[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2890-2900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-671]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-863]


Honey From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results 
and Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (``Department'') is currently 
conducting the aligned semi-annual 2005-2006 new shipper review and 
2005-2006 administrative review of the antidumping duty order on honey 
from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). The period of review 
(``POR'') for both the new shipper review and administrative review is 
December 1, 2005, through November 30, 2006. Five respondents reported 
that they had no exports or sales of the subject merchandise during the 
POR; therefore, we are preliminarily rescinding our review of these 
companies. We preliminarily determine that Wuhu Qinshi Tangye Co., Ltd. 
(``Wuhu Qinshi''); Jiangsu Light Industry Products Imp & Exp (Group) 
Corp. (``Jiangsu Light''); Qinhuangdao Municipal Dafeng Industrial Co., 
Ltd. (``QMD''); and Inner Mongolia Altin Bee-Keeping (``IMA'') have 
failed to cooperate by not acting to the best of their ability to 
comply with our requests for information and, as a result, should be 
assigned a rate based on adverse facts available. Additionally, we have 
preliminarily determined that, because the Department has not 
calculated antidumping duty margins in this segment of the proceeding, 
the two separate rate companies in the administrative review will be 
assigned the separate rate margin from the most recent segment of this 
proceeding in which such a rate was calculated, which in this case is 
the less than fair value (``LTFV'') investigation. Finally, we have 
preliminarily determined that QHD Sanhai Honey Co., Ltd. (``QHD 
Sanhai''), the new shipper respondent, did not make sales of subject 
merchandise to the United States below normal value. If these 
preliminary results are adopted in our final results of this review, we 
will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (``CBP'') to assess 
antidumping duties on all appropriate entries of subject merchandise 
during the POR.
    Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary 
results. We will issue the final results no later than 120 days from 
the date of publication of this notice.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 16, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bobby Wong or Michael Quigley, AD/CVD 
Operations, Office 9, Import Administration, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-
0409 or (202) 482-4047, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On December 1, 2006, the Department published a notice of 
Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended 
Investigation; Opportunity To Request Administrative Review, 71 FR 
69543 (December 1, 2006). On December 27, 2007, in accordance with 19 
CFR 351.213(b), the Department received timely requests from QMD, IMA, 
and Dongtai Peak Honey Industry Co, Ltd. (``Dongtai Peak''), for 
administrative reviews. On December 29, 2006, in accordance with 19 CFR 
351.213(b), the Department received a timely request from Zhejiang 
Native Produce & Animal By-Products I/E Group Corporation (``Zhejiang 
Native''), for an administrative review. On December 28, 2006, the 
Department received a timely request from QHD Sanhai, in accordance 
with section 751(a)(2)(B) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``the 
Act''), and 19 CFR 351.214(c), for a new shipper review of the 
antidumping duty order on honey from the PRC. Also on December 29, 
2006, the American Honey Producers Association and the Sioux Honey 
Association (collectively, ``petitioners''), requested, in accordance 
with section 351.213(b) of the Department's regulations, an 
administrative review of entries of subject merchandise made during the 
POR by 30 Chinese producers/exporters.\1\
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    \1\ Petitioners' request included: Anhui Honghui Foodstuff 
(Group) Co., Ltd.; Apiarist Co.; Beijing World Trade Co., Ltd.; 
Cheng Du Wai Yuan Bee Products Co., Ltd.; Chiangmai Healthy Product 
Co., Ltd.; China Ocean Shipping Agency Beijing; Dongtai Peak Honey 
Industry Co., Ltd.; Eurasia Bee's Products Co., Ltd.; Hangzhou 
Golden Harvest Health Industry Co., Ltd.; Hangzhou Golden Dragon 
Group Corporation Ltd.; Hangzhou Xinsheng (or Xinyun) Shipping 
Agency Co., Ltd.; Inner Mongolia Altin Bee-Keeping; Inner Mongolia 
Youth Trade Development Co., Ltd.; Jiangsu Kanghong Natural 
Healthfoods Co., Ltd.; Jiangsu Light Industry Products Imp & Exp 
(Group) Corp.; Kunshan Xinrui Co., Ltd.; M&H Shipping (Shanghai) 
Corporation; Mgl Yung Sheng Honey Co., Ltd.; Qingdao Aolan Trade 
Co., Ltd.; Qinhuangdao Municipal Dafeng Industrial Co., Ltd.; Rich 
Shipping Company; Shanghai Bloom International Trading Co., Ltd.; 
Shanghai Taiside Trading Co., Ltd.; Shanghai Xinyun International 
Transportation Co., Ltd.; Sichuan-Dujiangyan Dubao Bee Industrial 
Co., Ltd.; Tianjin Eulia Honey Co., Ltd.; United Logistics Group 
Inc.; Wuhan Bee Healthy Co., Ltd.; Wuhan Shino-Food Trade Co., Ltd.; 
and Wuhu Qinshi Tangye Co., Ltd.
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    On February 2, 2007, the Department published a notice of 
initiation of an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on 
honey from the PRC covering the period December 1, 2005, through 
November 30, 2006. See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing 
Duty Administrative Reviews and Request for Revocation in Part, 72 FR 
5005 (February 2, 2007) (``AR Initiation Notice''). On February 5, 
2007, the Department published a notice of initiation of a new shipper 
review of the antidumping duty order on honey from the PRC covering the 
period December 1, 2005, through November 30, 2006. See Honey from the 
People's Republic of China: Initiation of New Shipper Antidumping Duty 
Reviews, 72 FR 5265 (February 5, 2007) (``NSR Initiation Notice''). On 
February 22, 2007, QHD Sanhai agreed to waive the new shipper review 
time limits, and on February 23, 2007, the Department aligned the new 
shipper review with the corresponding administrative review.
    On February 12, 2007, the Department sent a request for quantity 
and value (``Q&V'') information to the 31 companies named in the AR 
Initiation Notice. On February 23, 2007, the Department received 
quantity and value questionnaire responses (``Q&V response'') from 
Dongtai Peak; QMD; IMA; and Chiangmai Healthy Product Co., Ltd. On 
February 26, 2007, the Department received a Q&V response and a 
separate rates certification from

[[Page 2891]]

Zhejiang Native. On April 12, 2007, the Department received a separate 
rate application from Dongtai Peak, QMD, and IMA. On April 13, 2007, 
the Department received a separate rate application from Cheng Du Wai 
Yuan Bee Products Co., Ltd.
    On March 21, 2007, the Department received and granted a deadline 
extension request to respond to the Department's Q&V questionnaire from 
Wuhu Qinshi Tangye Ltd., Co. (``Wuhu Qinshi''). See March 21, 2007, 
letter from Christopher Riker, Program Manager, to Wuhu Qinshi Tangye, 
regarding the 2005/2006 Administrative Review of the Antidumping Duty 
Order on Honey from the People's Republic of China. Subsequently, Wuhu 
Qinxhi did not submit its certified Q&V response.
    On April 10, 2007, petitioners withdrew their request for review on 
22 of the 30 Chinese companies in the administrative review: Anhui 
Honghui Foodstuff (Group) Co., Ltd.; Apiarist Co.; Beijing World Trade 
Co., Ltd.; Cheng Du Wai Yuan Bee Products Co., Ltd.; Chiangmai Healthy 
Product Co., Ltd.; China Ocean Shipping Agency Beijing; Eurasia Bee's 
Products Co., Ltd.; Hangzhou Golden Harvest Health Industry Co., Ltd.; 
Hangzhou Golden Dragon Group Corporation Ltd.; Hangzhou Xinsheng (or 
Xinyun) Shipping Agency Co., Ltd.; Jiangsu Kanghong Natural Health 
Foods Co., Ltd.; Kunshan Xinrui Co., Ltd.; M&H Shipping (Shanghai) 
Corporation; Qingdao Aolan Trade Co., Ltd.; Rich Shipping Company; 
Shanghai Taiside Trading Co., Ltd.; Shanghai Xinyun International 
Transportation Co., Ltd.; Sichuan Dujiangyan Dubao Bee Industrial Co., 
Ltd.; Tianjin Eulia Honey Co., Ltd.; United Logistics Group Inc.; Wuhan 
Bee Healthy Co., Ltd.; Wuhan Shino-Food Trade Co., Ltd. Of the nine 
remaining companies named in the AR Initiation Notice, IMA, QMD, 
Dongtai Peak, and Zhejiang Native provided Q&V data and claimed 
shipments. Given the Department's limited resources and pursuant to 
section 777A(c)(2)(B) of the Act, in order to cover the greatest 
possible export volume, the Department selected IMA and QMD as 
mandatory respondents in the administrative review, which are the two 
largest producer/exporters by export volume during the POR.\2\ On April 
17, 2007, the Department selected IMA and QMD as mandatory respondents 
and issued antidumping duty questionnaires to IMA and QMD (``AR 
original questionnaire''). See April 17, 2007, Memorandum to James 
Doyle, Office Director, from Anya Naschak, Senior International 
Compliance Analyst, Through Christopher Riker, Program Manager, 
regarding the Antidumping Duty Administrative Review of Honey from the 
People's Republic of China: Selection of Respondents. On April 23, 
2007, Zhejiang Native requested that the Department reconsider Zhejiang 
Native as either a mandatory or voluntary respondent for the 
administrative review.\3\
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    \2\ Zhejiang Native and Dongtai Peak remained separate rate 
respondents in the administrative review.
    \3\ See June 7, 2007, Memorandum to the File, From James Doyle, 
Director, Office 9, Regarding: Fifth Antidumping Duty Administrative 
Review of Honey from the People's Republic of China: Phone call with 
Counsel Regarding April 23, 2007, Submission.
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    On March 7, 2007, the Department sent ``second chance'' Q&V 
questionnaires to Wuhu Qinshi Tanye; Anhui Honghui Foodstuff (Group) 
Co., Ltd.; Wuhan Shino-Food Trade Co., Ltd.; Wuhan Bee Healthy Co., 
Ltd.; Shanghai Xinyun International Transportation Co.; Shanghai 
Taiside Trading Co., Ltd.; M&H Shipping (Shanghai) Corporation; Jiangsu 
Kanghong; Hangzhou Golden; Eurasia Bee's Products Co., Ltd.; Apiarist 
Co.; United Logistics Group; Rich Shipping Company; Mgl Yung Sheng 
Honey Co., Ltd.; Jiangsu Light Industry Products Imp & Exp (Group) 
Corp.; China Ocean Shipping Agency Beijing; and Tianjin Eulia Honey.
    On May 3, 2007, the Department published a notice of partial 
rescission in the administrative review regarding the 22 companies for 
which petitioners withdrew their request for review in the 
administrative review. See Honey from the People's Republic of China: 
Notice of Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 
72 FR 24561 (May 3, 2007) (``AR Partial Rescission Notice''). On May 
21, 2007, the Department invited interested parties to comment on the 
Department's surrogate country selection and/or significant production 
in the other potential surrogate countries and to submit publicly 
available information to value the factors of production in the new 
shipper and administrative reviews. See May 21, 2007, Letter to ``All 
Interested Parties'' from Christopher D. Riker, Program Manager, 
regarding Antidumping Duty New Shipper Review of Honey from the 
People's Republic of China: Letter enclosing the Office of Policy list 
of economically comparable countries and schedule for comments on 
surrogate country, and see also May 21, 2007, Letter to ``All 
Interested Parties'' from Christopher D. Riker, Program Manager, 
regarding Antidumping Duty Administrative Review of Honey from the 
People's Republic of China: Letter enclosing the Office of Policy list 
of economically comparable countries and schedule for comments on 
surrogate country (collectively, ``Surrogate Country Letters'').
    On July 31, 2007, the Department also published an extension of the 
time limits to complete the preliminary results. See Honey From the 
People's Republic of China: Extension of Preliminary Results of 
Antidumping Duty Administrative Review and Antidumping Duty New Shipper 
Review, 72 FR 41710 (July 31, 2007).
    On August 15, 2007, the Department received notification from IMA 
that it intended to withdraw its request for a review in the 
administrative review. See August 15, 2007, letter to the U.S. 
Department of Commerce, from IMA, regarding Honey from the People's 
Republic of China. On October 18, 2007, the Department received 
notification from QMD, stating that it would not participate in the 
Department's scheduled verification of its questionnaire responses in 
Qinhuangdao, Hebei China. See October 18, 2007, letter to the U.S. 
Department of Commerce, from Qinghuangdao Municipal Dafeng Industrial 
Co., Ltd., regarding: Honey from the People's Republic of China. See 
infra for further discussion.

Questionnaires

    On February 5, 2007, the Department issued an antidumping duty 
questionnaire to QHD Sanhai in the new shipper review (``NSR original 
questionnaire''). On March 19, 2007, the Department received QHD 
Sanhai's section A response to the Department's NSR original 
questionnaire. On March 30, 2007, the Department issued a supplemental 
section A questionnaire. On April 11, 2007, the Department received QHD 
Sanhai's section C and D response to the Department's NSR original 
questionnaire. On April 13, 2007, the Department received QHD Sanhai's 
section A response to the Department's supplemental questionnaire. On 
May 18, 2007, the Department issued a second supplemental questionnaire 
to QHD Sanhai. On June 15, 2007, the Department received QHD Sanhai's 
response to section A, C, and D of the Department's second supplemental 
questionnaire. On July 26, 2007, the Department issued an additional 
supplemental questionnaire to QHD Sanhai. On August 20, 2007, the 
Department received QHD Sanhai's supplemental questionnaire responses.

[[Page 2892]]

    On April 17, 2007, the Department issued an antidumping duty 
questionnaire to IMA and QMD in the administrative review. On May 7, 
2007, the Department received IMA and QMD's responses to section A of 
the Department's original questionnaire. On June 7, 2007, the 
Department received IMA and QMD's timely responses to section C and D 
of the Department's original questionnaire. On July 19, 2007, the 
Department issued a supplemental questionnaire to QMD. On July 31, 
2007, the Department issued a supplemental questionnaire to IMA. 
However, IMA did not respond to the Department's supplemental 
questionnaire. On August 21, 2007, the Department issued a letter to 
IMA, requesting that it respond to the Department's outstanding 
supplemental questionnaire; furthermore, the Department extended the 
deadline for IMA to reply to the supplemental questionnaire. See August 
21, 2007, letter to IMA, from Catherine Bertrand, Acting Program 
Manager, regarding the 2005/2006 Administrative Review of Honey from 
the People's Republic of China. Subsequently, the Department received 
no further correspondence from IMA. On August 14, 2007, the Department 
received a timely submission of QMD's response to the Department's 
supplemental questionnaire.

Non-Market Economy Country

    In every case conducted by the Department involving the PRC, the 
PRC has been treated as a non-market economy (``NME'') country. See, 
e.g., Honey from the People's Republic of China: Final Results and 
Final Rescission, in Part, of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 
71 FR 34893 (June 16, 2006), and the Fourth Honey AR Final Results, 72 
FR 37715 (July 11, 2007). Pursuant to section 771(18)(C)(i) of the Act, 
any determination that a foreign country is a NME country shall remain 
in effect until revoked by the administering authority. See, e.g., 
Freshwater Crawfish Tail Meat from the People's Republic of China: 
Notice of Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 71 
FR 7013 (February 10, 2006); and Carbazole Violet Pigment 23 from the 
People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty 
Administrative Review and Rescission in Part, 71 FR 65073, 65074 
(November 7, 2006) unchanged in Carbazole Violet Pigment 23 from the 
People's Republic of China: Final Results of Antidumping Duty 
Administrative Review, 72 FR 26589 (May 10, 2007). None of the parties 
to this proceeding have contested such treatment. Accordingly, we 
calculated NV in accordance with section 773(c) of the Act, which 
applies to NME countries.

Surrogate Country and Factors

    Section 773(c)(4) of the Act requires the Department to value an 
NME producer's factors of production, to the extent possible, in one or 
more market-economy countries that (1) are at a level of economic 
development comparable to that of the NME country, and (2) are 
significant producers of comparable merchandise. India is among the 
countries comparable to the PRC in terms of overall economic 
development. See Memorandum to Christopher D. Riker, Program Manager, 
AC/CVD Operations, Office 9, from Ron Lorentzen, Director, Office of 
Policy, regarding the Antidumping Duty Administrative Review of Honey 
from the People's Republic of China (PRC): Request for a List of 
Surrogate Countries (April 2, 2007); and Memorandum to Christopher D. 
Riker, Program Manager, from Ron Lorentzen, Director, Office of Policy, 
regarding the New Shipper Review of Honey from the People's Republic of 
China (PRC): Request for a List of Surrogate Countries (April 2, 2007) 
(``Surrogate Country Letters''). In addition, based on publicly 
available information placed on the record (e.g., production data), 
India is a significant producer of the subject merchandise. See 
Memorandum to The File, through James C. Doyle, Director, AD/CVD 
Operations, Office 9, Import Administration, and Scot T. Fullerton, 
Program Manager, AD/CVD Operations, Office 9, from Michael J. Quigley, 
Case Analyst, AD/CVD Operations, Office 9, regarding Antidumping Duty 
Administrative and New Shipper Reviews of Honey from the People's 
Republic of China: Selection of a Surrogate Country (December 17, 
2007). Accordingly, we have selected India as the primary surrogate 
country for purposes of valuing the factors of production because it 
meets the Department's criteria for surrogate-country selection. See 
id.
    On May 21, 2007, the Department provided parties with an 
opportunity to submit publicly available information on surrogate 
countries and values for consideration in these preliminary results in 
the administrative and new shipper reviews. See Antidumping Duty New 
Shipper Review of Honey from the People's Republic of China: Letter 
enclosing the Office of Policy list of economically comparable 
countries and schedule for comments on surrogate country, dated May 21, 
2007.
    On October 17, 2007, QHD Sanhai submitted comments on surrogate 
information for the record of the new shipper review (see letter to the 
U.S. Department of Commerce, Regarding: QHD Sanhai Regarding the First 
Surrogate Value Submission in the New Shipper Review of Honey from the 
People's Republic of China (October 17, 2007)). On October 19, 2007, 
petitioners submitted their comments on surrogate information for the 
record of the new shipper and administrative review (see letter to the 
U.S. Department of Commerce, Regarding: 5th Administrative Review and 
10th New Shipper Review of Honey from the People's Republic of China, 
dated October 17, 2007). On October 29, 2007, the Department received 
rebuttal comments on surrogate information from QHD Sanhai and Zhejiang 
Native (see October 29, 2007, letters to the U.S. Department of 
Commerce, from: Zhejiang Native, Regarding: Rebuttal to Petitioners' 
Surrogate Value Submission for the Fifth Antidumping Review of Honey 
from the People's Republic of China (A-570-863); and QHD Sanhai, 
Regarding: Rebuttal to Petitioners' Surrogate Value Submission for the 
New Shipper Review of Honey from the People's Republic of China). On 
November 6, 2007, QHD Sanhai and Zhejiang Native submitted additional 
comments on surrogate information to value factors of production in 
both the administrative and new shipper reviews.

Preliminary Partial Rescission of 2005/2006 Administrative Review

    Mgl Yun Sheng Honey Co., Ltd.\4\; Inner Mongolia Youth Trade 
Development Co., Ltd.; and Shanghai Bloom International Trading Co., 
Ltd., certified that they did not export honey from China to the United 
States during the POR. To corroborate these certifications, the 
Department reviewed PRC honey shipment data maintained by CBP, and 
found no discrepancies with the statements made by these companies. 
Moreover, the Department also requested that CBP forward any 
information regarding entries of honey from these companies during the 
POR and received no reply.
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    \4\ See August 13, 2007, Memorandum to the File, from Catherine 
Bertrand, Senior International Trade Analyst, regarding: 
Administrative Review on Honey from the People's Republic of China 
for the period December 1, 2005 through November 30, 2006; and 
August 15, 2007, Memorandum to the File, from Catherine Bertrand, 
Senior International Trade Analyst, regarding: Administrative Review 
on Honey from the People's Republic of China for the period December 
1, 2005 through November 30, 2006.

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[[Page 2893]]

    Therefore, for the reasons noted above, we are preliminarily 
rescinding the administrative review with respect to Inner Mongolia 
Youth Trade Development Co., Ltd.; Mgl Yung Sheng Honey Co., Ltd.; and 
Shanghai Bloom International Trading Co., Ltd., because the Department 
was unable to reach the companies, or the company reported that it did 
not make shipments of subject merchandise during the POR, and the 
Department found no information to indicate otherwise.\5\
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    \5\ The Department requested shipment information for Shanghai 
Bloom International Trading Co., Ltd. solely for the period July 1, 
2006, through November 30, 2006. The Department had previously 
reviewed Shanghai Bloom International Trading Co., Ltd. as a new 
shipper for the period December 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006. See 
Honey from the People's Republic of China: Final Results of 
Antidumping Duty New Shipper Review, 72 FR 67702, November 30, 2007.
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Separate Rates

Administrative Review

    Based on timely requests from individual exporters and petitioners, 
the Department originally initiated this review with respect to 31 
companies in the administrative review. Subsequently, petitioners 
withdrew their review request for certain of these companies and thus 
the Department rescinded the review with respect to 22 companies. Of 
the nine companies remaining in the review, only four companies 
provided Q&V data and claimed shipments. Those four companies (Dongtai 
Peak Honey Industry Co., Ltd., Inner Mongolia Altin Bee-Keeping, 
Qinhuangdao Municipal Dafeng Industrial Co., Ltd., and Zhejiang Native 
Produce & Animal By-Products I/E Group Corporation) comprised the pool 
of companies considered in the selection of respondents for this 
review. However, due to its limited resources, the Department was 
unable to examine all companies for which a review request was made. 
Therefore, as previously stated, the Department selected two producers/
exporters as mandatory respondents: QMD and IMA. Two additional 
companies, Zhejiang Native and Dongtai Peak, submitted timely 
information as requested by the Department and remain subject to review 
as cooperative separate rate respondents.
    Ultimately, both QMD and IMA ceased participating in the 
administrative review, and both Wuhu Qinshi and Jiangsu Light did not 
respond to the Department's multiple requests for information. 
Therefore, for these preliminary results, the Department finds that 
these four entities are not entitled to a separate rate and thus are 
considered part of the PRC-wide entity, which is preliminarily assigned 
an adverse facts available (``AFA'') rate of 221.02 percent, as further 
discussed below.
    The Department must also assign a rate to the remaining two 
cooperative separate rate respondents not selected for individual 
examination. We note that the statute and the Department's regulations 
do not directly address the establishment of a rate to be applied to 
individual companies not selected for examination where the Department 
limited its examination in an administrative review pursuant to section 
777(A)(c)(2) of the Act. The Department's practice in this regard, in 
cases involving limited selection based on exporters accounting for the 
largest volumes of trade, has been to weight-average the rates for the 
selected companies excluding zero and de minimis rates and rates based 
entirely on adverse facts available. In the instant administrative 
review, however, the rate for the mandatory respondents is the rate for 
the PRC-wide entity based on total AFA.
    While the statute does not specifically address this particular set 
of circumstances, section 735(c)(5)(B) of the Act does specify the 
methodology to be followed when a similar fact pattern arises in the 
context of the all-others rate established in an investigation. While 
not entirely analogous to the determination of a rate to be applied to 
responsive separate rate respondents in the context of a NME review, we 
find it to be instructive in these circumstances.
    Section 735(c)(5)(B) of the Act states that in situations where the 
estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for all 
exporters and producers individually investigated are zero or de 
minimis, or are determined entirely under section 776 (facts available 
section), ``the administering authority may use any reasonable method 
to establish the estimated all-others rate for exporters and producers 
not individually investigated, including averaging the weighted-average 
dumping margins determined for the exporters and producers individually 
investigated.''
    The SAA states that in using any reasonable method to calculate the 
all-others rate, ``the expected method in such cases will be to weight-
average the zero and de minimis margins and margins determined pursuant 
to the facts available, provided that volume data is available.'' See 
SAA at 203. However, the SAA also provides that: [If] this method is 
not feasible, or if it results in an average that would not be 
reasonably reflective of potential dumping margins for non-investigated 
exporters or producers, Commerce may use other reasonable means.'' Id.
    In the instant administrative review, the Department preliminarily 
concludes that it cannot accurately determine a margin based on 
information provided by the separate rate entities. Furthermore, we 
preliminarily find that we cannot employ alternative methods such as 
applying AFA, de minimis and zero rates, or partial use of the 
information on the record. Specifically, while the separate rates 
entities have given us total volume and value information with respect 
to subject merchandise, we note that processed honey prices vary 
dramatically depending on the quality and packaging of the honey. 
Margins calculated on the basis of average prices without regard to 
quality and other factors do not reflect a meaningful, accurate 
comparison, and therefore we find we must look to other reasonable 
means to determine an appropriate margin for the separate rate entities 
subject to this review. In the case of Zhejiang Native and Dongtai 
Peak, we received voluntary questionnaire responses, but we have not 
examined these submissions because of the Department's resource 
constraints and its decision to review only two exporters.
    The Department has therefore preliminarily determined to assign 
Zhejiang Native and Dongtai Peak the separate rate margin calculated in 
the most recent segment of Honey from the People's Republic of China in 
which a separate margin was calculated. 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) (``Honey Investigation''). The rate of 45.46 percent 
calculated in the LTFV investigation was based on the Department's 
thorough examination of cooperative companies during the period of 
investigation. Therefore, we find it a reasonable means by which to 
determine a rate for non-examined cooperative separate entities and 
have employed this methodology for purposes of these preliminary 
results. Given that the most recent rate calculated in the antidumping 
duty order on honey from the PRC for unexamined separate rate companies 
is from the LTFV investigation, we invite comments on the selection of 
this rate for purposes of the final results.

[[Page 2894]]

Separate Rates

New Shipper Review

    With respect to the new shipper review for QHD Sanhai, QHD Sanhai 
has asserted the following: (1) It is a privately owned company; (2) 
there is no government participation in its setting of export prices; 
(3) its executive director has the authority to sign binding sales 
contracts; (4) the company's executive director appoints the company's 
management and it does not have to notify government authorities of its 
management selection; (5) there are no restrictions on the use of its 
export revenue; and (6) its executive director decides how profits will 
be used.
    In support of its claim that QHD Sanhai independently set its sales 
prices, QHD Sanhai stated that sales negotiations were conducted 
primarily through e-mails; QHD Sanhai placed copies on the record of 
its e-mail correspondence and price negotiation between itself and its 
U.S. customer during the POR.\6\ Furthermore, QHD Sanhai company 
officials stated that the sales price and quantity are finalized when 
the sales invoice is issued.
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    \6\ See, e.g., QHD Sanhai's Section A response at Exhibit A-5; 
and the QHD Verification Report at Exhibit 8 & 12.
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    At the verification of QHD Sanhai, prior to presenting the 
documentation to Chinese Customs, the Department found that the 
company's sales invoices required a ``pre-review stamp'' from the 
Chinese Chamber of Commerce for Commerce for Import and Export of 
Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products (``the Chamber''). 
See QHD Sanhai Verification Report at Exhibit 8. Additionally, company 
officials provided documentation of all products that require the 
``pre-review stamp'' from various sub-chambers of the Chinese Chamber 
of Commerce. QHD Sanhai explained that obtaining a ``pre-review stamp'' 
from the Chamber is an administrative formality, and it has no 
authority over QHD Sanhai's ability to negotiate or set prices. See QHD 
Sanhai Verification Report at Section III(A)(5) and Exhibit 8.
    The Department successfully verified that QHD Sanhai is a privately 
owned company; independently negotiated and set prices; independently 
selected management; and that QHD Sanhai had authority to determine the 
use of sales revenue (see QHD Sanhai Verification Report at Section 
III(A) and (B) and at exhibit 8 & 12). Moreover, the Department found 
no indications of restrictions on the use of export revenue (id.). QHD 
Sanhai supplied sales negotiation documentation including a purchase 
order, sales contract, and sales invoices between it and unaffiliated 
third party customers, demonstrating its independent setting of export 
prices. See QHD Sanhai Verification Report at exhibit 12.
    As the evidence on the record indicates an absence of government 
control, both in law and in fact, over QHD Sanhai's export activities, 
we preliminarily determine that it has met the criteria for the 
application of a separate rate. However, we will continue to carefully 
examine these issues for the purposes of the final results.

PRC-Wide Rate and Facts Otherwise Available

    The PRC-wide rate applies to all entries of subject merchandise 
except for entries from PRC producers/exporters that have their own 
calculated rate. See ``Separate Rates'' section above.
    Wuhu Qinshi, Jiangsu Light, IMA, and QMD are appropriately 
considered to be part of the PRC-wide entity because they failed to 
establish their eligibility for a separate rate. Because the PRC-wide 
entity did not provide requested information necessary to the instant 
proceeding, it is necessary that we review the PRC-wide entity. In 
doing so, we note that section 776(a)(1) of the Act mandates that the 
Department use the facts available if necessary information is not 
available on the record of an antidumping proceeding. In addition, 
section 776(a)(2) of the Act provides that if an interested party or 
any other person: (A) Withholds information that has been requested by 
the administering authority; (B) fails to provide such information by 
the deadlines for the submission of the information or in the form and 
manner requested, subject to subsections (c)(1) and (e) of section 782 
of the Act; (C) significantly impedes a proceeding under this title; or 
(D) provides such information but the information cannot be verified as 
provided in section 782(i) of the Act, the Department shall, subject to 
section 782(d) of the Act, use the facts otherwise available in 
reaching the applicable determination under this title. Where the 
Department determines that a response to a request for information does 
not comply with the request, section 782(d) of the Act provides that 
the Department shall promptly inform the party submitting the response 
of the nature of the deficiency and shall, to the extent practicable, 
provide that party with an opportunity to remedy or explain the 
deficiency. Section 782(d) of the Act additionally states that if the 
party submits further information that is unsatisfactory or untimely, 
the administering authority may, subject to subsection (e), disregard 
all or part of the original and subsequent responses. Section 782(e) of 
the Act provides that the Department shall not decline to consider 
information that is submitted by an interested party and is necessary 
to the determination but does not meet all the applicable requirements 
established by the administering authority if: (1) The information is 
submitted by the deadline established for its submission; (2) the 
information can be verified; (3) the information is not so incomplete 
that it cannot serve as a reliable basis for reaching the applicable 
determination; (4) the interested party has demonstrated that it acted 
to the best of its ability in providing the information and meeting the 
requirements established by the administering authority with respect to 
the information; and (5) the information can be used without undue 
difficulties.
    As addressed below separately for each non-responsive company, we 
find that the PRC-wide entity, which includes Wuhu Qinshi, Jiangsu 
Light, IMA, and QMD, did not respond to our request for information and 
that necessary information either was not provided, or the information 
provided could not be verified and is not sufficiently complete to 
enable the Department to use it for these preliminary results. 
Therefore, we find it necessary, under section 776(a)(2) of the Act, to 
use facts otherwise available as the basis for the preliminary results 
of this review for the PRC-wide entity.
1. Wuhu Qinshi
    On March 7, 2007, the Department sent a Q&V questionnaire to Wuhu 
Qinshi. On March 21, 2007, the Department received an e-mail 
correspondence from Mr. William E. Kentor, president of Great Foods, 
Inc., requesting an extension of the deadline to respond to the 
Department's Q&V questionnaire. Mr. Kentor stated in the extension 
request that Mr. Qin Yi Cai, president of Wuhu Qinshi Tangye Co., Ltd., 
would confirm that Wuhu Qinshi never exported honey to the United 
States. On March 21, 2007, the Department granted a partial extension 
of the deadline until March 26, 2007, to respond. However, Wuhu Qinshi 
did not file a certified Q&V response with the Department nor provide 
any further correspondence.
    We note that, although Great Foods, Inc.'s extension request 
indicated that Wuhu Qinshi would confirm that it did not export subject 
merchandise to the

[[Page 2895]]

United States during the POR, the Department did not receive any 
correspondence from Wuhu Qinshi during this POR, and therefore find 
that Wuhu Qinshi is non-responsive in the administrative review. 
Consequently, because Wuhu Qinshi withheld requested information, 
failed to provide information in a timely manner, and thus 
significantly impeded the Department's proceeding, the Department 
preliminarily finds that it did not cooperate to the best of its 
ability. Therefore, pursuant to sections 776(a)(2)(A) and 776(a)(2)(B) 
of the Act, and because Wuhu Qinshi did not respond to the Department's 
Q&V questionnaire, sections 782(d) and (e) of the Act are not 
applicable.
2. Jiangsu Light
    On February 12, 2007, the Department sent a Q&V questionnaire to 
Jiangsu Light; however, the Department did not receive a response from 
Jiangsu Light by the noted deadline. According to the delivery tracking 
information, the delivery of the package was ``refused'' by Jiangsu 
Light. See April 17, 2007, Memorandum to the file, through Christopher 
D. Riker, Program Manager, from Anya Naschak, Senior International 
Trade Analyst, regarding: 2005/2006 Administrative Review of Honey from 
the People's Republic of China: Results of Tracking Information for 
Quantity and Value Questionnaire. On March 6, 2007, petitioners 
provided an alternative address for Jiangsu Light, thus on March 7, 
2007, the Department resent the Q&V questionnaire to the alternative 
address; however, the Department again did not receive a response. 
According to the delivery tracking information, the alternate address 
was undeliverable. On March 21, 2007, the Department again sent the Q&V 
questionnaire to the original address.\7\ Again, the Department did not 
receive a response from Jiangsu Light by the noted deadline. According 
to the delivery tracking information, Jiangsu Light again refused the 
attempted delivery of the Q&V questionnaire. See id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ See March 21, 2007, letter to Jiangsu Light Industry 
Products Imp & Exp (Group) Corp., from Christopher D. Riker, Program 
Manager, regarding 2005/2006 Administrative Review of the 
Antidumping Duty Order on Honey from the People's Republic of China.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Therefore, because the Department twice attempted to deliver, and 
Jiangsu Light twice refused to receive and respond to the Department's 
Q&V questionnaire, the Department preliminarily finds that Jiangsu 
Light withheld requested information, failed to provide information in 
a timely manner, and thus significantly impeded the Department's 
proceeding, and did not cooperate to the best of its ability. 
Therefore, pursuant to sections 776(a)(2)(A), (B), and (C) of the Act, 
and because Jiangsu Light did not respond to the Department's Q&V 
questionnaire, sections 782(d) and (e) of the Act are not applicable.
3. IMA:
    On July 31, 2007, the Department identified deficiencies in IMA's 
questionnaire response and issued a supplemental questionnaire, due by 
August 14, 2007. On August 15, 2007, the Department received 
notification from IMA that it intended to withdraw its request for a 
review in the administrative review. However, as petitioners did file a 
timely request for a review of IMA,\8\ the Department issued a letter 
to IMA on August 21, 2007, notifying it that, irrespective of its 
withdrawal request, the Department would continue to consider IMA a 
mandatory respondent and that it was required to respond to the 
Department's questionnaires; and that if IMA did not participate, the 
Department may be required to base its findings on total AFA for the 
preliminary results.\9\ Furthermore, the Department, of its own 
volition, extended the deadline for IMA to respond to the Department's 
July 31, 2007, supplemental questionnaire until August 28, 2007. 
Subsequently, the Department received no response or further 
correspondence from IMA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ See AR Initiation Notice.
    \9\ See Letter from August 21, 2007, from Catherine E. Bertrand, 
Acting Program Manager, to Inner Mongolia Altin Bee Keeping Co., 
Ltd.; Regarding the 2005/2006 Administrative Review of Honey From 
the People's Republic of China.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Consequently, because IMA did not respond to the Department's 
questionnaire, request an extension of the deadline to respond, or 
otherwise correspond with the Department, the Department preliminarily 
finds that IMA withheld requested information, failed to provide 
information in a timely manner, and thus significantly impeded the 
Department's proceeding, and did not cooperate to the best of its 
ability.
    Because the Department finds that IMA did not cooperate, pursuant 
to sections 776(a)(2)(A), (B), and (C) of the Act, and because IMA did 
not respond to the Department's Q&V questionnaire, sections 782(d) and 
(e) of the Act are not applicable.
4. QMD
    On October 18, 2007, having finalized verification dates, the 
Department received a notification from QMD stating that QMD would not 
participate in the scheduled verification, and QMD provided no 
alternative verification dates. See October 18, 2007, letter to the 
U.S. Department of Commerce, from Qinghuangdao Municipal Dafeng 
Industrial Co., Ltd., regarding: Honey from the People's Republic of 
China.
    Because QMD did not allow verification of its questionnaire 
response, the company denied the Department an opportunity to verify 
the completeness and accuracy of any of its sales and production 
records. Because QMD denied the Department the opportunity to verify 
its questionnaire responses, the Department has preliminarily 
determined that QMD significantly impeded the Department's proceeding 
by providing information that could not be verified, and thus QMD has 
not cooperated to the best of its ability. Therefore, pursuant to 
sections 776(a)(2)(A), (B), and (C) of the Act, the Department 
preliminarily finds that the application of facts available is 
appropriate for these preliminary results.
    Pursuant to section 776(b) of the Act, we find that the PRC-wide 
entity, which includes Wuhu Qinshi, Jiangsu Light, IMA, and QMD, failed 
to cooperate by not acting to the best of its ability. As noted above, 
the PRC-wide entity informed the Department that it would not 
participate in this review, or otherwise did not provide the requested 
information, despite repeated requests that it do so. This information 
was in the sole possession of the respondents, and could not be 
obtained otherwise. Thus, because the PRC-wide entity refused to 
participate fully in this proceeding, we find it appropriate to use an 
inference that is adverse to the interests of the PRC-wide entity in 
selecting from among the facts otherwise available. By doing so, we 
ensure that the companies that are part of the PRC-wide entity will not 
obtain a more favorable result by failing to cooperate than had they 
cooperated fully in this review.

Selection of AFA Rate

    In deciding which facts to use as AFA, section 776(b) of the Act 
and 19 CFR 351.308(c)(1) authorize the Department to rely on 
information derived from (1) the petition, (2) a final determination in 
the investigation, (3) any previous review or determination, or (4) any 
information placed on the record. In reviews, the Department normally 
selects, as AFA, the highest rate on the record of any segment of the 
proceeding. See, e.g., Freshwater Crawfish Tail Meat from the People's 
Republic of China: Notice of Final Results of Antidumping Duty

[[Page 2896]]

Administrative Review, 68 FR 19504, 19506 (April 21, 2003). The Court 
of International Trade (``CIT'') and the Federal Circuit have 
consistently upheld the Department's practice in this regard. See Rhone 
Poulenc, Inc. v. United States, 899 F.2d 1185, 1190 (Fed. Circ. 1990) 
(``Rhone Poulenc''); NSK Ltd. v. United States, 346 F. Supp. 2d 1312, 
1335 (CIT 2004) (upholding a 73.55 percent total AFA rate, the highest 
available dumping margin from a different respondent in a LTFV 
investigation); see also Kompass Food Trading Int'l v. United States, 
24 CIT 678, 689 (2000) (upholding a 51.16 percent total AFA rate, the 
highest available dumping margin from a different, fully cooperative 
respondent); and Shanghai Taoen International Trading Co., Ltd. v. 
United States, 360 F. Supp 2d 1339, 1348 (CIT 2005) (upholding a 223.01 
percent total AFA rate, the highest available dumping margin from a 
different respondent in a previous administrative review).
    The Department's practice when selecting an adverse rate from among 
the possible sources of information is to ensure that the margin is 
sufficiently adverse ``as to effectuate the purpose of the facts 
available role to induce respondents to provide the Department with 
complete and accurate information in a timely manner.'' See Static 
Random Access Memory Semiconductors from Taiwan; Final Determination of 
Sales at Less than Fair Value, 63 FR 8909, 8932 (February 23, 1998). 
The Department's practice also ensures ``that the party does not obtain 
a more favorable result by failing to cooperate than if it had 
cooperated fully.'' See SAA at 870; see also Final Determination of 
Sales at Less than Fair Value: Certain Frozen and Canned Warmwater 
Shrimp from Brazil, 69 FR 76910, 76912 (December 23, 2004); D&L Supply 
Co. v. United States, 113 F.3d 1220, 1223 (Fed. Cir. 1997). In choosing 
the appropriate balance between providing respondents with an incentive 
to respond accurately and imposing a rate that is reasonably related to 
the respondent's prior commercial activity, selecting the highest prior 
margin ``reflects a common sense inference that the highest prior 
margin is the most probative evidence of current margins, because, if 
it were not so, the importer, knowing of the rule, would have produced 
current information showing the margin to be less.'' Rhone Poulenc, 899 
F.2d at 1190. Consistent with the statute, court precedent, and its 
normal practice, the Department has assigned the rate of 221.02 
percent, the highest rate on the record of any segment of the 
proceeding, to the PRC-wide entity, which includes Wuhu Qinshi, Jiangsu 
Light, QMD, and IMA as AFA. See, e.g., Honey from the People's Republic 
of China: Final Results and Final Rescission, In Part, of Antidumping 
Duty Administrative Review, 72 FR 37715, 37717 (July 11, 2007) 
(``Fourth Honey AR Final Results''). As discussed further below, this 
rate has been corroborated.

Corroboration of Secondary Information Used as AFA

    Section 776(c) of the Act provides that, where the Department 
selects from among the facts otherwise available and relies on 
``secondary information,'' the Department shall, to the extent 
practicable, corroborate that information from independent sources 
reasonably at the Department's disposal. Secondary information is 
described in the SAA as ``[i]nformation derived from the petition that 
gave rise to the investigation or review, the final determination 
concerning the subject merchandise, or any previous review under 
section 751 concerning the subject merchandise.'' See SAA at 870. The 
SAA states that ``corroborate'' means to determine that the information 
used has probative value. The Department has determined that to have 
probative value information must be reliable and relevant. See Tapered 
Roller Bearings and Parts Thereof, Finished and Unfinished from Japan, 
and Tapered Roller Bearings Four Inches or Less in Outside Diameter, 
and Components Thereof, from Japan: Preliminary Results of Antidumping 
Duty Administrative Reviews and Partial Termination of Administrative 
Reviews, 61 FR 57391, 57392 (November 6, 1996), unchanged in Tapered 
Roller Bearings and Parts Thereof, Finished and Unfinished, From Japan, 
and Tapered Roller Bearings, Four Inches or Less in Outside Diameter, 
and Components Thereof, From Japan; Final Results of Antidumping Duty 
Administrative Reviews and Termination in Part, 62 FR 11825 (March 13, 
1997). The SAA also states that independent sources used to corroborate 
such evidence may include, for example, published price lists, official 
import statistics and customs data, and information obtained from 
interested parties during the particular investigation. See Preliminary 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: High and Ultra-High 
Voltage Ceramic Station Post Insulators from Japan, 68 FR 35627 (June 
16, 2003) unchanged in Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less 
Than Fair Value: High and Ultra-High Voltage Ceramic Station Post 
Insulators from Japan, 68 FR 62560 (November 5, 2003); and, Final 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: Live Swine From Canada, 
70 FR 12181, 12183 (March 11, 2005).
    To be considered corroborated, information must be found to be both 
reliable and relevant. Unlike other types of information, such as input 
costs or selling expenses, there are no independent sources for 
calculated dumping margins. The only sources for calculated margins are 
administrative determinations. The AFA rate we are applying for the 
current review was calculated during the immediately preceding, fourth 
administrative review of honey from the PRC. See Fourth Honey AR Final 
Results. Furthermore, no information has been presented in the current 
review that calls into question the reliability of this information. 
Thus, the Department finds that the information is reliable.
    With respect to the relevance aspect of corroboration, the 
Department will consider information reasonably at its disposal to 
determine whether a margin continues to have relevance. Where 
circumstances indicate that the selected margin is not appropriate as 
adverse facts available, the Department will disregard the margin and 
determine an appropriate margin. See, e.g., Fresh Cut Flowers from 
Mexico: Final Results of Antidumping Administrative Review, 61 FR 6812, 
6814 (February 22, 1996). Similarly, the Department does not apply a 
margin that has been discredited. See D & L Supply Co. v. United 
States, 113 F.3d 1220, 1221 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (the Department will not 
use a margin that has been judicially invalidated). The AFA rate we are 
applying for the current review was corroborated in the proceeding that 
immediately precedes the current POR, the fourth administrative review 
of honey from the PRC. See Fourth Honey AR Final Results. Moreover, as 
there is no information on the record of this review that demonstrates 
that this rate is not appropriately used as adverse facts available, we 
determine that this rate has relevance.
    As the Fourth Honey AR Final Results margin is both reliable and 
relevant, we find that it has probative value. As a result, the 
Department determines that the Fourth Honey AR Final Results margin is 
corroborated for the purposes of this administrative review and may 
reasonably be applied to the PRC wide entity, which includes Wuhu 
Qinshi, Jiangsu Light, QMD, and IMA. Because these are the preliminary 
results of the review, the Department will consider all margins on the 
record at the time of the final results of review for the purpose of 
determining the most appropriate final

[[Page 2897]]

margin for Wuhu Qinshi, Jiangsu Light, QMD, and IMA. See Preliminary 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: Solid Fertilizer Grade 
Ammonium Nitrate From the Russian Federation, 65 FR 1139 (January 7, 
2000) unchanged in Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than 
Fair Value; Solid Fertilizer Grade Ammonium Nitrate from the Russian 
Federation, 65 FR 42669 (July 11, 2000).

Bona Fide Sale Analysis--QHD Sanhai

    For the reasons stated below, we preliminarily find that QHD 
Sanhai's reported U.S. sale during the POR to be bona fide based on the 
totality of the facts on the record. Specifically, we find that: (1) 
The price and quantity of QHD Sanhai's sale are indicative of its 
normal business practices, as the U.S. sales price and quantity was 
within the range of its sales price and quantity to POR and post-POR 
customers; (2) QHD Sanhai's sale was made to an unaffiliated party at 
arm's length; and (3) there is no record evidence that indicates that 
QHD Sanhai's sale was not based on commercial principles. While the 
quantity of QHD Sanhai's sale was small compared to other entries of 
subject merchandise from the PRC into the United States during the POR, 
absent other factors, single sales of small quantities are not 
inherently commercially unreasonable. See Memorandum to James C. Doyle, 
Director, AD/CVD Operations, Office 9, Import Administration, through 
Scot T. Fullerton, Program Manager, AD/CVD Operations, Office 9, from 
Michael Quigley, Senior International Trade Analyst, AD/CVD Operations, 
Office 9, regarding 2004/2005 Antidumping Duty New Shipper Review of 
the Antidumping Duty Order on Honey from the People's Republic of 
China: Bona Fide Analysis of the Sale Reported by QHD Sanhai Co., Ltd. 
(December 17, 2007).

Verification

    As provided in section 782(i)(3) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.307(b)(iv), from November 5, through November 7, 2007, the 
Department verified the questionnaire responses of QHD Sanhai for the 
new shipper review. For QHD Sanhai, the Department used standard 
verification procedures, including on-site inspection of the 
manufacturer's and exporter's facilities, and examination of relevant 
sales and financial records. Our verification results are outlined in 
the verification report for each company. For a further discussion, see 
Memorandum to the File, through Scot T. Fullerton, Program Manager, AD/
CVD Operations, Office 9, from Bobby Wong, International Trade 
Compliance Analyst, and Erin Begnal, Senior International Trade 
Compliance Analyst, regarding Verification of the Questionnaire 
Responses of QHD Sanhai Co., Ltd., in the Antidumping New Shipper 
Review of Honey from the People's Republic of China (``QHD Verification 
Report'').

Scope of Order

    The products covered by this order are natural honey, artificial 
honey containing more than 50 percent natural honey by weight, 
preparations of natural honey containing more than 50 percent natural 
honey by weight, and flavored honey. The subject merchandise includes 
all grades and colors of honey whether in liquid, creamed, comb, cut 
comb, or chunk form, and whether packaged for retail or in bulk form.
    The merchandise subject to this order is currently classifiable 
under subheadings 0409.00.00, 1702.90.90, and 2106.90.99 of the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Although the 
HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, 
the Department's written description of the merchandise under order is 
dispositive.

Fair Value Comparisons

    In the new shipper review, to determine whether QHD Sanhai's sale 
to the United States was made at less than fair value, we compared the 
export price (``EP'') to normal value (``NV''), as described in the 
``U.S. Price,'' and ``Normal Value'' sections of this notice. We 
compared NV to weighted-average EPs in accordance with section 
777A(d)(1) of the Act.

U.S. Price-Export Price

    For QHD Sanhai, we based U.S. price on EP in accordance with 
section 772(a) of the Act, because the first sale to an unaffiliated 
purchaser was made prior to importation, and constructed export price 
(``CEP'') was not otherwise warranted by the facts on the record. We 
calculated EP based on the packed price from the exporter to the first 
unaffiliated customer in the United States. Where applicable, we 
deducted foreign movement expenses, foreign brokerage and handling 
expenses, and international freight expenses from the starting price 
(gross unit price), in accordance with section 772(c) of the Act.
    Where foreign movement was provided by PRC service providers or 
paid for in Renminbi (``RMB''), we valued these services using 
surrogate values (see ``Factors of Production'' section below for 
further discussion).
    For a complete discussion of the calculation of the U.S. price for 
QHD Sanhai, see Memorandum to the File, through Scot T. Fullerton, 
Program Manager, AD/CVD Operations, Office 9, from Bobby Wong, 
International Trade Compliance Analyst, AD/CVD Operations, Office 9, 
regarding ``Honey From the People's Republic of China--Analysis 
Memorandum for the Preliminary Results of New Shipper Review of QHD 
Sanhai Food Co., Ltd.,'' dated December 17, 2007 (``QHD Sanhai Analysis 
Memorandum'').

Normal Value

    Section 773(c)(1) of the Act provides that the Department shall 
determine the NV using a factors-of-production (``FOP'') methodology if 
the merchandise is exported from an NME and the information does not 
permit the calculation of NV using home-market prices, third-country 
prices, or constructed value under section 773(a) of the Act. The 
Department bases NV on the FOP because the presence of government 
controls on various aspects of non-market economies renders price 
comparisons and the calculation of production costs invalid under the 
Department's normal methodologies.

Factor Valuation Methodology

    In accordance with section 773(c) of the Act, we calculated NV 
based on FOP data reported by QHD Sanhai for the POR. To calculate NV, 
we multiplied the reported per-unit factor-consumption rates by 
publicly available surrogate values (except as discussed below).
    In selecting the surrogate values, we considered the quality, 
specificity, and contemporaneity of the data. As appropriate, we 
adjusted input prices by including freight costs to make them delivered 
prices. Specifically, we added to each Indian import surrogate value, a 
surrogate freight cost calculated from the shorter of the reported 
distance from the domestic supplier to the factory or the distance from 
the nearest seaport to the factory, where appropriate. This adjustment 
is in accordance with the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit's 
decision in Sigma Corp. v. United States, 117 F. 3d 1401, 1407-1408 
(Fed. Cir. 1997). A detailed description of all surrogate values used 
for respondents can be found in the Memorandum to the File, Through 
Scot T. Fullerton, Program Manager, From Michael Quigley, Senior 
International Trade Analyst, regarding, ``Antidumping Duty 
Administrative and New Shipper Review of Honey from the People's 
Republic of China: Selection of Factor Values,'' dated December 17,

[[Page 2898]]

2007 (``Factor Value Memorandum''), and the QHD Sanhai Analysis 
Memorandum.
    For this preliminary determination, in accordance with the 
Department's practice, we used data from the Indian Import Statistics 
in order to calculate surrogate values for QHD Sanhai's material 
inputs. In selecting the best available information for valuing FOP in 
accordance with section 773(c)(1) of the Act, the Department's practice 
is to select, to the extent practicable, surrogate values which are 
non-export average values, most contemporaneous with the POI, product-
specific, and tax-exclusive. See, e.g., Notice of Preliminary 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Negative Preliminary 
Determination of Critical Circumstances and Postponement of Final 
Determination: Certain Frozen and Canned Warmwater Shrimp From the 
Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 69 FR 42672, 42682 (July 16, 2004), 
unchanged in Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: 
Certain Frozen and Canned Warmwater Shrimp from the Socialist Republic 
of Vietnam, 69 FR 71005 (December 8, 2004). The record shows that the 
Indian import statistics represent import data that is contemporaneous 
with the POR, product-specific, and tax-exclusive. Where we could not 
obtain publicly available information contemporaneous to the POR with 
which to value factors, we adjusted the surrogate values, where 
appropriate, using the Indian Wholesale Price Index (``WPI'') as 
published in the International Financial Statistics of the 
International Monetary Fund.
    Furthermore, with regard to the Indian import-based surrogate 
values, we have disregarded import prices that we have reason to 
believe or suspect may be subsidized. We have found in other 
proceedings that Indonesia, South Korea, and Thailand may maintain 
broadly available, non-industry-specific export subsidies and, 
therefore, it is reasonable to infer that all exports to all markets 
from these countries may be subsidized. See, e.g., Amended Final 
Determination of Sales at Less than Fair Value: Automotive Replacement 
Glass Windshields from the People's Republic of China, 67 FR 11670 
(March 15, 2002) and accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum at 
Comment 4; see also Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than 
Fair Value and Negative Final Determination of Critical Circumstances: 
Certain Color Television Receivers From the People's Republic of China, 
69 FR 20594 (April 16, 2004) and accompanying Issues and Decision 
Memorandum at Comment 7 (``CTVs from the PRC''). We are also guided by 
the legislative history not to conduct a formal investigation to ensure 
that such prices are not subsidized. See H.R. Rep. 100-576 (1988) at 
590. Rather, Congress indicated that the Department base its decision 
on information that is available to it at the time it makes its 
determination. Therefore, we have not used prices from these countries 
either in calculating the Indian import-based surrogate values or in 
calculating market-economy input values. In instances where a market-
economy input was obtained solely from suppliers located in these 
countries, we used Indian import-based surrogate values to value the 
input. See Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: 
Certain Automotive Replacement Glass Windshields From The People's 
Republic of China, 67 FR 6482 (February 12, 2002), and accompanying 
Issues and Decision Memorandum at Comment 1.
    For QHD Sanhai, the company reported that it purchased all of its 
inputs consumed in the production of the subject merchandise under 
review from non-market economy suppliers and paid for such inputs in 
RMB. Therefore, the Department used the Indian Import Statistics to 
value all raw material and packing material inputs consumed by QHD 
Sanhai in the production of the subject merchandise during the POR.
    To value unfiltered/unprocessed honey (``raw honey''), the 
Department used the raw honey price \10\ published by the Regional 
Centre for Development Cooperation (``RCDC'') (on its Web site: 
www.banajata.org) for these preliminary results. The Department finds 
that the RCDC raw honey price is reliable, as the organization collects 
its own raw and processed honey price information directly from various 
Indian honey markets. On December 6, 2007, the Department contacted 
RCDC representatives via e-mail and requested information regarding how 
the unprocessed honey price information was collected. Mr. Manoranjan 
Mohanty, an RCDC official in Orissa, India, explained that RCDC's field 
officers collect honey prices from the local markets. See December 17, 
2007, Memorandum to the file, from Michael Quigley, Senior 
International Trade Analyst, regarding RCDC telephone conversation. 
Furthermore, the Department recognizes that RCDC is a non-governmental 
organization, which works to strengthen the community-based management 
of natural resources in Orissa and surrounding states, and maintains 
updated market prices of various non-timber forest products for various 
major markets in India. Additionally, the Department finds that RCDC-
published unprocessed honey prices are more contemporaneous to the 
instant POR than the EDA Rural System Pvt. Ltd., data that the 
Department used in previous segments of the review. However, because 
the unprocessed honey price data published by RCDC are not 
contemporaneous to the POR, we deflated the price to be contemporaneous 
with the instant POR using WPI.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \10\ The honey price published by RCDC can be found at http://www.banajata.org/m/a1.htm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To value electricity, the Department used rates from Key World 
Energy Statistics 2003, published by the International Energy Agency. 
Because these data were not contemporaneous to the POR, we adjusted for 
inflation using WPI.
    Consistent with 19 CFR 351.408(c)(3), we valued direct, indirect, 
and packing labor, using the most recently calculated regression-based 
wage rate, which relies on 2004 data. This wage rate can currently be 
found on the Department's Web site on Import Administration's home 
page, Import Library, Expected Wages of Selected NME Countries, revised 
in January 2007, http://ia.ita.doc.gov/wages/index.html. The source of 
these wage-rate data on the Import Administration's Web site is the 
Yearbook of Labour Statistics 2002, ILO (Geneva: 2002), Chapter 5B: 
Wages in Manufacturing. Because this regression-based wage rate does 
not separate the labor rates into different skill levels or types of 
labor, we have applied the same wage rate to all skill levels and types 
of labor reported by QHD Sanhai.
    To value water, the Department used data from the Maharashtra 
Industrial Development Corporation (http://www.midindia.orgwww.midcindia.org) since it includes a wide range of 
industrial water tariffs. This source provides 386 industrial water 
rates within the Maharashtra province from June 2003: 193 of the water 
rates were for the ``inside industrial areas'' usage category and 193 
of the water rates were for the ``outside industrial areas'' usage 
category. Because the value was not contemporaneous with the POR, we 
adjusted the rate for inflation.
    To value coal, the Department calculated a POR contemporaneous 
value of steam coal by deriving a weighted-average per unit price based 
on the Indian import volume and value as published by Indian Import 
Statistics.
    We used Indian transport information to value the foreign freight-
in costs of the raw materials. The Department determined the best 
available information for valuing truck freight to

[[Page 2899]]

be from www.infreight.com. This source provides daily rates from six 
major points of origin to five destinations in India during the POR. 
The Department obtained a price quote on the first day of each month of 
the POR from each point of origin to each destination and averaged the 
data accordingly. See Factor Value Memorandum. Consistent with the 
calculation of inland truck freight, the Department used the same 
freight distances used in the calculation of inland truck freight, as 
reported by www.infreight.com to derive a value in Rupees per kilogram 
per kilometer.
    To value the cost of brokerage and handling expenses, the 
Department calculated a simple average based on the public version 
responses of two companies, (1) Kejriwal Paper Ltd.'s January 9, 2006, 
submission in the antidumping duty investigation of Lined Paper from 
India (See Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair 
Value, and Negative Determination of Critical Circumstances: Certain 
Lined Paper Products from India, 71 FR 45012 (August 8, 2006) 
(``Kejriwal'')); and (2) Agro Dutch Industries Limited (``Agro 
Dutch''), submitted in the course of 2004/2005 Antidumping Duty 
Investigation of Lined Paper from India and the 2004/2005 {Sixth{time}  
Administrative Review of Certain Preserved Mushrooms from India, 
respectively. The Department derived the average per-unit amount from 
each source and adjusted each average rate for inflation. Finally, the 
Department averaged the average per-unit amounts to derive an overall 
average rate for the POR.
    To value factory overhead; sales, general, and administrative 
expenses (``SG&A''); and profit; we relied upon publicly available 
information in the 2004-2005 annual report of MHPC, a producer of the 
subject merchandise in India. See Factor Value Memorandum.

Currency Conversion

    We made currency conversions into U.S. dollars, in accordance with 
section 773A(a) of the Act, based on the exchange rates in effect on 
the dates of the U.S. sales as certified by the Federal Reserve Bank.

Preliminary Results of Review

    We preliminarily determine that the following margin exists during 
the period December 1, 2005, through November 30, 2006:

                           Honey From the PRC
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Percent
------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Shipper Review Respondent:
     QHD Sanhai....................................          0.0
Administrative Review Separate Rate Respondents:
     Zhejiang Native...............................        45.46
     Dongtai Peak..................................        45.46
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We will disclose our analysis to parties to these proceedings 
within five days of the date of publication of this notice. See 19 CFR 
351.224(b) (2007). Any interested party may request a hearing within 30 
days of publication of this notice.
    Interested parties who wish to request a hearing or to participate 
if one is requested, must submit a written request to the Assistant 
Secretary for Import Administration within 30 days of the date of 
publication of this notice. Requests should contain: (1) The party's 
name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants; 
and (3) a list of issues to be discussed. See 19 CFR 351.310(c).
    Issues raised in the hearing will be limited to those raised in 
case and rebuttal briefs. Case briefs from interested parties may be 
submitted not later than 30 days of the date of publication of this 
notice, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c). Rebuttal briefs, limited to 
issues raised in the case briefs, will be due five days later, pursuant 
to 19 CFR 351.309(d). Parties who submit case or rebuttal briefs in 
this proceeding are requested to submit with each argument (1) a 
statement of the issue and (2) a brief summary of the argument. Parties 
are also encouraged to provide a summary of the arguments not to exceed 
five pages and a table of statutes, regulations, and cases cited.
    The Department will issue the final results of this review, 
including the results of its analysis of issues raised in any such 
written briefs or at the hearing, if held, not later than 120 days 
after the date of publication of this notice.

Assessment Rates

    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.212(b), the Department will determine, and 
CBP shall assess, antidumping duties on all appropriate entries. The 
Department will issue appropriate assessment instructions directly to 
CBP 15 days after publication of the final results of this review. We 
will instruct CBP to assess antidumping duties on all appropriate 
entries covered by this review if any assessment rate calculated in the 
final results of this review is above de minimis. The final results of 
this review shall be the basis for the assessment of antidumping duties 
on entries of merchandise covered by the final results of this review 
and for future deposits of estimated duties, where applicable.

Cash Deposit Requirements

Administrative Review

    The following cash deposit requirements will be effective upon 
publication of the final results of this administrative review for all 
shipments of the subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from 
warehouse, for consumption on or after the publication date, as 
provided for by section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act: (1) The cash deposit 
rate will be established in the final results of this review (except, 
if the rate is zero or de minimis, i.e., less than 0.5 percent, no cash 
deposit will be required for that company); (2) for previously 
investigated or reviewed PRC and non-PRC exporters not listed above 
that have separate rates, the cash deposit rate will continue to be the 
exporter-specific rate published for the most recent period; (3) for 
all PRC exporters of subject merchandise which have not been found to 
be entitled to a separate rate, the cash deposit rate will be the PRC-
wide rate of 221.02 percent; and (4) for all non-PRC exporters of 
subject merchandise which have not received their own rate, the cash 
deposit rate will be the rate applicable to the PRC exporters that 
supplied that non-PRC exporter. These deposit requirements, when 
imposed, shall remain in effect until publication of the final results 
of the next administrative review.

New Shipper Review

    The following cash-deposit requirements will be effective upon 
publication of the final results of this new shipper review for all 
shipments of subject merchandise from QHD Sanhai entered, or withdrawn 
from warehouse, for consumption on or after the publication date, as 
provided by section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act: (1) For subject 
merchandise produced and exported by QHD Sanhai, the cash-deposit rate 
will be de minimis; (2) for subject merchandise exported by QHD Sanhai 
but not manufactured by QHD Sanhai, the cash deposit rate will continue 
to be the PRC-wide rate (i.e., 221.02 percent); and (3) for subject 
merchandise exported by QHD Sanhai, but manufactured by any other 
party, the cash deposit rate will be the PRC-wide rate (i.e., 221.02 
percent).

[[Page 2900]]

Notification to Importers

    This notice serves as a preliminary reminder to importers of their 
responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2) to file a certificate 
regarding the reimbursement of antidumping duties prior to liquidation 
of the relevant entries during this review period. Failure to comply 
with this requirement could result in the Secretary's presumption that 
reimbursement of antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent 
assessment of double antidumping duties.
    This administrative and new shipper review and notice are in 
accordance with sections 751(a)(1), 751(a)(2)(B), and 777(i) of the Act 
and 19 CFR 351.213 and 351.214.

    Dated: December 17, 2007.
David M. Spooner,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-671 Filed 1-15-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P