US batters 5 big shrimp exporters with import fees

The United States on Tuesday confirmed anti-subsidy duties of up to 54.5 percent on frozen shrimp from major exporters China, India, Malaysia, Ecuador and Vietnam, but cleared Indonesia and Thailand. The Commerce Department's International Trade Administration division said it would set countervailing duties at 18.2 percent for China, 13.5 percent for Ecuador, 11.1 percent for India, 54.5 percent for Malaysia and 7.9 percent for Vietnam. The five countries shipped 208,000 tonnes, or $1.7 billion worth, of frozen shrimp to the United States last year. Indonesia and Thailand, two other major exporters of farmed and wild-caught shrimp, were found not to offer producers significant subsidies and so were not hit with duties. The rates came after an investigation into complaints from US shrimp producers and packagers organized as the Coalition of Gulf Shrimp Industries.