Updated at 5:04 p.m., Friday, March 16, 2007
U.S. to keep tariffs on Thai canned pineapple imports
Advertiser Staff
The U.S. International Trade Commission voted to keep duties charged on canned pineapple from Thailand in a victory for one of the state's largest agricultural companies, Maui Land & Pineapple Co.The commission on Thursday said it will keep tariffs between 25 percent and 51 percent on canned versions of the fruit from Thailand.
The trade commission found that lifting the tariffs could result in dumping of canned pineapple from Thailand in the U.S. The trade commission made its decision as part of a five-year review of tariffs to determine if maintaining them was warranted.
The duties were first imposed in 1995 after the ITC found that several Thai exporters were dumping canned pineapple in the United States. Dumping refers to the practice of selling goods at below the exporters' cost of production, which is illegal under U.S. trade laws.
The commission received briefs from several Thailand-based companies arguing for reducing or eliminating the duties, while Maui Land & Pineapple said the producers didn't rebut Commerce Department findings that the dumping would take place if the tariffs were revoked.
