U.S DOC to investigate alleged Argentina, Indonesia biodiesel dumping
In Washington, the U.S. Commerce Department announced that it is formally initiating antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia.
This decision follows a petition that was filed with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission on behalf of the National Biodiesel Board Fair Trade Coalition, which is made up of the National Biodiesel Board and U.S. biodiesel producers. The National Biodiesel Board and US biodiesel producers also provided testimony to the International Trade Commission, explaining that Argentine and Indonesian companies are violating trade laws by flooding the U.S. market with dumped and subsidized biodiesel, and how those imports are injuring American manufacturers and workers.
Because of illegal trade activities, biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia surged by 464 percent from 2014 to 2016. That growth has taken 18.3 percentage points of market share from U.S. manufacturers.
“Make no mistake, 2016 should have been a banner year for U.S. biodiesel producers with demand growth, stable feedstock prices, and regulatory certainty that should have led to profitability and reinvestment in their businesses, but unfortunately that didn’t happen,” said Steckel. “Instead, dumped and subsidized biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia entered the United States in record volumes, capturing greater market share at the expense of U.S. producers. The loss of market share has left the domestic industry with substantial unused capacity and the artificially low prices these imports are sold at leave American biodiesel unable to get a fair return for their product.”
The Commission is expected to make its preliminary decision and vote on May 5, 2017. Following that, the next key step will be when the U.S. Department of Commerce announces its preliminary determinations regarding the estimated rates of subsidization and dumping — expected on or about August 22, 2017 and October 20, 2017, respectively.
Category: Fuels
