[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 110 (Thursday, June 8, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30268-30270]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13982]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A-475-818, A-489-805]


Initiation of Antidumping Duty Investigations: Certain Pasta From 
Italy and Turkey

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 8, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Brinkmann at (202) 482-5288, or 
Greg Thompson at (202) 482-3003, Office of Antidumping Investigations, 
Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20230.

Initiation of Investigations

The Applicable Statute

    Unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the statute are 
references to the provisions effective January 1, 1995, the effective 
date of the amendments made to the Tariff Act of 1930 (the Act) by the 
Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA).

The Petition

    On May 12, 1995, the Department of Commerce (the Department) 
received a petition filed in proper form by Borden, Inc., Hershey Foods 
Corp., and Gooch Foods, Inc. (the petitioners), three U.S. producers of 
certain pasta. Supplements to the petition were filed on May 26 and 
June 1, 1995.
    In accordance with section 732(b) of the Act, the petitioners 
allege that imports of certain pasta from Italy and Turkey are being, 
or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value 
within the meaning of section 731 of the Act, and that such imports are 
materially injuring, or threatening material injury to, a U.S. 
industry.
    The petitioners state that they have standing to file the petition 
because they are interested parties, as defined under section 771(9)(C) 
of the Act.

Determination of Industry Support for the Petition

    Section 732(c)(4)(A) of the Act requires the Department to 
determine, prior to the initiation of an investigation, the domestic 
industry supports an antidumping petition. A petition meets this 
requirement if (1) the domestic producers or workers who support the 
petition account for at least 25 percent of the total production of the 
domestic like product; and (2) the domestic producers or workers who 
support the petition account for more than 50 percent of the production 
of the domestic like product produced by that portion of the industry 
expressing support for, or opposition to, the petition.
    A review of the industry support data provided in the petition and 
other production information readily available to the Department 
indicates that the petitioners account for more than 25 percent of the 
total production of the domestic like product and for more than 50 
percent of that produced by companies expressing support for, or 
opposition to, the petition. The Department received no expressions of 
opposition to the petition from any interested party. Accordingly, the 
Department determines that this petition is supported by the domestic 
industry.

Scope of the Investigations

    The Department has inherent authority to redefine and clarify the 
scope of an investigation, as set forth in a petition, whenever it 
determines that the petition language is overly broad, or 
insufficiently specific to allow proper investigation, or is in any 
other way defective. See NTN Bearing Corp. v. United States, 747 F. 
Supp. 726 (CIT 1990). We revised the petitioners' proposed scope to 
eliminate channel of trade as a scope criterion in order to ensure that 
it would be clear and administrable.
    The scope of these investigations consists of certain non-egg dry 
pasta in packages of five pounds (or 2.27 kilograms) or less, whether 
or not enriched or fortified or containing milk or other optional 
ingredients such as chopped vegetables, vegetable purees, milk, gluten, 
diastases, vitamins, coloring and flavorings, and up to two percent egg 
white. The pasta covered by this scope is typically sold in the retail 
market, in fiberboard or cardboard cartons or polyethylene or 
polypropylene bags, of varying dimensions.
    Excluded from the scope of these investigations are refrigerated, 
frozen, or canned pastas, as well as all forms of egg pasta, with the 
exception of non-egg dry pasta containing up to two percent egg white.
    The merchandise under investigation is currently classifiable under 
items 1902.19.20 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(HTSUS). Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience 
and customs purposes, our written description of the scope of this 
investigation is dispositive.

Italy

Export Price and Normal Value

    The petitioners based export price on two sources. First, the 
petitioners based export price on the average unit values (AUVs) 
derived from the IM-146 monthly import statistics for HTSUS subheading 
1902.19.20, published by the U.S. Department of Commerce, for the 
months of December 1994 and January and February 1995. These AUVs 
corresponded to the months the available home market price lists were 
in effect. The AUVs, which represent the f.o.b. Italy price of the 
subject pasta, were not adjusted for foreign inland freight. We find 
the AUVs a reasonable basis for export price because 1) the HTSUS 
subheading is inclusive of all sales of the subject merchandise, 2) 
there were limited imports of non-subject pasta under this subheading, 
and 3) a market research report submitted by the petitioners shows the 
AUVs to be consistent with the average export values of non-egg pasta 
from Italy to the U.S. [[Page 30269]] 
    The second methodology used by the petitioners was based on U.S. 
retail prices obtained from 1) the domestic industry's weekly sales 
reports compiled by the petitioners' own sales representative for 
November and December of 1994, and 2) InfoScan Markets, which reports 
published weekly prices charged by U.S. retailers for pasta for the 
month of January 1995. The prices used were for brand name products of 
two Italian producers, and were adjusted downward for U.S. ocean 
freight and other movement charges.
    The petitioners used Italian producer price lists to wholesale 
customers obtained from a market research report as the basis for 
normal value. For comparisons to the three U.S. retail prices, the 
petitioners selected a single ``regular or regular cut'' pasta price 
from the appropriate producer's price list. For comparisons to the U.S. 
AUVs, the petitioners selected a single price from a producers' price 
list. Because the prices were reported in Italian lire per kilogram 
(kg), the petitioners calculated the lire per pound (lb) equivalent for 
each product listed and then converted to U.S. dollars per pound using 
the average exchange rate for the two month period that is used to 
calculate the U.S. prices. The petitioners deducted a nine percent 
quantity discount and 7.5 percent ``other discount'' based on the 
Italian market research report. Finally, the petitioners made an 
adjustment to normal value for U.S. and Italian imputed credit 
expenses.
    We find the petitioners' selection of home market prices not to be 
representative comparisons to the U.S. export price to which they are 
being compared. In the case of the AUVs, the petitioners have selected 
a single price of a specific pasta type to compare to an export price 
which is an average of all imports of the subject pasta from Italy. For 
purposes of this initiation, we have revised the normal value to a 
simple average of all of the subject pasta prices that are listed in 
the producer's price list used by the petitioners in their fair value 
comparisons. In the case of the export prices based on the three retail 
prices described as ``regular or regular cuts,'' we have revised the 
normal value to be a simple average of the subject pasta prices that 
are listed in producer's price list used by the petitioners that are 
described in that price list as ``regular'' pasta.
    Based on comparisons of export price to normal value, the estimated 
dumping margins for certain pasta from Italy range from 21.85 percent 
to 71.49 percent.

Turkey

Export Price and Normal Value

    The petitioners based export price on the AUVs derived from the IM-
146 monthly import statistics for HTSUS subheading 1902.19.20, 
published by the U.S. Department of Commerce for the months of January 
and February, 1995. Claiming that Turkey's economy is 
hyperinflationary, the petitioners used AUVs for the month when the 
comparison home market sales occurred as the basis for export price. 
Specifically, petitioners state that Turkey experienced an annual 
inflation rate of 70 percent during 1994, which rose to approximately 
130 percent in early 1995. The AUVs were not adjusted for foreign 
inland freight. We find the AUVs a reasonable basis for export price 
for the same reasons stated above for Italy.
    The petitioners based normal value on January and February 1995 
prices between a Turkish producer and its wholesaler which were 
obtained by a market researcher. The gross home market prices were 
adjusted downward for the following costs: value added taxes, quantity 
discounts, special annual rebate, and average delivery costs. The 
petitioners converted the unit price quotes in Turkish lire to U.S. 
dollars using the exchange rates that were in effect on or about the 
time the home market sales occurred.
    In accordance with Section 773(b)(2) of Act, the petitioners 
alleged that sales of certain pasta in the home market were made at 
prices below the cost of production (COP). The components of COP, as 
enumerated in Section 773(b)(3) of the Act, are the cost of manufacture 
(COM), packing and selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) 
expenses. SG&A includes the company's net financing expense.
    The petitioners calculated COM based on their own production 
experience for January and February 1995, adjusted for known 
differences between costs incurred to produce certain pasta in the 
United States and production costs incurred for the merchandise in 
Turkey. For SG&A expenses, the petitioners used their own 1994 audited 
annual financial statements because they could not obtain financial 
statements for a Turkish pasta or food processing company. The 
Department normally uses cost information specific to the home market. 
However, the petitioners documented that they attempted to obtain 
financial statements through various sources but were unable to gather 
financial data on the Turkish pasta or food processing industry.
    The allegation that the Turkish producers are selling the foreign 
like product in their home market at prices below its COP is based upon 
a comparison of the adjusted home market prices with the calculated 
COP. Based on this reasonably available information, we find reasonable 
grounds to believe or suspect that sales of the foreign like product 
may have been made at prices below COP in accordance with section 
773(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Act. Accordingly, the Department is initiating a 
cost investigation with respect to Turkey.
    The petitioners calculated a constructed value (CV) using the same 
COM, packing and SG&A figures used to compute the Turkish home market 
costs for pasta. The petitioners also added to CV an amount for profit. 
To calculate profit, the petitioners relied on 1993 audited financial 
statements reported by a major Italian producer. Although the 
petitioners demonstrated significant efforts in attempting to obtain 
Turkish specific financial data for the pasta and food processing 
industries, we do not consider the profit of an Italian pasta producer 
an acceptable alternative. For purposes of this initiation, we have 
rejected the estimated margin based on CV, and have instead relied 
solely on the comparison of export price to the home market price above 
COP.
    Based on this comparison of export price to normal value, the 
estimated dumping margin for certain pasta from Turkey is 63.29 
percent.

Fair Value Comparisons

    Based on the data provided by the petitioners, there is reason to 
believe that imports of certain pasta from Italy and Turkey are being, 
or likely to be, sold at less than fair value. If it becomes necessary 
at a later date to consider the petition as a source of facts 
available, we may review the calculations.

Initiation of Investigations

    We have examined the petition on certain pasta from Italy and 
Turkey and have found that it meets the requirements of section 732 of 
the Act, including the requirements concerning allegations of material 
injury or threat of material injury to the domestic producers of a 
domestic like product by reason of the complained-of imports, allegedly 
sold at less than fair value. Therefore, we are initiating antidumping 
duty investigations to determine whether imports of certain pasta from 
Italy and Turkey are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United 
States at less than fair value. Unless extended, we will make our 
preliminary determinations by October 19, 1995. [[Page 30270]] 

Distribution of Copies of the Petition

    In accordance with section 732(b)(3)(A) of the Act, copies of the 
public versions of the petition have been provided to the 
representatives of the governments of Italy and Turkey. We will attempt 
to provide copies of the public versions of the petition to all the 
exporters named in the petition.

International Trade Commission (ITC) Notification

    We have notified the ITC of our initiations, as required by section 
732(d) of the Act.

Preliminary Determination by the ITC

    The ITC will determine by June 26, 1995, whether there is a 
reasonable indication that imports of certain pasta from Italy and 
Turkey are causing material injury, or threatening to cause material 
injury, to a U.S. industry. A negative ITC determination in either 
investigation will result in the respective investigation being 
terminated; otherwise, these investigations will proceed according to 
statutory and regulatory time limits.

    Dated: June 1, 1995.
Susan G. Esserman,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 95-13982 Filed 6-7-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P