July 13, 2009
US announces anti-dumping rates on Indian shrimp imports
The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has announced the final rates of the third administrative review of anti-dumping duty imposed on shrimp and prawns imported from India.
DOC has decided to maintain the same level of 0.79 percent announced in the preliminary results of the review in March this year.
Only one Indian company, Devi Sea Foods will attract a rate of 0.39 percent as per latest announcement made on Friday (July 10).
The Indian marine export sector hoped that the rate would be lowered below 0.50 percent this time leading to nil duty, but DOC has decided to maintain the same level in the final announcement.
The US administration had imposed anti-dumping duty on shrimp imported from India and other East Asian countries in August, 2004 following a complaint lodged by Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA), a local organisation of shrimp producers. Later they had also imposed heavy customs bond requirement on shrimp imported from India.
US exports were hit badly during the last five years due to an initial duty charge of 10.16 percent against India as well as the customs bond requirement bond.
According to the latest estimates of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), exports to US had dropped to US$227.29 million, down by 10.18 percent in 2008-09 pushing down the country to fourth position after EU, China and Japan.
EU contributed 33 percent to India's marine export kitty while US contribution dropped to 12 percent. The number of actual exporters to US has also dropped to around 70 from 225 in 2004.
