US sets preliminary antidumping tariffs on India, Thai, Vietnam shrimp

The US Department of Commerce released preliminary results of its 19th administrative review on antidumping duties for frozen warmwater shrimp imported from India, Thailand and Vietnam on June 5.

The Commerce Department reported significantly higher antidumping duties for shrimp exporters from Vietnam compared to India.

Among Indian shrimp exporters, Sandhya Aqua Exports Private Limited received the highest dumping margin of 5.32%, while Devi Fisheries Limited had the lowest margin of 2.01%. Ninety-nine other Indian shrimp exporters were assigned a dumping margin of 3.96%. The review determines dumping margins for shrimp imported into the US between Feb. 1, 2023, and Jan. 31, 2024.

The Commerce Department's final decision on antidumping tariffs is expected in the second half of the year. Indian exporters said that if the preliminary decision is upheld, the antidumping duty rates would exceed the cash deposit rates applied during the review period, resulting in additional payments.

Under the current review, more Indian exporters face antidumping tariffs, which could lower the unit value of Indian shrimp exports, market participants said.

Farmgate prices in Andhra Pradesh, India's main shrimp-producing state, softened as processors slowed procurement to assess the situation following the Commerce Department's announcement.

Platts assessed peeled, deveined, tail-on shrimp FCA India at $7,053/mt June 10, down $71/mt from June 3.

The Indian shrimp market was already under pressure due to uncertainty surrounding US reciprocal tariffs. On April 2, the US government imposed a 26% reciprocal tariff on imports from India, later announcing a 90-day tariff pause ending in early July.

Some Indian exporters said higher antidumping tariffs on Vietnam could give India a competitive edge, particularly in the value-added shrimp segment.

The Commerce Department assigned an antidumping duty of 35.29% to Soc Trang Seafood Joint Stock Company and 24 other Vietnamese shrimp exporters. Vietnamese exporters had been gaining market share in the US value-added shrimp segment in recent years, intensifying competition to their Indian counterparts.

Thai shrimp exporters were assigned a lower antidumping tariff of 0.73% across 13 companies. However, Charoen Pokphand Foods, one of Thailand's largest exporters, received a dumping margin of 57.64%.

When finalized in the second half of the year, the 19th administrative review will determine the total antidumping duties owed on imports during the review period and set the cash deposit rate for future imports of shrimp from the three countries.