Canadian potato-dumping policy undergoes review

16/05/2009 12:00 - 633 Views

Canadian inspectors plan to review whether U.S. potatoes exported to British Columbia should be subject to anti-dumping duties.

Anti-dumping duties are currently in place, following rulings in the mid-1980s by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, which found evidence of dumping of American potatoes, according to a news release from the Canada Border Services Agency.

The majority of U.S. potatoes shipped to British Columbia come from Washington.

Since those initial findings, a review of the duties has been conducted every five years. An analysis of the 2007-08 crop will determine if duties should be raised, lowered or kept at their current levels.

The review is expected to be completed by September.

In its release, the Canada Border Services Agency says “importers are cautioned that new normal values, when issued, may be higher than those currently in effect and that this could result in additional assessments of anti-dumping duty.”

Matt Harris, director of trade for the Moses Lake-based Washington State Potato Commission, said he doesn’t think Canada would suspend anti-dumping duties.

“I think they will say there is still a propensity to dump,” he said. “They won’t change their tune of the past 25 years.”

The review covers white and russet potatoes imported in 50-pound carton sizes of 40-, 50-, 60-, 70- and 80-counts.

Seed potatoes, red potatoes, yellow potatoes and exotic potato varieties in all packages are excluded from the review.

Those varieties had also been subject to duties following the 1980s rulings. In 2005, the last time the Canada Border Services Agency reviewed the policy, their status was changed.

Source: thepacker.com