Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts From Canada: Preliminary Negative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Postponement of Final Determination

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that citric acid and certain citrate salts (citric acid) from Canada is not being, or is not likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 164 (Wednesday, August 26, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 26, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55081-55083]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17417]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-122-877]


Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts From Canada: Preliminary 
Negative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and 
Postponement of Final Determination

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily 
determines that citric acid and certain citrate salts (citric acid) 
from Canada is not being, or is not likely to be, sold in the United 
States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation 
(POI) is January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025. Interested parties 
are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

DATES: Applicable August 26, 2026.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amber Hodak, AD/CVD Operations, Office 
VI, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, 
DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-8034.

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 February 
17, 2026.\1\ On May 26, 2026, Commerce postponed the preliminary 
determination of this investigation, and the revised deadline is now 
August 19, 2026.\2\
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    \1\ See Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts from Canada and 
India: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 91 FR 7252 
(February 17, 2026) (Initiation Notice).
    \2\ See Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts from Canada and 
India: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations of Less-Than-Fair-
Value Investigations, 91 FR 30620 (May 26, 2026).
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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 included 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/frnotices">https://access.trade.gov/frnotices</a>.
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    \3\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary 
Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation of Citric 
Acid and Certain Citrate Salts from Canada dated concurrently with, 
and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum).
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Scope of the Investigation

    The product covered by this investigation is citric acid and 
certain citrate salts from Canada. 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\ the 
Initiation Notice set aside a period of time 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 preliminarily not modifying the scope 
language as it appeared in the Initiation Notice.
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    \4\ See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule, 
62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997).
    \5\ See Initiation Notice.
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Methodology

    Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with 
section 731 of the Act. Constructed export prices have been calculated 
in accordance with section 772(b) of the Act. Normal value is 
calculated in accordance with section 773 of the Act. For a full 
description of the methodology underlying the preliminary 
determination, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

[[Page 55082]]

Preliminary Determination

    For this preliminary determination, Commerce calculated a zero 
estimated weighted-average dumping margin for the individually examined 
producer and/or exporter of the subject merchandise. Consistent with 
section 733(b)(3) of the Act, Commerce disregards zero and de minimis 
rates and preliminarily determines that the individually examined 
respondent with a zero or de minimis rate has not made sales of subject 
merchandise at LTFV.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Weighted-
                                                                average
                      Exporter/Producer                         dumping
                                                                margin
                                                               (percent)
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Jungbunzlauer Canada Inc....................................        0.00
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    Consistent with section 733(d) of the Act, Commerce has not 
calculated an estimated weighted-average dumping margin for all other 
producers and exporters because it has not made an affirmative 
preliminary determination of sales at LTFV.

Suspension of Liquidation

    Because Commerce has made a negative preliminary determination of 
sales at LTFV with regard to subject merchandise, Commerce will not 
direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to suspend liquidation or to 
require a cash deposit of estimated antidumping duties for any such 
entries.

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).
    Consistent with 19 CFR 351.224(e), Commerce will analyze and, if 
appropriate, correct any timely allegations of significant ministerial 
errors by amending the preliminary determination. However, consistent 
with 19 CFR 351.224(d), Commerce will not consider incomplete 
allegations that do not address the significance standard under 19 CFR 
351.224(g) following the preliminary determination. Instead, Commerce 
will address such allegations in the final determination together with 
issues raised in the case briefs or other written comments.

Verification

    As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to 
verify the information relied upon in making its final determination.

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. A timeline for the submission of case briefs and 
written comments will be notified to interested parties at a later 
date. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in the case briefs, may 
be filed not later than five days after the date for filing case 
briefs.\6\ Interested parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs 
in this proceeding must submit: (1) a table of contents listing each 
issue; and (2) a table of authorities.\7\
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    \6\ See 19 CFR 351.309(d); see also Administrative Protective 
Order, Service, and Other Procedures in Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 88 FR 67069, 67077 (September 29, 
2023) (APO and Service Procedures).
    \7\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2).
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    As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2)(iii) and (d)(2)(iii), we 
request that interested parties provide at the beginning of their 
briefs a public, executive summary for each issue raised in their 
briefs.\8\ Further, we request that interested parties limit their 
executive summary of each issue to no more than 450 words, not 
including citations. We intend to use the executive summaries as the 
basis of the comment summaries included in the issues and decision 
memorandum that will accompany the final determination in this 
investigation. We request that interested parties include footnotes for 
relevant citations in the executive summary of each issue. Note that 
Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the 
service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f).\9\
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    \8\ We use the term ``issue'' here to describe an argument that 
Commerce would normally address in a comment of the Issues and 
Decision Memorandum.
    \9\ See APO and Service Procedures.
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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

    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 a 
negative preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is 
made by the petitioner(s). On July 14, 2026, pursuant to 19 CFR 
351.210(e), the petitioners \10\ requested that Commerce postpone the 
final determination.\11\ In accordance with section 735(a)(2)(B) of the 
Act, because the preliminary determination is negative, and the 
petitioner has requested the postponement of the final determination, 
Commerce is postponing the final determination. Accordingly, Commerce 
will make its final determination by no later than 135 days after the 
date of publication of this preliminary determination, pursuant to 
section 735(a)(2) of the Act.
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    \10\ The petitioners are Archer-Daniels-Midland Company; 
Cargill, Incorporated; and Primary Ingredients Americas LLC.
    \11\ See Petitioners' Letter, ``Petitioners' Request for 
Postponement of the Final Determination,'' dated July 14, 2026.
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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 75 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: August 19, 2026.
Christopher Abbott,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the 
non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

    The merchandise covered by this investigation includes all 
grades and granulation sizes of citric acid, sodium citrate, and 
potassium citrate in their unblended forms, whether dry or in 
solution, and regardless of packaging type. The scope also includes 
blends of citric acid, sodium citrate, and potassium citrate, as 
well as

[[Page 55083]]

blends with other ingredients, such as sugar, where the unblended 
form(s) of citric acid, sodium citrate, and potassium citrate 
constitute 40 percent or more, by weight, of the blend.
    The scope also includes all forms of crude calcium citrate, 
including dicalcium citrate monohydrate, and tricalcium citrate 
tetrahydrate, which are intermediate products in the production of 
citric acid, sodium citrate, and potassium citrate. The scope 
includes the hydrous and anhydrous forms of citric acid, the 
dihydrate and anhydrous forms of sodium citrate, otherwise known as 
citric acid sodium salt, and the monohydrate and monopotassium forms 
of potassium citrate. Sodium citrate also includes both trisodium 
citrate and monosodium citrate which are also known as citric acid 
trisodium salt and citric acid monosodium salt, respectively.
    The scope includes merchandise matching the above description 
that has been processed in a third country, including by 
commingling, diluting, introducing or removing additives, or 
performing any other processing that would not otherwise remove the 
merchandise from the scope of the investigations if performed in the 
subject country. The scope also includes merchandise matching the 
above description that is commingled or blended with citric acid, 
sodium citrate, and potassium citrate from sources not subject to 
these investigations. Only the subject component of such commingled 
products is covered by the scope of this investigation.
    The scope does not include calcium citrate that satisfies the 
standards set forth in the United States Pharmacopeia and has been 
mixed with a functional excipient, such as dextrose or starch, where 
the excipient constitutes at least two percent, by weight, of the 
product.
    Citric acid and sodium citrate are classifiable under 
2918.14.0000 and 2918.15.1000 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of 
the United States (HTSUS), respectively. Potassium citrate and crude 
calcium citrate are classifiable under 2918.15.5000 and, if included 
in a mixture or blend, 3824.99.9397 of the HTSUS. Blends that 
include citric acid, sodium citrate, and potassium citrate are 
classifiable under 3824.99.9397 of the HTSUS. Although the HTSUS 
subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the 
written description of the merchandise is dispositive.

Appendix II

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Period of Investigation
IV. Affiliation
V. Discussion of the Methodology
VI. Particular Market Situation
VII. Multinational Corporation Provision
VIII. Currency Conversion
IX. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2026-17417 Filed 8-25-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P


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