(vasep.com.vn) VASEP protests against the U.S. ’s decision on imposing countervailing duties (CVD) on frozen shrimp imported from Vietnam.
On August 12th, 2013, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) announced its final determination on the CVD on warmwater shrimp from Vietnam. According to the letter signed by Paul Piquado, Assistant Secretary for Import Administration of DOC and sent to the Federal Register, DOC decided to levy the CVD on many Vietnam shrimp exporters as follows:
1/ CVD duty rates for two mandatory respondents of Vietnam:
- Minh Qui Seafoods Co. Ltd 7.88 percent
- Nha Trang Seaproduct Co. 1.15 percent
2/ Other Vietnam enterprises: 4.52 percent
The imposition of the DOC’s CVD is “unfair” on Vietnam shrimp exporters and producers, who comply with a market mechanism and have never received any government’s subsidy or any other kinds of subsidies for shrimp sector.
This decision also means that the U.S. has levied twice on the same products, the anti-dumping duty and the CVD, thereby directly affecting the lives of 600,000 locals working in the Vietnam shrimp industry.
At the same time, the decision will also make direct impacts on U.S. consumers as they will have to pay higher prices for imported shrimps. Shrimp imports account for over 90 percent of the total supply of shrimp to the U.S. market.
Moreover, in 2012, the U.S. domestic shrimp industry witnessed a significant growth in both landings and prices. This means that imported shrimp will not likely to cause damage or pose any threat to the domestic shrimp industry of the U.S.
Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) rejected DOC’s shrimp duty rulings on Vietnam shrimp exporters. VASEP proposed the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to review and make a fair final ruling on injury which domestic shrimp industry suffered or not from imported shrimps to end the irrational lawsuit.
VIETNAM ASSOCIATION OF SEAFOOD EXPORTERS AND PRODUCERS
218 Road No.6, Zone A, An Phu An Khanh New Urban Area, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: (+84 8) 62810430
Fax: (+84 8) 62810437
Email: vasephcmcity@vasep.com.vn