Source: US INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISION, 2/8/17


The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of ammonium sulfate from China that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined are subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value.

Chairman Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Vice Chairman David S. Johanson, and Commissioners Irving A. Williamson, Meredith M. Broadbent, and F. Scott Kieff voted in the affirmative.  Commissioner Dean A. Pinkert did not participate in these investigations.
As a result of the USITC’s affirmative determinations, Commerce will issue antidumping and countervailing duty orders on imports of this product from China.

The Commission’s public report Ammonium Sulfate from China (Investigation Nos. 701-TA-562 and 731-TA-1329 (Final), USITC Publication 4671, March 2017) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

The report will be available by March 23, 2017; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.

FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS
Ammonium Sulfate from China
Investigation Nos. 701-TA-562 and 731-TA-1329 (Final)
Product Description: Ammonium sulfate is a solid, crystalline salt with the chemical formula (NH4)2SO4.  It comes in a variety of grades and in aqueous solution and is primarily used as a fertilizer, although it has other applications. These investigations cover ammonium sulfate in all physical forms, with or without additives such as anti-caking agents.  The scope includes ammonium sulfate blended, compounded, granulated, or otherwise combined with other products, regardless of whether the combining occurred in countries other than China.  If the subject ammonium sulfate is combined with other products or commingled with non-subject ammonium sulfate, only the subject ammonium sulfate is covered by the scope of these investigations.

Status of Proceedings:
1.  Type of investigations: Final antidumping and countervailing duty.
2.  Petitioner: PCI Nitrogen, LLC, Pasedena, TX.
3.   Investigations instituted by the USITC: May 25, 2016.
4.  USITC hearing: January 12, 2017.
5.  USITC vote: February 8, 2017.
6.  USITC determinations to the U.S. Department of Commerce: March 2, 2017.

U.S. Industry:
1.  Number of producers in 2015: 11.
2.  Location of producers’ plants: Alabama, California, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
3.  Employment of production and related workers in 2015: 651
4.  Apparent U.S. consumption in 2015: [1]
5.  Ratio of the value of total U.S. imports to total U.S. consumption in 2015: 1

U.S. Imports:
1.  From the subject country during 2015: $68.3 million.
2.  From other countries during 2015: $45.2 million.
3.  Leading sources during 2015: China and Canada (in terms of total value).