US cuts antidumping duties on Vietnamese tra fish fillets

Hanoi – The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has lowered anti-dumping duties on frozen tra fish (pangasius) fillets from Vietnam in the 15th period of review (POR15), according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOIT).

Production of tra fish for export at Can Tho Import Export Seafood JSC (CASEAMEX). (Photo: VNA)

This is the DOC’s preliminary conclusion after investigating tra fish exported by certain Vietnamese companies for the period August 1, 2017 through July 31, 2018, the MOIT said in a statement.

The DOC determined that Vietnamese mandatory respondent – NTSF Seafoods JSC – and seperate rate respondent – Can Tho Import Export Seafood JSC (CASEAMEX) – were both subject to rates of 0.00 USD per kg while a “Vietnam-wide entity” anti-dumping rate of 2.39 USD per kilogramme was applied to all other Vietnamese exporters.

Last year, under the final result of the 14th period of review (POR14), a final rate of 3.87 USD per kilogramme was imposed on Hung Vuong Group while the rate was 1.37 USD per kilogramme for NTSF, CP Vietnam Corporation, Cuu Long Fish JSC, Green Farms Seafood JSC and Vinh Quang Fisheries Corporation.

The department would issue the final results of the POR15 within 120 days of publication of its preliminary rates and this is likely to happen around February next year, the MOIT said.

The MOIT advised local exporters to continue cooperating with the DOC and the ministry to ensure positive final results.

Meanwhile, the ministry would continue to coordinate with other ministries, sectors, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers  and related export companies to take necessary actions to protect the rights and interests of the domestic tra fish industry.

Vietnamese tra fish has been subject to the US’s antidumping duty since 2003. Last year, Vietnam exported 550 million USD worth of tra fish to the US, the country’s second largest market.