Here's The KKP's Strategy To Face Anti-dumping Allegations Of Shrimp Exports To The US After Jokowi's Report

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Facing allegations of anti dumping (AD) and customs or countervaliding duties (CVD) against Indonesia's export of frozen shrimp to the United States market from the American Shrimp Processors Association (ASPA) on October 25, 2023, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is preparing a number of strategic steps.

The petition proposed by ASPA covers all categories of frozen tropical shrimp from Indonesia, except for fresh shrimp and ready-to-eat shrimp.

Not only Indonesia, but the accusations of CVD are also addressed to Vietnam, Ecuador, and India. Meanwhile, AD's accusations were directed at Indonesia and Ecuador.

Based on Sunset Reviews 2022 data, it shows that four countries, namely China with a maximum duty of 112.81 percent, India 110.9 percent, Thailand 5.34 percent, and Vietnam 25.76 percent, are still subject to Anti-Dumping Imports.

The KKP is now focusing on filling out CVD questionnaires as a step to explain the subsidy program accused of providing support data.

The main goal is to ensure that programs in the fisheries sector are not discriminatory or non-discriminatory for shrimp.

Director General of Strengthening Competitiveness for Marine and Fishery Products (PDSPKP) Budi Sulistiyo said his party had prepared the handling of the AD and CVD cases.

"We have prepared the handling of AD and CVD cases, especially in the preparation of explanations for policies or programs accused of subsidies, especially in the fisheries sector, such as facilitation of financing for the fisheries sector, and insurance for small-scale cultivators," Budi said in a written statement, quoted Monday, January 8.

Budi emphasized that the KKP as the minister of shrimp commodity development has conducted a thorough study of the selection of international lawyers representing the Indonesian government in handling this case.

In addition, the KKP provides assistance to exporters who are obligatory respondents in filling out CVD questionnaires, and has also appointed lawyers to represent the Indonesian Government in resolving the case.

"We provide assistance to ministries/agencies and stakeholders in the investigation and verification that will be carried out by the US Department of Commerce (USDOC)," said Budi.

He also guaranteed that his party had submitted an explanation regarding the policy or program of the fisheries sector which was accused of subsidies to the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) on December 22 and 29, 2023.

It did not stop there, the KKP has also held meetings with various related parties, including the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenko Marves), the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu), associations, mandatory respondents, and exporters, on January 4, 2024.

Previously, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KP) Sakti Wahyu Trenggono had met with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to report exports of Indonesian shrimp receiving anti-dumping charges in the United States, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Friday, January 5, 2024.

Minister Trenggono said that the KKP would encourage settlement steps so that these conditions would not harm Indonesia.