It announced the decision after the third administrative review with a final report set to be released within 120 days, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (Vasep).
Accordingly, only one Vietnamese company named East Sea Seafoods Joint Venture Co. Ltd is exempted from tariff for not dumping tra and basa catfish to the U.S., according to DOC’s decision.
But the Can Tho Agriculture and Animal Products Import-Export Co (CATACO) will have to pay a high tax at 80.88 per cent because it failed to meet the DOC’s requirements during the investigation.
Vasep said the DOC will also impose 14.59 per cent on frozen tra and basa catfish exported by DVD company.
The average tax is set at 63.88 per cent on catfish products shipped by other Vietnamese companies.
Nine companies that did not export in the 2005-2006 period have escaped the tax are Ben Tre Forestry and Aquaproduct Import-Export Company; Thuan Hung Co., Ltd; Hung Vuong Co., Ltd; United Seafood Packers Co., Ltd; Nam Viet Joint Stock Company; Van Duc Foods Export Joint Stock Co; Phu Thuan Company; Vietnam Fish-One Company; and Sadec Aquatic Products Import-Export Enterprise.
The US Association of Catfish Farmers and Processors in August 2006 sent a proposal to the DOC, asking for the review of 52 foreign Pangasius producers, including four Vietnamese companies.
The US is the major market for tra and basa catfish of Vietnam but according to World Wild Fund, the U.S. accounts for only 10 per cent instead of 80 per cent of its market. Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) is becoming a big market for Vietnamese catfish products. Vietnam now accounts for up to 50 per cent of the total volume of catfish consumed in the EU.
This year, the country is expected to reap US$1 billion from catfish exports, from US$661 million in 2006 and US$328 million in 2005.