In a preliminary finding February 17, the US International Trade Commission, found reasonable indication that the US shrimp industry is injured by the increase in 'dumped' shrimp imports from six countries India, Brazil, Ecuador, China, Brazil, Vietnam and Thailand.
The Shrimp Trade Action Community, a consortium of Southern shrimpers, had filed a petition December 31 with the ITC and the Department of Commerce to levy tariffs on imported shrimp from these countries, claiming that their products were driving prices down and adversely affecting the domestic shrimp industry.
The SATC alleged that the shrimp from these countries were between 30 and 267 percent cheaper than the local products.
The petition will now go to the Department of Commerce for a preliminary hearing to decide if shrimp has been dumped on the US at below market rates. The DoC hearing is scheduled for June 8.
"It is not surprising that the ITC found compelling evidence that shrimp fishermen and processors are injured by dumped shrimp," said John Williams, a Southern Shrimp Alliance official. "We now look forward the Commerce Department ruling on the petitions."
The SSA claims that the price of shrimp in the US has dropped almost 50 percent between 2000 and 2002 due to cheaper, farm-raised shrimp from other countries being exported here.
India currently exports 114 million pounds of shrimp annually, accounting for 8.36 percent of the US shrimp market and is valued at almost $367 million. The US shrimp industry is valued at almost $5 billion.
However, the Indian Seafood Exporters Association is willing to fight it out and has retained Garvey Schubert Barer, a US legal firm to represent them. They have reportedly also raised $1.5 million to pay for the legal battle ahead.
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