The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation announced Special Import Quota #24 for upland cotton that will be established on July 31, allowing importation of 14,741,821 kilograms (67,709 bales) of upland cotton. It will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than Oct. 28, and entered into the U.S. by Jan. 26. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally-adjusted average rate for the period March through May, the most recent three months for which data are available.
The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration is proposing changes to its U.S. Standards for Barley, in a proposed rule issued July 25. The changes would become effective one year after changes are finalized, unless the U.S. Department of Agriculture decides that they should take effect sooner for health or safety reasons. Comments on the proposed rule are due by Sept. 23.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for July 25:
Antidumping duty rates for three exporters of chlorinated isocyanurates from China (A-570-898) may change, after the Court of International Trade on July 24 ordered the Commerce Department to reconsider certain aspects of an administrative review. Commerce had on Jan. 30 assigned new AD duty cash deposit rates ranging from 47.17% to 59.12% to Hebei Jiheng Chemical, Juancheng Kantai Chemical, and Arch Chemicals in the final results (see 14012914). But in response to challenges from the Chinese exporters and domestic industry, as well as the agency’s own request, the Court remanded certain issues back to Commerce. Any changes may affect current AD duty cash deposit requirements, as well as assessments of duties on importers of subject merchandise from these companies entered between June 2011 and May 2012.
A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the Commerce Department posted to CBP's website July 24, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching for the listed CBP message number at http://adcvd.cbp.dhs.gov/adcvdweb.
CBP is keeping an eye for ways it can expand work with other countries to detect fraud, said an agency spokeswoman in response to a request for comment on whether it would work with China Customs to share data in an effort to prevent “funneling” antidumping duty evasion schemes. A lawyer representing domestic garlic companies says he was recently able to pinpoint funneling, which involves one exporter using another exporter’s lower cash deposit rate by falsely claiming the latter exported the goods, by comparing China Customs export data with CBP import data and finding discrepancies (see 14072402). “CBP partners with other Customs authorities to detect trade fraud and is continuously looking for additional opportunities to expand our trade intelligence and increase trade compliance,” said the agency spokeswoman. “CBP obtains information about shippers, producers, importers, cargo and vessels, as early as possible in the shipping process which allows us to target throughout the import process to interdict illegal cargo.”
The International Trade Commission published notices in the July 24 Federal Register on the following AD/CV injury, Section 337 patent, and other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):
The Commerce Department issued the preliminary results of its antidumping duty administrative review on chlorinated isocyanurates from China (A-570-898). The agency calculated a preliminary AD rate of zero percent for Hebei Jiheng, preliminarily found dumping by the other mandatory respondent, Kangtai, and preliminarily assigned three non-individually investigated companies an average rate.
The Commerce Department issued the preliminary results of its antidumping duty administrative review on polyester staple fiber from China (A-570-905). The agency preliminarily calculated a zero percent AD rate for Takayasu Industrial (Jiangyin) Co., Ltd. If the agency's finding is continued in the final results, importers of polyester staple fiber from Takayasu entered between June 2012 and May 2013 will not be assessed AD duties, and future entries from Takayasu will not be subject to an AD cash deposit requirement until further notice.
The Commerce Department made a preliminary affirmative antidumping determination that calcium hypochlorite from China (A-570-008) is being sold in the U.S. at less than fair value. As a result, Commerce will impose AD duty cash deposit requirements on shipments of subject merchandise entered on or after July 25.