Certain Preserved Mushrooms From Spain: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures
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Abstract
The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that certain preserved mushrooms (preserved mushrooms) from Spain are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation is January 1, 2021, through December 31, 2021. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 212 (Thursday, November 3, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 212 (Thursday, November 3, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66262-66264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-23923]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A-469-825]
Certain Preserved Mushrooms From Spain: Preliminary Affirmative
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of Final
Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily
determines that certain preserved mushrooms (preserved mushrooms) from
Spain are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less
than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation is January 1, 2021,
through December 31, 2021. Interested parties are invited to comment on
this preliminary determination.
DATES: Applicable November 3, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Samantha Kinney or Katherine Johnson,
AD/CVD Operations, Office VIII, Enforcement and Compliance,
International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401
Constitution Avenue NW, Washington,
[[Page 66263]]
DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-2285 or (202) 482-4929, respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section
733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce
published the notice of initiation of this investigation on April 27,
2022.\1\ On August 16, 2022, Commerce postponed the preliminary
determination of this investigation until October 27, 2022.\2\
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\1\ See Certain Preserved Mushrooms from France, the
Netherlands, Poland, and Spain: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value
Investigations, 87 FR 24941 (April 27, 2022) (Initiation Notice).
\2\ See Certain Preserved Mushrooms from the Netherlands,
Poland, and Spain: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the
Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 87 FR 50290 (August 16, 2022).
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For a complete description of the events that followed the
initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary Decision
Memorandum.\3\ A list of topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision
Memorandum is included as Appendix II to this notice. The Preliminary
Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically
via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to
registered users at <a href="https://access.trade.gov">https://access.trade.gov</a>. In addition, a complete
version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly
at <a href="https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx">https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx</a>.
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\3\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary
Affirmative Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation
of Certain Preserved Mushrooms from Spain,'' dated concurrently
with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision
Memorandum).
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Scope of the Investigation
The products covered by this investigation are preserved mushrooms
from Spain. For a complete description of the scope of this
investigation, see Appendix I.
Scope Comments
In accordance with the Preamble to Commerce's regulations,\4\ we
set aside a period of time, as stated in the Initiation Notice, for
parties to raise issues regarding product coverage (i.e., scope).\5\ No
interested party commented on the scope of the investigation as it
appeared in the Initiation Notice. Commerce is not modifying the scope
language as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. See the complete
description of the scope in Appendix I to this notice.
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\4\ See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule,
62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997) (Preamble).
\5\ See Initiation Notice, 87 FR at 24942.
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Methodology
Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with
section 731 of the Act. Commerce has calculated export price in
accordance with section 772(a) of the Act. Normal value is calculated
in accordance with section 773 of the Act. In addition, Commerce has
relied on facts available with an adverse inference in determining a
weighted-average dumping margin for Riberebro Integral S.A.U.
(Riberebro), under sections 776(a) and (b) of the Act, because
Riberebro failed to cooperate by not acting to the best of its ability
to comply with Commerce's request for information in this
investigation. For a full description of the methodology underlying the
preliminary determination, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
All-Others Rate
Sections 733(d)(1)(A)(ii) and 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provide that
in the preliminary determination Commerce shall determine an estimated
all-others rate for all exporters and producers not individually
examined. This rate shall be an amount equal to the weighted average of
the estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for
exporters and producers individually investigated, excluding any zero
and de minimis margins, and any margins determined entirely under
section 776 of the Act.
Commerce calculated an individual estimated weighted-average
dumping margin for Eurochamp S.A.T. (Eurochamp), the only individually
examined exporter/producer in this investigation. Because the only
individually calculated dumping margin is not zero, de minimis or based
entirely on facts otherwise available, the estimated weighted-average
dumping margin calculated for Eurochamp is the margin assigned to all
other producers and exporters, pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the
Act.
Preliminary Determination
Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated
weighted-average dumping margins exist during the period January 1,
2021, through December 31, 2021:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated
weighted-
average
Producer/exporter dumping
margin
(percent)
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Eurochamp S.A.T............................................. 10.28
Riberebro Integral S.A.U.................................... 40.07
All Others.................................................. 10.28
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Suspension of Liquidation
In accordance with section 733(d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will
direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation
of entries of subject merchandise, as described in Appendix I, entered,
or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Further, pursuant
to section 733(d)(1)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(d), Commerce will
instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal to the estimated weighted-
average dumping margin or the estimated all-others rate, as follows:
(1) the cash deposit rate for the respondents listed above will be
equal to the company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping
margins determined in this preliminary determination; (2) if the
exporter is not a respondent identified above, but the producer is,
then the cash deposit rate will be equal to the company-specific
estimated weighted-average dumping margin established for that producer
of the subject merchandise; and (3) the cash deposit rate for all other
producers and exporters will be equal to the all-others estimated
weighted-average dumping margin. These suspension of liquidation
instructions will remain in effect until further notice.
Disclosure
Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis
performed to interested parties in this preliminary determination
within five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public
announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this
notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).
Verification
As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to
verify the information relied upon in making its final determination.
Because Riberebro did not provide information requested by Commerce,
and Commerce preliminarily determines this respondent to have been
uncooperative, we will not conduct verification of Riberebro.
[[Page 66264]]
Public Comment
Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than seven
days after the date on which the last verification report is issued in
this investigation. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in case
briefs, may be submitted no later than seven days after the deadline
date for case briefs.\6\ Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2),
parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this investigation
are encouraged to submit with each argument: (1) a statement of the
issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of
authorities. Note that Commerce has temporarily modified certain of its
requirements for serving documents containing business proprietary
information, until further notice.\7\
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\6\ See 19 CFR 351.309; see also 19 CFR 351.303 (for general
filing requirements).
\7\ Temporary Rule Modifying AD/CVD Service Requirements Due to
COVID-19; Extension of Effective Period, 85 FR 41363 (July 10,
2020).
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Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to
request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal
briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for
Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, within 30 days
after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain
the party's name, address, and telephone number, the number of
participants, whether any participant is a foreign national, and a list
of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is made,
Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a time and date to be
determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the date, time, and
location of the hearing two days before the scheduled date.
Postponement of Final Determination and Extension of Provisional
Measures
Section 735(a)(2) of the Act provides that a final determination
may be postponed until not later than 135 days after the date of the
publication of the preliminary determination if, in the event of an
affirmative preliminary determination, a request for such postponement
is made by exporters who account for a significant proportion of
exports of the subject merchandise, or in the event of a negative
preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is made by
the petitioner. Section 351.210(e)(2) of Commerce's regulations
requires that a request by exporters for postponement of the final
determination be accompanied by a request for extension of provisional
measures from a four-month period to a period not more than six months
in duration.
On October 6, 2022, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.210(e), Eurochamp
requested that Commerce postpone the final determination and that
provisional measures be extended to a period not to exceed six
months.\8\ On October 10, 2022, Giorgio Foods, Inc. (the petitioner)
requested that, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.210(e), Commerce postpone the
final determination in the event of a negative preliminary
determination.\9\ In accordance with section 735(a)(2)(A) of the Act
and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(2)(ii), because: (1) the preliminary
determination is affirmative; (2) the requesting exporter accounts for
a significant proportion of exports of the subject merchandise; and (3)
no compelling reasons for denial exist, Commerce is postponing the
final determination and extending the provisional measures from a four-
month period to a period not greater than six months. Accordingly,
Commerce will make its final determination no later than 135 days after
the date of publication of this preliminary determination.
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\8\ See Eurochamp's Letter, ``Request to Extend the Final
Determination,'' dated October 6, 2022.
\9\ See Petitioner's Letter, ``Petitioner's Request for
Postponement of Final Determination,'' dated October 10, 2022.
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U.S. International Trade Commission Notification
In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify
the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) of its preliminary
determination. If the final determination is affirmative, the ITC will
determine before the later of 120 days after the date of this
preliminary determination or 45 days after the final determination
whether these imports are materially injuring, or threaten material
injury to, the U.S. industry.
Notification to Interested Parties
This determination is issued and published in accordance with
sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(c).
Dated: October 27, 2022.
Lisa W. Wang,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
Appendix I--Scope of the Investigation
The merchandise covered by this investigation is certain
preserved mushrooms, whether imported whole, sliced, diced, or as
stems and pieces. The preserved mushrooms covered under this
investigation are the genus Agaricus. ``Preserved mushrooms'' refer
to mushrooms that have been prepared or preserved by cleaning,
blanching, and sometimes slicing or cutting. These mushrooms are
then packed and heat sterilized in containers each holding a net
drained weight of not more than 12 ounces (340.2 grams), including
but not limited to cans or glass jars, in a suitable liquid medium,
including but not limited to water, brine, butter, or butter sauce.
Preserved mushrooms may be imported whole, sliced, diced, or as
stems and pieces.
Excluded from the scope are ``marinated,'' ``acidified,'' or
``pickled'' mushrooms, which are prepared or preserved by means of
vinegar or acetic acid, but may contain oil or other additives. To
be prepared or preserved by means of vinegar or acetic acid, the
merchandise must be a minimum 0.5 percent by weight acetic acid.
The merchandise subject to this investigation is classifiable
under subheadings 2003.10.0127, 2003.10.0131, and 2003.10.0137 of
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). The
subject merchandise may also be classified under HTSUS subheadings
2003.10.0143, 2003.10.0147, and 2003.10.0153. Although the HTSUS
subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the
written description of the merchandise under investigation is
dispositive.
Appendix II--List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision
Memorandum
I. Summary
II. Background
III. Period of Investigation
IV. Application of Facts Available and Use of Adverse Inference
V. Discussion of the Methodology
VI. Currency Conversion
VII. Recommendation
[FR Doc. 2022-23923 Filed 11-2-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
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