*EPF209 07/06/2004
Shrimp from Asia Dumped on U.S. Market, Commerce Department Says
(China, Vietnam affected by department's preliminary ruling) (300)

Washington -- The Commerce Department ruled July 6 that U.S. imports of frozen and canned warm-water shrimp and prawns from China and Vietnam were dumped on the U.S. market.

In preliminary determinations, the department calculated dumping margins ranging from 7.67 percent to 112.81 percent for imports from China and 12.11 percent to 93.13 percent for imports from Vietnam.

Imposition of anti-dumping duties requires affirmative final determinations both from the Commerce Department that dumping occurred and from the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) that the imports injured or threatened U.S. industry.

Final determinations by the Commerce Department are expected by November 24.

In the meantime, the U.S. Customs Service will collect a cash deposit or bond on the imports equal to the estimated dumping margin; in the event of a negative determination, the money would be refunded.

The department also made a preliminary determination that critical circumstances exist in regard to imports from China but not in regard to those from Vietnam. Upon any affirmative final determinations by Commerce and USITC on critical circumstances, any anti-dumping duties would apply retroactively, 90 days earlier than they would have otherwise been imposed. A critical-circumstances determination concerns a surge of imports over a short period considered ruinous for an industry.

Dumping is the import of goods at a price below the home-market or a third-country price or below the cost of production.

In 2003, U.S. imports of shrimp and prawn from China amounted to $419.3 million and from Vietnam to $587.7 million from Vietnam.

Details of the ruling including dumping margins can be viewed at http://www.ita.doc.gov/media/FactSheet/0704/shrimp_070604.html

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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