US raises anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese pangasius

US raises anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese pangasius

The final rates were significantly higher than those announced in the preliminary results in February, creating additional pressure on Vietnamese exporters.

Workers processing tra fish at a Nam Viet Corporation plant. The US Commerce Department has announced higher anti-dumping duties on several Vietnamese pangasius exporters. — VNA/VNS Photo Vũ Sinh

The US Commerce Department (DOC) has sharply raised anti-dumping duties on several Vietnamese pangasius exporters, according to the final result of its latest administrative review of the anti-dumping duty order on frozen Vietnamese pangasius and basa fish announced on August 12.

The final rates were significantly higher than those announced in the preliminary results in February, creating additional pressure on Vietnamese exporters as the cost of accessing the US market is already rising, said Lê Hằng, deputy general secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers.

Specifically, the anti-dumping duty for Bien Dong Seafood Co. rose to US$1 per kg from a preliminary rate of $0.29 per kg, an increase of nearly 245 per cent.

NTSF Seafoods JSC faced a final rate of $0.38 per kg, up from $0.07 per kg in the preliminary results, an increase of more than 440 per cent.

The duty for Can Tho Import-Export Seafood (CASEAMEX) and Nam Viet Corporation (NAVICO), which were not selected as mandatory respondents, increased to $0.84 per kg from $0.23 per kg, or an increase of about 265 per cent.

The DOC kept the anti-dumping duty for Vietnamese exporters not eligible for a separate rate at $2.39 per kg.

Hằng urged exporters in this group to exercise particular caution when determining cash deposit requirements for new shipments and to cross-check their case-specific information directly with the US Customs and Border Protection and the DOC before exporting.

She said the sharp increase in the final rates compared with the preliminary findings resulted from changes made by the DOC to certain calculations after considering comments and arguments from the parties involved.

Changes in data and calculation methodology following the preliminary stage had pushed up the final dumping margins substantially, she said.

The higher rates would likely add to cost pressures for Vietnamese pangasius exporters to the US and could affect their pricing and competitiveness in the market, she said. 

This outcome also represents a sharp increase from a previous investigation. Under the earlier results, Bien Dong Seafood had received a zero duty rate, while six companies were also granted zero rates, namely CASEAMEX, Dai Thanh JSC, Dong A Seafood JSC, Hung Ca 6 Co Ltd, NAVICO and NTSF. 

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