8-8-2023 (HANOI) Vietnam has announced the imposition of anti-dumping penalties on sugar products imported from major Thai sugar producers for a period of nearly three years. The country’s trade ministry stated that after a thorough investigation into allegations of anti-competitive behavior, the decision was made in a careful and fair manner. The penalties will go into effect from August 18 and will remain in place until June 15, 2026.
The anti-dumping tax will range from 25.73% to 32.75% for different companies. Asia’s largest sugar and bioenergy producer, Mitr Phol Sugar, along with its four associated companies, will face an anti-dumping tax of 32.75%. Thai Roong Ruang Industry and its five affiliates will be subject to an anti-dumping tax of 25.73% and an anti-subsidy tax of 4.65%, according to the ministry’s statement.
Last year, Vietnam imposed an anti-dumping levy of 47.64% on certain sugar products imported from five Southeast Asian countries, which were found to originate from Thailand. The levy was implemented for a four-year period. Vietnamese sugar producers had raised concerns to the government about circumvention of previous anti-dumping measures, with sugar products from Thailand being imported through Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar.
Hanoi clarified that if there is sufficient evidence that the products imported from those countries were produced and harvested in their respective territories, anti-dumping tax measures would not be applied. Vietnam had removed duties on sugar imported from Southeast Asian countries in 2020, in accordance with the commitments of the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement. However, under the agreement’s provisions, Asean members have the right to impose import duties to protect domestic industries against anti-competitive practices and safeguard their interests.
