US accuses Vietnam’s shrimp producer evading antidumping duty payments

In its statement, the US agency determined that MSeafood imported Indian-origin frozen shrimp that were transshipped and the country of origin claimed as Vietnam. 

Because of this transshipment, antidumping duties that otherwise would have been owed on shrimp subject to the antidumping duty order on certain frozen warm water shrimp from India were not paid to the US government, statement said.

The investigation was begun last year following an allegation submitted to agency on July 17, 2019 by the Ad Hoc Shrimp Trade Enforcement Committee, a group composed of the Southern Shrimp Alliance, the Texas Shrimp Association, the North Carolina Fisheries Association, the Georgia Shrimp Association, the South Carolina Shrimp Association, and a broad array of industry members.

In its investigation, US Customs and Border Protection confirmed that Minh Phu Seafood imported shrimp from India to use in its processing of frozen shrimp in its production facilities. 

Minh Phu Seafood and MSeafood said that all Indian shrimp used was for sales to markets other than the United States.

The agency said it would continue to treat MSeafood’s shrimp import entries as subject to the antidumping duty order on Indian shrimp and will assess duties on these entries when instructed to do so by the U.S. Department of Commerce. 

Minh Phu reported after-tax profit at VND231 billion ($9.95 million) in the first six months of this year, up 50 percent from a year ago. First half revenue fell to VND5.6 trillion ($241 million), down from VND7.5 trillion ($323 million) from the same period of last year.  

Source: Southern Shrimp Alliance