you say tomatoes, we say tomaytoes, so let's call the whole thing off
March 26, 2002
ECONOMY
Canada Cites Dumping as It Slaps
New Duties on Tomatoes From U.S.
By MARK HEINZL
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
TRADE TENSION
• EU Readies Tariffs to Protect Market From a Flood of Steel2
• Canada to Join List Challenging U.S. on Lumber Tariffs3
03/25/02
• EU to Target GOP's Swing States Over Bush Steel Tariffs4
03/22/02
• U.S. Will Likely Impose High Duties on Canadian Softwoods5
03/22/02
• U.S., Canada Discuss Lumber-Export Tax6
03/04/02
• Canada Blasts U.S. for Delay In Resolving Lumber Dispute7
02/05/02
Days after the U.S. riled Canada with duties on imported Canadian softwood, Canada slapped provisional duties as high as 71% on U.S. tomato exports to Canada, citing dumping.
The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency said it imposed the tomato duties following a complaint filed last year by the Canadian Tomato Trade Alliance, which represents Canada's greenhouse-tomato growers. In October, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced antidumping duties averaging 32% on imports from Canada's fast-growing greenhouse-tomato producers, following complaints by U.S. greenhouse-tomato growers that Canadian producers were dumping in the U.S.
The Canadian agency said a study of U.S. tomatoes found they "were dumped into Canada at prices that were on average 22% below" prices charged in the U.S. The ruling affects 133 U.S. tomato exporters, mainly in Florida and California. U.S. growers exported 141,000 metric tons (155,000 tons) of tomatoes to Canada in 2000, the latest available figures, a Canada Customs official said. The Canadian ruling excludes tomatoes for processing.
The timing of the tomato ruling in relation to the U.S. action on Canadian lumber is "pure coincidence," said Canada Customs official Michel Desmarais, noting the Canadian investigation started in November. The Canadian International Trade Tribunal will conduct an inquiry and public hearing over imports of U.S. tomatoes and issue a final decision by late July. Canada Customs will continue its investigation and issue a final ruling by June 24, it said.
Representatives of U.S. tomato growers weren't immediately available to comment.
Write to Mark Heinzl at mark.heinzl@wsj.com1 |
