Thai Union exempt from US shrimp antidumping duty, makes bycatch-reduction moves

The U.S. Department of Commerce will likely not impose any antidumping duty on shrimp Thai Union imports into the United States from Thailand.

According to the preliminary results of its 17th administrative review of the antidumping duty order on frozen warmwater shrimp from Thailand, the U.S. DOC said it did not find evidence Thai Union sold its shrimp into the U.S. at less than fair value.

The Thai Union group of companies, which includes Pakfood Public Co., Okeanos Food Co., Asia Pacific (Thailand) Co., and Chaophraya Cold Storage Co., will receive a margin of zero percent for their frozen shrimp shipments to the U.S. If the decision is kept in the DOC’s final conclusion, they will not have to make any antidumping duty cash deposits on their U.S. shrimp exports, which has been at 0.57 percent since 15th administrative review, unless and until they are found to have sold shrimp at less than fair value in a future administrative review.

“Thai Union is pleased with the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order. This shows our commitment to free and fair trade. Thai Union looks forward to maintaining the 0.00 percent rate in the final review results, but the lower rate will have no immediate effect on our expected shipment volumes," Thai Union said in a statement sent to SeafoodSource. "Overall, we aim to increase our sales and exports to the U.S., so our industry can grow continually and sustainably.”

Thai Union’s sales to the U.S. and Canada increased 9 percent in 2022, due mainly to the high growth of ambient seafood and petcare products. But sales of its frozen seafood fell due to a market correction in the U.S., Thai Union said in its Q4 2022 results.

Separately, at Seafood Expo North America in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., on 13 March, Thai Union announced it will only source materials from vessels that apply best practices toward marine bycatch.  Thai Union made the commitment based on a research report conducted by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) that highlighted the risks faced by sharks, seabirds, turtles, and other marine wildlife in the fisheries that supply the company. In addition, an analysis by sustainability consultancy Key Traceability also contributed to the company's decision-making.

“Environmental organizations are pointing to the biodiversity and species loss crisis that the planet is facing. The report by SFP notes the significant loss of ETP species in the Western Central Pacific Ocean region,” Thai Union Group Director of Sustainability Adam Brennan said. “We want to do more to ensure that we are sourcing from vessels that are doing everything they can to avoid and reduce bycatch.”

Thai Union said it will require all the fishing vessels it sources from to ... 

Photo courtesy of Thai Union