[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 143 (Friday, July 25, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44046-44047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-19021]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-863]


Honey From the People's Republic of China: Extension of Time 
Limit for Preliminary Results of First Antidumping Duty Administrative 
Review

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

ACTION: Notice of extension of time limit for preliminary results of 
antidumping duty administrative review.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) is extending the 
time limit for the preliminary results of the administrative review of 
the antidumping duty order on honey from the People's Republic of China 
until no later than December 31, 2003. The period of review for those 
entities with an affirmative critical circumstances finding is February 
10, 2001, through November 30, 2002. For all other companies, the 
period of review is May 11, 2001, through November 30, 2002.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 25, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angelica Mendoza or Brandon Farlander 
at (202) 482-3019 or (202) 482-0182, respectively; Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Enforcement Group III, Import Administration, 
International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th 
Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Statutory Time Limits

    Section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the 
Act), and section 351.213(h)(1) of the Department's regulations require 
the Department to issue the preliminary results of an administrative 
review within 245 days after the last day of the anniversary month of 
the order or suspension agreement for which the administrative review 
was requested, and final results of review within 120 days after the 
date on which the notice of the preliminary results was published in 
the Federal Register. However, if the Department determines that it is 
not practicable to complete the review within this time period, section 
751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and Sec.  351.213(h)(2) of our regulations 
allow the Department to extend the 245-day period to 365 days and the 
120-day period to 180 days.

Background

    On December 10, 2001, the Department of Commerce (the Department) 
published in the Federal Register an antidumping duty order covering 
honey from the People's Republic of China (PRC). See Notice of Amended 
Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Antidumping 
Duty Order; Honey from the People's Republic of China, 66 FR 63670 
(December 10, 2001). On December 17, 2002, the Department published a 
Notice of Opportunity to Request an Administrative Review of 
Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended 
Investigation, 67 FR 77222 (December 17, 2002). On December 31, 2002, 
the American Honey Producers Association and the Sioux Honey 
Association (collectively, petitioners) in this proceeding, requested, 
in accordance with Sec.  351.213(b) of the Department's regulations, an 
administrative review of the antidumping duty order on honey from the 
PRC covering the period May 11, 2001, through November 30, 2002.\1\
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    \1\ On January 27, 2003, in a memorandum to the file, we 
determined that the POR for entities with affirmative findings of 
critical circumstances to be February 10, 2001, through November 30, 
2002. See Memorandum to the File from Angelica L. Mendoza through 
Donna L. Kinsella, dated January 27, 2003 for further details.
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    The petitioners requested that the Department conduct an 
administrative

[[Page 44047]]

review of entries of subject merchandise made by ten PRC producers/
exporters, which included Shanghai Eswell Enterprise Co., Ltd. 
(Shanghai Eswell), Zhejiang Native Produce and Animal By-Products 
Import & Export Corp., a.k.a. Zhejiang Native Produce and Animal By-
Products Import and Export Group Corporation (Zhejiang), and Wuhan Bee 
Healthy Co., Ltd. (Wuhan). We also received a timely request from 
Zhejiang (active respondent in the original investigation) that the 
Department conduct an administrative review of entries of subject 
merchandise it exported to the United States during the period of 
review (POR). On January 22, 2003, the Department initiated an 
administrative review for all of these companies. See Initiation of 
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews and Requests 
for Revocation in Part, 68 FR 3009 (January 22, 2003).
    On February 20, 2003, the Department issued antidumping duty 
questionnaires to all ten PRC producers/exporters of the subject 
merchandise. On April 4, 2003, we received responses to Section A of 
our antidumping duty questionnaires from Zhejiang and Wuhan. On April 
18, 2003, we received responses to Sections C and D of our antidumping 
duty questionnaires from Zhejiang and Wuhan.
    On April 22, 2003, petitioners submitted a withdrawal of request 
for review for Shanghai Eswell. On May 6, 2003, the Department 
rescinded, in part, the administrative review of the antidumping duty 
order on honey with respect to Shanghai Eswell. See Honey from the 
People's Republic of China: Notice of Partial Rescission of Antidumping 
Duty Administrative Review, 68 FR 23963 (May 6, 2003).

Extension of Time Limits for Preliminary Results

    Pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and section 351.213(h) 
of the Department's regulations, we determine that it is not 
practicable to complete this administrative review within the statutory 
time limit of 245 days. The Department finds that it is not practicable 
to complete the preliminary results of this administrative review 
within this time limit because we need additional time to research the 
appropriate surrogate value used to value raw honey. Additionally, the 
Department is analyzing the Indian financial statements currently on 
the record to determine the appropriate surrogate financial ratios to 
use in our calculation of normal value. Therefore, in accordance with 
section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and section 351.213(h)(2) of the 
Department's regulations, the Department is extending the time limit 
for the completion of these preliminary results by an additional 120 
days. The preliminary results will now be due no later than December 
31, 2003. The final results will, in turn, be due 120 days after the 
date of issuance of the preliminary results, unless extended.

    Dated: July 21, 2003.
Richard O. Weible,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, Group III.
[FR Doc. 03-19021 Filed 7-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P