February 11, 2010

Shrimp exporters hopeful on US anti-dumping review

The US Department of Commerce has announced its fifth administrative review of the anti-dumping duty imposed on frozen warmwater shrimp imported from India, Brazil, China, Thailand and Vietnam.

This review will examine the details of import of shrimp to the US between February 1, 2009 and January 31, 2010. It is likely to be the final review of the duty, carried out parallel to five-year review (Sunset Review) announced in January. The Sunset Review will examine details of import of marine products to the US for five years beginning from 2004-05.

The marine products export sector in India expects the final verdict of the reviews would be favourable and the anti -dumping duty might be withdrawn or reduced substantially.

Indian exporters also expect the preliminary results of the fourth administrative review soon. The average duty on Indian shrimps had been reduced to 0.79% in the third administrative review in July 2009. So, a reduction in the average duty is expected in the fourth edition of the review, too.

In February 2005, the US imposed a duty of 10.16% against India and this, as well as a customs bond requirement, badly hit shrimp exports to the US. Washington withdrew the bond requirement after a verdict of the Appellate Authority of the World Trade Organisation in August 2008.

According to the Marine Products Export Development Authority, exports of edible marine products from India to the US had dropped by 8% in volume and 2% in value in April-August 2009 over the same period in the earlier year.