US launches anti-dumping investigation on raw honey

The decision to launch the probe was made 20 days after receiving a petition from the American Honey Producers Association and the Sioux Honey Association.

The duties proposed on Vietnamese honey exporters range from 47.56 percent to 138.23 percent, according to the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam.

The investigation will take 12 months and can be extended for another six months. It will cover data from October 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.

The DOC has issued an anti-dumping questionnaire for producers exporting raw honey to the U.S. The firms have 30 days to respond.

The Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam has recommended that the exporters cooperate and provide information sought in the questionnaire.

"Any action deemed uncooperative can result in the imposition of the highest anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese exporters," it stressed.

It is the first time that Vietnamese honey products are being investigated for trade remedies by the U.S.

Vietnamese honey will be unable to compete with products from other countries in the U.S. market if the proposed anti-dumping duties are imposed, according to the Vietnam Beekeepers Association.

Vietnam has nearly 40,000 beekeeping households and hundreds of honey processing firms and exporters. The U.S. accounts for 90 percent of Vietnam’s honey exports, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

Data from U.S. customs shows Vietnam accounted for 25.8 percent of its total honey exports in 2020 at 50,700 tons.