Fisheries Entrepreneurs Complain High Import Duty To US Exports

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Fishery Product Processing and Marketing Entrepreneurs Association (AP5I) complained about the high import duties that must be paid when they want to export fishery products to the United States.

This is the result of the imposition of the reciprocal tariff that has been imposed by the Government of President Donald Trump. Indonesia itself is subject to an import duty of 19 percent.

"Because the orientation of our members is export, now what we are facing is a reciprocal tariff to the US of 19 percent," said AP5I Chairman Saut P. Hutagalung in a Hearing Meeting (RDP) with Commission VII DPR RI and the Directorate General of Agro Industry at the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday, November 11.

Not only that, said Saut, his party must also face an anti-dumping import duty of 3.9 percent when exporting its products to the US since last year.

To note, the export of Indonesian shrimp products has been charged with dumping and subsidized practices in the United States market.

Meanwhile, dumping is a system for selling goods abroad at a cheaper price.

Allegations of dumping were filed by the American Shrimp Processing Association (ASPA) through a petition in October 2023.

"The fishery exports also started last year with 3.9 percent anti-dumping. So, if we export, for example, shrimp now to America, we will automatically be 19+3.9 (percent)," he said.

"If I take, for example, Vietnam 20 percent without anti-dumping, we won 1 percent, but that's how our anti-dumping (income fee) was 22.9 percent," he added.

Therefore, he continued, his party continues to encourage the Indonesian delegation to be able to lobby the US Government in order to reduce the reciprocal tariff imposed.

"Of course we continue to encourage the Indonesian delegation to continue to negotiate, so that at least certain fishery products can fall from 19 percent," he added.