The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has lowered anti-dumping duties on tra fish (pangasius) products from Vietnam following its official conclusion of its 15th period of review (POR15) from August 1, 2017 to July 31, 2018, according to the Trade Remedies Authorities of Vietnam under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoIT).

Processing Tra fish for export at Sao Mai factory in An Giang province (Photo: VNA)

The final anti-dumping taxes on Vietnamese products has been set at US$0.15 per kilogramme (equivalent to 3.8 % of the export price), lower than the final results for POR14 at US$1.37 per kilogramme.

Other Vietnamese exporters not examined by the DOC will be subject to a tariff of US$2.39 per kilogramme, the same as the rate for POR14.

Big Vietnamese exporters, including Vinh Hoan JSC and Bien Dong Seafood Company, will continue to enjoy a zero tariff rate.

The DOC is working on POR16. The MoIT advised local exporters to continue cooperating with the DOC, providing accurate information for positive final results.

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

Vietnamese tra fish have been subject to US anti-dumping duties since 2003 and annual reviews ever since.

Vietnamese tra fish exporters have faced export restrictions imposed by numerous nations, but still managed to ship over US$2 billion worth of products in 2018 and 2019.