[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 1, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30881-30882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-12297]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

A-570-863


Notice of Extension of Preliminary Results of New Shipper 
Antidumping Duty Reviews: Honey From the People's Republic of China

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting new 
shipper antidumping duty reviews on honey from the People's Republic of 
China (PRC) in response to requests by respondents Anhui Honghui 
Foodstuff (Group) Co., Ltd. (Anhui Honghui), Eurasia Bee's Products 
Co., Ltd. (Eurasia), Inner Mongolia Youth Trade Development Co., Ltd. 
(Inner Mongolia Youth), and Jiangsu Kanghong Natural Healthfoods Co., 
Ltd. (Jiangsu Kanghong). The review covers shipments to the United 
States for the period December 1, 2002, to November 30, 2003, by these 
four respondents. For the reasons discussed below, we are extending the 
preliminary results of this administrative review by 61 days, to no 
later than September 27, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Nunno at (202) 482-0783 or Anya 
Naschak at (202) 482-6375; 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.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 1, 2004.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Department received timely requests from Anhui Honghui 
Foodstuff (Group) Co., Ltd. (Anhui Honghui), Eurasia Bee's Products 
Co., Ltd. (Eurasia), Foodworld International Club Limited (Foodworld), 
Inner Mongolia Youth Trade Development Co., Ltd. (Inner Mongolia 
Youth), Jiangsu Kanghong Natural Healthfoods Co., Ltd. (Jiangsu 
Kanghong), and Shanghai Shinomiel International Trade Corporation 
(Shanghai Shinomiel), in accordance with 19 CFR 351.214(c), for new 
shipper reviews of the antidumping duty order on honey from the PRC, 
which has a December annual anniversary month and a June semiannual 
anniversary month. 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 January 
30, 2004, the Department found that the requests for review with 
respect to Anhui Honghui, Eurasia, Inner Mongolia Youth, and Jiangsu 
Kanghong met all the regulatory requirements set forth in 19 CFR 
351.214(b) and initiated this new shipper antidumping duty review 
covering the period December 1, 2002, through November 30, 2003. The 
Department did not initiate new shipper reviews for the remaining two 
companies (i.e., Foodworld and Shanghai Shinomiel). See Honey From the 
People's Republic of China: Initiation of New Shipper Antidumping Duty 
Reviews, 69 FR 5835 (February 6, 2004).
    On February 4, 2004, we issued antidumping duty questionnaires to 
Anhui Honghui, Eurasia, Inner Mongolia Youth, and Jiangsu Kanghong. On 
February 13, 2004, we issued supplemental questionnaires to Anhui 
Honghui and Jiangsu Kanghong. On February 27, 2004, we received 
information from Anhui Honghui and Jiangsu Kanghong regarding intra-
company sales. On March 16, 2004, we received a response to Section A 
of our antidumping duty questionnaire from Inner Mongolia Youth. On 
March 17, 2004, we received responses to Section A of our antidumping 
duty questionnaire from Anhui Honghui, Eurasia, and Jiangsu Kanghong.
    On March 25, 2004, we invited interested parties to comment on the 
Department's surrogate country selection and/or significant production 
in the potential countries and to submit publicly available information 
to value the factors of production.
    On March 30, 2004, we received a response to Sections C and D of 
our antidumping duty questionnaire from Inner Mongolia Youth. On March 
31, 2004, we received responses to Sections C and D of our antidumping 
duty questionnaire from Anhui Honghui, Eurasia, and Jiangsu Kanghong 
and, where applicable, from their U.S. affiliates and/or the respective 
importers.
    On March 30 and April 1 and 13, 2004, the American Honey Producers 
Association and the Sioux Honey Association (collectively, the 
petitioners) submitted deficiency comments on the respondents' 
questionnaire responses.
    On April 15, 2004, the petitioners submitted comments on the 
selection of the proper surrogate country.
    On April 16, 2004, we issued a supplemental questionnaire to Inner 
Mongolia Youth. On April 16 and 23, 2004, we issued supplemental 
questionnaires to Anhui Honghui and

[[Page 30882]]

Jiangsu Kanghong. On April 19 and 23, 2004, we issued supplemental 
questionnaires to Eurasia. We also issued questionnaires to the 
respondents' U.S. customers on April 28, 2004. On April 30, 2004, we 
received a response to our supplemental questionnaire from Inner 
Mongolia Youth. On May 3, 2004, we received responses to our 
supplemental questionnaires from Anhui Honghui and Jiangsu Kanghong. On 
May 6 and 7, 2004, we received a response to our supplemental 
questionnaire from Eurasia. We received responses to our questionnaires 
to U.S. customers on May 7, 2004.
    On May 10, 2004, the petitioners and respondents submitted comments 
on surrogate information with which to value the factors of production 
in this proceeding.
    The preliminary results are currently due no later than July 28, 
2004.

Extension of Time Limits for Preliminary Results

    Section 751(a)(2)(B)(iv) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the 
Act), and 19 CFR 351.214(i)(1) require the Department to issue the 
preliminary results of a new shipper review within 180 days after the 
date on which the new shipper review was initiated and final results of 
a review within 90 days after the date on which the preliminary results 
were issued. The Department may, however, extend the deadline for 
completion of the preliminary results of a new shipper review to 300 
days if it determines that the case is extraordinarily complicated (19 
CFR 351.214 (i)(2)). The Department has determined that this case is 
extraordinarily complicated, and the preliminary results of this new 
shipper review cannot be completed within the statutory time limit of 
180 days.
    Specifically, the Department needs additional time because of the 
complexity of some of the issues, issuing supplemental questionnaires 
requesting additional information, and the scheduling of verifications. 
In particular, the Department needs additional time to research and 
analyze the appropriate surrogate values for raw honey. Given the 
issues in this case, the Department finds that this case is 
extraordinarily complicated, and cannot be completed within the 
statutory time limit.
    Accordingly, the Department is extending the time limit for the 
completion of the preliminary results by 61 days, to September 27, 
2004, in accordance with section 751(a)(2)(B)(iv) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.214(i)(2). The final results will, in turn, be due 90 days after 
the date of issuance of the preliminary results, unless extended.

    Dated: May 24, 2004.
Joseph A. Spetrini,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, Group III.
[FR Doc. 04-12297 Filed 5-28-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S