp industry and that the US market still needs more shrimp imports from more efficient shrimp production countries.

VASEP also stressed that it supports the American Seafood Distributors Association's call for the US's sea shrimp industry's co-operation in order to seek effective and firm solutions.

• (VNA)