August 4, 2011

US reduces Thailand's shrimp exports anti-dumping duties

Anti-dumping duties on Thailand's shrimp exports to the US have been reduced from 0.73% to 0.41%, less than the amount implemented on its competitors.

Deputy Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, Surasak Riangkruea said in the fifth administrative review of anti-dumping duties, the US Commerce Ministry has reduced the rates levied on shrimp imports from Thailand from between 1.11% and 4.39% to between 0.41% and 0.73%.

The rates below 1% have given Thailand an edge over its competitors, particularly India whose shrimp exports to the States are subject to anti-dumping tax rates of 1.36-2.31%.

Surasak attributed the low anti-dumping duty rates to the fact that Thai exporters have successfully clarified with the US authorities they no longer dump shrimp on the US market.

He expects the US government will eventually remove the levy on Thai shrimp products.

Thailand's export of frozen and processed shrimp from January to June was valued at approximately US$1.45 million, an increase of 15.1% on year.

Thailand's major markets for shrimp exports are the US, Japan, and European countries.

The reduction in the anti-dumping duty is expected to contribute to an increase in shrimp exports from Thailand to the US.