2020-18154. Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts From Colombia: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2018-2019

AGENCY:

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

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that sales of citric acid and certain citrate salts (citric acid) from Colombia were made by Sucroal S.A. (Sucroal), the sole mandatory respondent, at less than normal value (NV) during the period of review (POR), January 8, 2018 through June 30, 2019. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

DATES:

Applicable August 19, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Eric Greynolds, AD/CVD Operations, Office III, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington DC 20230; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On July 25, 2018, Commerce published the Citric Acid Order in the Federal Register.^[1] On September 9, 2019, pursuant to section 751(a)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), Commerce initiated an administrative review of the Citric Acid Order covering Sucroal.^[2] On March 16, 2020, we extended the deadline for the preliminary results to July 30, 2020.^[3] On April 24, 2020, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative reviews by 50 days.^[4] On July 21, 2020, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative reviews by an additional 60 days.^[5] The deadline for the preliminary results of this review is now November 17, 2020.

For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this review, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.^[6]

Scope of the Order

The merchandise covered by this order 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 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.

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, 3824.99.9295 of the HTSUS. Blends that include citric acid, sodium citrate, and potassium citrate are classifiable under 3824.99.9295 of the HTSUS. Although the HTSUS sub-headings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the merchandise is dispositive. For a full description of the scope of the Order, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Methodology

Commerce is conducting this review in accordance with section 751(a)(1)(B) of the Act. Export prices were calculated in accordance with section 772(a) of the Act. NV was calculated in accordance with section 773 of the Act. For a full description of the methodology underlying our conclusions, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. 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). A complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/​frn/​index.html. The signed Preliminary Decision Memorandum and the electronic version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum are identical in content. A list of topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is attached as an Appendix to this notice.

Preliminary Results of the Review

As a result of this review, we preliminarily determine the following weighted-average dumping margin exists for the POR:

Exporter/producer	Estimated weighted- average dumping margin (percent)
Sucroal S.A.	4.59

Assessment Rate

Upon issuance of the final results, Commerce shall determine, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall assess, antidumping duties on all appropriate entries covered by this review. If the weighted-average dumping margin for Sucroal is not zero or de minimis (i.e., less than 0.5 percent), we will calculate importer-specific ad valorem antidumping duty assessment rates based on the ratio of the total amount of dumping calculated for the importer's examined sales to the total entered value of those same sales in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(b)(1).^[7] We will instruct CBP to assess antidumping duties on all appropriate entries covered by this review when the importer-specific assessment rate calculated in the final results of this review is above de minimis. Where either the respondent's weighted-average dumping margin is zero or de minimis, or an importer-specific assessment rate is zero or de minimis, we will instruct CBP to liquidate the appropriate entries without regard to antidumping duties. The final results of this review shall be the basis for the assessment of antidumping duties on entries of merchandise covered by the final results of this review, where applicable.

In accordance with Commerce's “automatic assessment” practice, for entries of subject merchandise during the POR produced by each respondent which did not know that its merchandise was destined for the United States, we will instruct CBP to liquidate entries not reviewed at the all-others rate of 28.48 percent if there is no rate for the intermediate company(ies) involved in the transaction. We intend to issue instructions to CBP 15 days after publication of the final results of this review.^[8]

Cash Deposit Requirements

The following cash deposit requirements will be effective upon publication of the notice of final results of administrative review for all shipments of citric acid from Colombia entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of the final results, as provided by section 751(a)(2) of the Act: (1) The cash deposit rate for Sucroal will be equal to the dumping margin established in the final results of this review, except if the ultimate rate is de minimis within the meaning of 19 CFR 351.106(c)(1), in which case the cash deposit rates will be zero; (2) for merchandise exported by producers or exporters not covered in this administrative review but covered in a prior segment of the proceeding, the cash deposit rate will continue to be the company-specific rate published for the most recently completed segment of this proceeding in which the producer or exporter participated; (3) if the exporter is not a firm covered in this review, a prior review, or the original less-than-fair-value investigation but the producer is, then the cash deposit rate will be the rate established for the most recently completed segment of the proceeding for the producer of the merchandise; and (4) the cash deposit rate for all other producers or exporters will continue to be 28.48 percent, the all-others rate established in the antidumping duty investigation.^[9] These cash deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further notice.

Disclosure and Public Comment

Commerce intends to disclose to the parties to the proceeding the calculations performed in connection with these preliminary results to interested parties within five days of publication of this notice.^[10]

Interested parties may submit case briefs to Commerce in response to these preliminary results no later than 30 days after the publication of this notice.^[11] Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in the case briefs, may be filed no later than seven days after the date for filing case briefs.^[12] Parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding 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.^[13] Case and rebuttal briefs should be filed using ACCESS.^[14] Note that Commerce has temporarily modified certain of its requirements for serving documents containing business proprietary information, until further notice.^[15]

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, filed electronically via ACCESS. An electronically-filed request for a hearing must be received successfully in its entirety by ACCESS by 5 p.m. Eastern Time within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice.^[16] Hearing requests should contain: (1) The party's name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants; and (3) a list of issues to be discussed. Issues raised in the hearing will be limited to issues raised in the briefs. If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a date and time to be determined.^[17]

Commerce intends to issue the final results of this administrative review, including the results of our analysis of the issues raised in any written briefs, not later than 120 days after the date of publication of these preliminary results in the Federal Register, unless otherwise extended.^[18]

Notification to Importers

This notice also serves as a preliminary reminder to importers of their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2) to file a certificate regarding the reimbursement of antidumping duties prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during this review period. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in Commerce's presumption that reimbursement of antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of doubled antidumping duties.

Notification to Interested Parties

We are issuing and publishing these results in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.213(h)(1).

Dated: August 10, 2020.

Jeffrey I. Kessler,

Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary

II. Background

III. Scope of the Order

IV. Discussion of the Methodology

V. Recommendation

Footnotes

1.  See Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts from Belgium, Colombia and Thailand: Antidumping Duty Orders, 83 FR 35214 (July 25, 2018) (Citric Acid Order).

2.  See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews, 84 FR 47248 (September 9, 2019).

3.  See Memorandum, “Citric Acid from Colombia: Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2018/2019,” dated March 16, 2020.

4.  See Memorandum, “Tolling of Deadlines for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews in Response to Operational Adjustments Due to COVID-19,” dated April 24, 2020.

5.  See Memorandum, “Tolling of Deadlines for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews,” dated July 21, 2020.

6.  See Memorandum, “Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review: Citric Acid and Certain Salts, 2018-2019,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).

7.  In these preliminary results, Commerce applied the assessment rate calculation method adopted in Antidumping Proceedings: Calculation of the Weighted-Average Dumping Margin and Assessment Rate in Certain Antidumping Proceedings; Final Modification, 77 FR 8101 (February 14, 2012).

8.  See 19 CFR 356.8(a).

9.  See Citric Acid Order.

10.  See 19 CFR 351.224(b).

11.  See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(ii).

12.  See 19 CFR 351.309(d)(1) and (2); see also Temporary Rule Modifying AD/CVD Service Requirements Due to COVID-19, 85 FR 17006 (March 26, 2020); and Temporary Rule Modifying AD/CVD Service Requirements Due to COVID-19; Extension of Effective Period, 85 FR 41363 (July 10, 2020).

13.  See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2) and 19 CFR 351.303 (for general filing requirements).

14.  See generally 19 CFR 351.303.

15.  See Temporary Rule Modifying AD/CVD Service Requirements Due to COVID-19; Extension of Effective Period, 85 FR 41363 (July 10, 2020).

16.  See 19 CFR 351.310(c); see also 19 CFR 351.303(b)(1).

17.  See 19 CFR 351.310(c).

18.  See section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act.