USA Imposes Anti-Dumping Duties on Biodiesel Imports from Indonesia
On Monday (23/10) the US Commerce Department issued a preliminary ruling and decided to set anti-dumping duties of 50.71 percent on biodiesel imports from Indonesia. Meanwhile, the USA also set anti-dumping duties, ranging between 54.36 to 70.05 percent, on soy-based biodiesel imports from Argentina.
According to the USA, Indonesia dumps its biodiesel products on the US market because the Indonesian government subsidizes the production of biodiesel through its B10, B15, and B20 biodiesel programs. Under these programs, diesel is blended with a mandatory amount of fatty acid methyl ester (derived from palm oil). As a result, Indonesia can sell this motor fuel on the US market at prices below the market value.
Since the inauguration of US president Donald Trump, the US government has been on a far more protectionist approach, initiating 73 anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations up to 23 October 2017.
Earlier this year, US biodiesel producers had complained about the dumping of biodiesel on the US market by Indonesian and Argentinean biodiesel exporters. Based on data from the Commerce Department, US imports of biodiesel from Indonesia were valued at an estimated USD $268 million in full-year 2016.
The final ruling by the US Commerce Department is scheduled for 7 November 2017.
