ITC rules certain shrimp from six countries injures U.S. industry

ITC rules certain shrimp from six countries injures U.S. industry    The U.S. International Trade Commission announced its determinations in its final phase antidumping investigations concerning certain frozen or canned warm water shrimp and prawns from Brazil, China, Ecuador, India, Thailand and Vietnam.
   The U.S. Commerce Department had earlier determined that these imports are sold in the United States at less than fair value.
   The Ad Hoc Shrimp Trade Action Committee filed the petition for the antidumping investigation. The ITC started its investigation on Dec. 31, 2003. According to the ITC, the United States in 2003 imported about 800 million pounds of shrimp and prawns.
   The ITC made affirmative determinations, which it announced Thursday, for certain non-canned warm water shrimp and prawns from all six countries.
   With respect to imports from China, Thailand and Vietnam, the agency made negative determinations. The agency found imports of canned warm water shrimp and prawns from Brazil, Ecuador and India were negligible. The ITC considers imports negligible if they accounted for less than 3 percent of all related goods imported into the United States within the most recent 12-month period for which data is available for a petition.
   With the ITC determination, the Commerce Department will issue an antidumping duty order on imports of certain non-canned warm water shrimp and prawns from Brazil, China, Ecuador, India, Thailand and Vietnam. No orders will be issued on imports of the canned commodity from China, Thailand and Vietnam.
   “As a result of the commission’s negligibility findings concerning imports of canned warm water shrimp and prawns from Brazil, Ecuador, and India, those investigations will end,” the ITC said.
   The ITC also said with the possible negative impacts of the tsunami on the shrimping industries of Thailand and India it will collect information and invites submissions on whether the commission should enter a “changed circumstances review.” This provision allows the ITC to address situations in which changed circumstances warrant review of an injury determination that has occurred during the issuance of an antidumping order.