The Department of Commerce announced last week that two sugar refiners, Imperial Sugar and AmCane, have the necessary standing to request the continuation of the antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) petitions against Mexican sugar exports to the United States. That means Commerce will continue its antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of sugar from Mexico, which began in March 2014.

Late last December, Commerce finalized agreements with the Mexican government and Mexican sugar importers to suspend the investigations and allow Mexico to avoid antidumping and countervailing import duties in excess of 50 percent. The so-called “suspension agreements” would limit the amount of sugar that Mexican firms can export to the United States and require that sale prices reach certain minimums.  

These agreements will remain in effect until Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission reach a final determination on the petitions, which Commerce expects to issue on or about September 16, 2015. Although ITC has yet to announce the schedule for the final phase of the injury investigation, it likely will hold its hearing in mid-September.

IDFA and the Sweetener Users Association continue to oppose the suspension, or managed trade, agreements because they restrict the flow of sugar into the United States and are in contrast to the open markets provided for in the North American Free Trade Agreement.

For more information, contact Beth Hughes, IDFA director of international affairs, at bhughes@idfa.org.