VietNamNet Bridge - While Vietnamese shrimp exporters have not agreed with the POR8 (period of review) results of the eighth dumping inspection, the US Department of Commerce has announced it will carry out the POR9.

"From Feb 1, 2012 to Jan 31, 2013, the shrimp industry of Ca Mau Province lost about $12.3 million due to the US Department of Commerce’s (DOC) imposing anti-dumping imports on Vietnam’s frozen shrimp," said Ly Van Thuan, general secretary of the Ca Mau Seafood Processing Association (Casep).

In 2012, Ca Mau’s exports of shrimp to the US market reached about $193 million, $231 million in 2013, and $163 million in the first eight months of 2014. Thus, Ca Mau lost about $12.3 million, according to Casep.

The seafood exporters in Ca Mau said the unjustified high taxes imposed by DOC had caused difficulties for Vietnamese businesses and American consumers.

"Vietnamese firms have to reduce exports to this market due to high tariff rates to look for other markets, so American consumers will be affected," said Huynh Van Tan, Business Manager of the Ca Mau Seafood Processing and Export Corporation (CAMIMEX).

According to representatives of many businesses in Ca Mau, in the POR8, the businesses that were mandatory respondents were directly examined by DOC while the voluntary defendants were examined with data DOC required to be disclosed.

In the POR9, however, the DOC will for the first time examine seafood processing plants of the mandatory respondents or farming areas or import shipments.

Casep is worried that high taxes will hit seafood farmers.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the revenue of shrimp exports of Vietnam in 2014 was $3.95 billion, up 27% compared to 2013. The US remains the largest market with a turnover of $991 million.

Hai Ly