What Did the U.S. Just Announce That Has Vietnam’s Shrimp Industry on Alert?

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), on June 7, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) announced the preliminary results of the 19th administrative review (POR19) of the anti-dumping duty order on frozen warm-water shrimp from Vietnam for the period of February 1, 2023, to January 31, 2024.

The announcement stated that Thong Thuan Company (including Thong Thuan Cam Ranh) was found to have a dumping margin of 0%, indicating no dumping activities.

However, STAPIMEX Company was assigned a preliminary duty rate of 35.29%. This rate was also applied to 22 other companies in the separate rate category that were not selected for individual examination, instead of the average rate of the two mandatory respondents as per the usual practice.

VASEP and related businesses were deeply concerned and taken aback by this unexpectedly high preliminary rate. In the 19 years that Vietnam has participated in administrative reviews of the shrimp anti-dumping case in the US, no company has ever received a double-digit preliminary duty rate.

“This brings to mind a similar case in POR12, where DOC assigned a preliminary duty rate of 25.76% to FIMEX due to a calculation error, which was later adjusted to 4.58% in the final results. Therefore, VASEP and the businesses firmly believe that there has been a mistake or miscalculation in the current preliminary results,” VASEP assessed.

According to VASEP, STAPIMEX Company has meticulously prepared and is confident in their accounting system, expecting to receive a minimal duty rate.

However, VASEP and the businesses believe that some errors on both sides have led to distorted data, resulting in the unusually high preliminary results. STAPIMEX will promptly provide additional information and trusts that the final results will accurately reflect the reality of Vietnamese exporters’ non-dumping practices in the US market.

Although the preliminary results are not immediately effective and are subject to change in the final results (expected to be announced in December 2025), this information has already negatively impacted the psychology of US importers, affecting purchasing plans and export orders. More worryingly, it influences the sentiment and activities of shrimp farmers in Vietnam.

In 2025, amidst the Trump Administration’s initiation of high retaliatory tariffs on various countries, including Vietnam, such abnormal preliminary duty rates further exacerbate the challenges faced by the Vietnamese shrimp industry in accessing the US market.

“VASEP earnestly requests that DOC reconsider its calculations in the preliminary results, ensuring objectivity, fairness, and consistency with past review practices, to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese businesses and maintain stability in seafood trade between the two countries,” VASEP stated.