August 19, 2009

Vietnamese catfish exporters and processors are coping with more difficulties after the US extended technical barriers against the import of these products from the country.

 

After recent fact-finding tours of tra and basa fish breeding farms and processing factories in Vietnam, the US Department of Commerce announced that Vietnamese businesses have not dumped their products on its market.

 

However, the anti-dumping tariffs on these products exported to the US will be extended another five years as the US International Trade Commission (USITC) fears that its catfish industry will be seriously injured if the high tariffs are lifted.

 

In addition, the US Department of Agriculture is finalising its Farm Bill which will be enacted in January 2010. The bill will apply the equivalency policy which includes Vietnamese tra and basa fish in the list of catfish species. This means the products will face tough technical barriers before entering the US.

 

Vietnamese trade counsellor to the US Ngo Van Thoan said the inclusion is unfair, as in 2002, the US Congress passed legislation preventing the imported fish from being labelled as catfish.

 

Thoan said the new move shows that the US is building technical barriers to protect domestic production.

 

The US is a major importer of Vietnam's tra and basa fish and the extended imposition of the anti-dumping tariffs will increase the burden on Vietnamese processors and exporters.

 

According to Nguyen Hoai Nam, Vice General Secretary of the Vietnam Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP), the imposition of the tariffs will have adverse effects on both sides. It will reduce the amount of tra and basa fish exported to the US while Americans will buy the products at higher prices and have fewer choices than before.