US Imposes Countervailing Duties on Canadian Wheat

WASHINGTON - Mar 4/03 - SNS -- The United States will impose countervailing duties on Canadian wheat and durum, charging the Canadian Wheat Board and private companies are dumping Canadian grain on the U.S. market.

The preliminary duty rate has been set at 3.94%. Canadian exports were valued at over U.S. $300 million in the most recent marketing year, suggesting the duty will deliver less than $12 million per year to government coffers.

The products covered by the hard red spring investigations are all varieties of hard red spring wheat from Canada. This includes, but is not limited to, varieties commonly referred to as Canada Western Red Spring, Canada Western Extra Strong, and Canada Prairie Spring Red.

The merchandise subject to these investigations is currently classifiable in the HTSUS at subheadings 1001.90.10.00, 1001.90.20.05, 1001.90.20.11, 1001.90.20.12, 1001.90.20.13, 1001.90.20.14, 1001.90.20.16, 1001.90.20.19, 1001.90.20.21, 1001.90.20.22, 1001.90.20.23, 1001.90.20.24, 1001.90.20.26, 1001.90.20.29, 1001.90.20.35, and 1001.90.20.96.

Grower groups in North Dakota have relentlessly petitioned the U.S. government to impose some form of sanctions on Canadian wheat and durum entering the country. The latest investigation was started October 23. On November 25, 2002, the United States International Trade Commission determined that there is a reasonable indication that industries in the United States are being materially injured by reasons of imports from Canada of durum and hard red spring wheat.

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