The plaintiff in the anti-dumping shrimp lawsuit will release the decision on the administration’s review of the anti-dumping tax imposed on Vietnam-sourced shrimp products in the second half of February, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
Truong Dinh Hoe, Deputy Secretary General of VASEP, said that typically the administration review is conducted on Vietnamese and Chinese enterprises.
The process begins when the plaintiff, the Southern Shrimp Association (SSA) demands an administration review and the proposal is published by the US Department of Commerce (DOC) on the US federal official gazette. DOC announces its conclusion after 18 months.
Hoe thinks that the second administration review over the tax rate on Vietnam-sourced shrimp will be carried out after Tet holiday (Lunar New Year 2007). At present, Vietnamese seafood enterprises are collecting figures, preparing account books, and getting ready to show competent authorities if necessary.
In the last year, shrimp remained the key seafood export item for Vietnam, accounting for 44 per cent of the total export turnover (US$3.6 billion).
The US, once the biggest export market for Vietnam, fell to the third rank among export markets after Japan and the EU.
The latest anti-dumping tax rates imposed on Vietnamese enterprises are 4.3 per cent on Seaprodex Minh Hai, 4.38 per cent on Minh Phu, 5.24 per cent on Camimex, 25.76 per cent on Kim Anh, 4.57 per cent on voluntary defendants and 25.76 per cent on other enterprises.
Indian seafood enterprises are also getting ready for the second administration review.
Recently, the WTO concluded for the first time that the “zeroing” method, applied by the US in calculating dumping levels was in violation of international trade laws.
The information from Seafood, an website, shows that besides supporting the country’s exporters, the Government of India is collecting opinions from organizations and relevant authorities about using this latest verdict by the WTO in the second administration review.
Analysts said that there are no signs that Indian seafood exporters would sign an agreement with SSA to avoid the review this time as they did in the first administration review.
Indian exporters will prepare well for the second review, especially as shrimp exports to the US have been falling dramatically. Besides, the WTO’s conclusion is believed to bring opportunities to Indian exporters.
The anti-dumping taxes imposed on Indian shrimp exports have caused heavy losses to Indian shrimp production. The shrimp exports in 2006 were just a half of those in 2005, falling from US$485 million in turnover to US$252 million.
Besides the anti-dumping tax rate at 10.17 per cent, Indian exporters also have to pay bonds for US importers, forcing Indian exporters to ship their products to other markets. (VietnamNet)
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