Workers harvest honey in a bee farm in Hưng Yên province. Local beekeepers will face difficulties if anti-dumping measures come into effect. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has officially begun an anti-dumping investigation into honey imported from Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine, and Việt Nam, the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam announced.

Petitioners include the American Honey Producers Association and the Sioux Honey Association.

On April 21, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) received requests from the American Honey Producers Association and the Sioux Honey Association for anti-dumping investigations into honey imported from Argentina, Brazil, India, Ukraine, and Việt Nam.

According to the Vietnam Beekeepers Association (VBA), The complainants have listed 12 Vietnamese firms in the petition and calculated the dumping margin at 207.08 per cent, a comparatively hefty tax compared to the 114 per cent duty placed on Brazilian products, 99 per cent on Indian products, and 23 per cent on Argentinian products.  

The agency said the period DOC will investigate is between October 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, with Việt Nam’s dumping margin estimated to range from 47.56 to 138.23 per cent.

Merchandise subject to the investigation is currently classifiable under statistical sub-headings 0409.0000.05, 0409.0000.35, 0409.0000.45, 0409.0000.56, and 0409.0000.65 of the Harmonised Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS).

The investigation is scheduled to last for 12 months and can be extended by another six months under US law.

According to the VBA, the tariff will effectively kill the competitiveness of Vietnamese honey in the US -  a market that accounts for approximately 90 per cent of Vietnamese annual honey exports.

Việt Nam exported 50,700 metric tonnes of honey products in 2020, or 25.8 per cent of the US' total honey imports. — VNS