[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 5 (Monday, January 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 791-793]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00131]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-301-803]


Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts From Colombia: Preliminary 
Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Preliminary 
Negative Critical Circumstances Determination Postponement of Final 
Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines 
that citric acid and certain citrate salts (citric acid) from Colombia 
are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than 
fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is April 1, 2016, 
through March 31, 2017.

DATES: Applicable: January 8, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Moore, AD/CVD Operations, 
Office III, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3692.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 
733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce 
published the notice of initiation of this investigation on June 30, 
2017.\1\ On November 1, 2017, Commerce postponed the preliminary 
determination of this investigation until December 29, 2017.\2\ For a 
complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this 
investigation, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.\3\ A list of 
topics included in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as 
Appendix II to this notice. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a 
public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and 
Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic 
Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at 
https://access.trade.gov, and is available to all parties in the 
Central Records Unit, room B8024 of the main Department of Commerce 
building. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed and electronic versions of the Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum are identical in content.
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    \1\ See Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts from Belgium, 
Colombia, and Thailand: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value 
Investigations, 82 FR 29828 (June 30, 2017) (Initiation Notice) and 
accompanying Initiation Checklist.
    \2\ See Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts from Belgium, 
Colombia, and Thailand: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations 
of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 82 FR 50622 (November 1, 
2017) (Preliminary Postponement Notice).
    \3\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary 
Affirmative Antidumping Duty Determination, Preliminary Affirmative 
Critical Circumstances Determination, and Postponement of Final 
Determination and Extension of Provisional Measures in the Less-
Than-Fair-Value Investigation of Citric Acid and Certain Citrate 
Salts from Colombia'' dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted 
by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).
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Scope of the Investigation

    The products covered by this investigation are citric acid and 
certain citrate salts (citric acid) from Colombia. For a complete 
description of the scope of this investigation, see Appendix I.

Scope Comments

    In accordance with the preamble to Commerce's regulations,\4\ the 
Initiation Notice set aside a period for parties to raise issues 
regarding product coverage (i.e., scope).\5\ Certain interested parties 
commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the 
Initiation Notice. For a summary of the product coverage comments and 
rebuttal responses submitted to the record for this preliminary 
determination, and accompanying discussion and analysis of all comments 
timely received, see the Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum.\6\ 
Commerce did not preliminarily modify the scope language as it appeared 
in the Initiation Notice.
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    \4\ See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, 62 FR 27296, 
27323 (May 19, 1997) (Preamble).
    \5\ See Initiation Notice, 82 FR at 29836.
    \6\ See Memorandum from Erin Begnal, Director, Office III, to 
Gary Taverman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Operations performing the non-exclusive 
functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and 
Compliance, titled ``Scope Comments Decision Memorandum for the 
Preliminary Determinations,'' dated December 1, 2017 (Preliminary 
Scope Comments Decision Memorandum).
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Methodology

    Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with 
section 731 of the Act. Export prices are calculated in accordance with 
section 772(a) of the Act. Normal value (NV) is calculated in 
accordance with section 773 of the Act. For a full description of the 
methodology underlying the preliminary determination, see the 
Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Preliminary Negative Determination of Critical Circumstances

    In accordance with section 733(e) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.206, 
Commerce preliminary determines that critical circumstances do not 
exist for the mandatory respondent, Sucroal S.A. (Sucroal), or for 
exporters and producers not individually examined (i.e., ``all-
others''). For a full description of the methodology and results of 
Commerce's critical circumstances analysis, see the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum.

All-Others Rate

    Sections 733(d)(1)(ii) and 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provide that in 
the preliminary determination Commerce shall determine an estimated 
all-others rate for all exporters and producers not individually 
examined. This rate shall be an amount equal to the weighted average of 
the estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for 
exporters and producers

[[Page 792]]

individually investigated, excluding any zero and de minimis margins, 
and any margins determined entirely under section 776 of the Act.
    Commerce calculated an individual estimated weighted-average 
dumping margin for Sucroal, the only individually examined exporter/
producer in this investigation. Because the only individually 
calculated dumping margin is not zero, de minimis, or based entirely 
under section 776 of the Act, the estimated weighted-average dumping 
margin calculated for Sucroal is the margin assigned to all-other 
producers and exporters, pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act.

Preliminary Determination

    Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated 
weighted-average dumping margins exist:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Estimated
                                                             weighted-
                    Exporter/producer                         average
                                                          dumping margin
                                                             (percent)
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Sucroal S.A.............................................           27.48
All-Others..............................................           27.48
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Suspension of Liquidation

    In accordance with section 733(d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will 
direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation 
of entries of subject merchandise, as described in the scope of the 
investigation section, see Appendix I, entered, or withdrawn from 
warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. Further, pursuant to section 
733(d)(1)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(d), Commerce will instruct 
CBP to require a cash deposit equal to the estimated weighted-average 
dumping margin or the estimated all-others rate, as follows: (1) The 
cash deposit rate for the respondent listed above will be equal to the 
company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margin determined 
in this preliminary determination; (2) if the exporter is not the 
respondent identified above, but the producer is, then the cash deposit 
rate will be equal to the company-specific estimated weighted-average 
dumping margin established for that producer of the subject 
merchandise; and (3) the cash deposit rate for all other producers and 
exporters will be equal to the all-others estimated weighted-average 
dumping margin.

Disclosure

    Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis 
performed to interested parties in this preliminary determination 
within five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public 
announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this 
notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

Verification

    As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to 
verify the information relied upon in making its final determination.

Public Comment

    Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the 
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than seven 
days after the date on which the last verification report is issued in 
this investigation. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in case 
briefs, may be submitted no later than five days after the deadline 
date for case briefs.\7\ Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), 
parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this investigation 
are encouraged to submit with each argument: (1) A statement of the 
issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of 
authorities.
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    \7\ See 19 CFR 351.309; see also 19 CFR 351.303 (for general 
filing requirements).
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    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to 
request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal 
briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, within 30 days 
after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain 
the party's name, address, and telephone number, the number of 
participants, whether any participant is a foreign national, and a list 
of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is made, 
Commerce intends to hold the hearing at the U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230, at a time 
and date to be determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the 
date, time, and location of the hearing two days before the scheduled 
date.

Postponement of Final Determination and Extension of Provisional 
Measures

    Section 735(a)(2) of the Act provides that a final determination 
may be postponed until not later than 135 days after the date of the 
publication of the preliminary determination if, in the event of an 
affirmative preliminary determination, a request for such postponement 
is made by exporters who account for a significant proportion of 
exports of the subject merchandise, or in the event of a negative 
preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is made by 
the petitioners. Section 351.210(e)(2) of Commerce's regulations 
requires that a request by exporters for postponement of the final 
determination be accompanied by a request for extension of provisional 
measures from a four-month period to a period not more than six months 
in duration.
    On November 29, 2017, the petitioners, Archer Daniels Midland 
Company, Cargill, Incorporated, and Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas 
LLC, requested that, if the preliminary determination in this 
investigation was negative, Commerce postpone the final determination 
pursuant to 19 CFR 351.210(b)(2)(i).\8\ On December 12, 2017, Sucroal 
requested that, if the preliminary determination in this investigation 
was affirmative, Commerce postpone the final determination pursuant to 
19 CFR 351.210(b)(2)(ii) and that provisional measures be extended not 
to exceed six months pursuant to 19 CFR 351.210(e).\9\
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    \8\ See Petitioners' Letter, ``Antidumping Duty Investigation of 
Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts from Colombia: Petitioners' 
Request for Postponement of Final Determination,'' dated November 
29, 2017.
    \9\ See Sucroal's Letter, ``Antidumping Duty Investigation of 
Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts from Colombia: Respondent's 
Request for Postponement of Final Determination,'' dated December 
12, 2017.
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    In accordance with section 735(a)(2)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.210(b)(2)(ii), because: (1) The preliminary determination is 
affirmative; (2) the requesting exporter accounts for a significant 
proportion of exports of the subject merchandise; and (3) no compelling 
reasons for denial exist, Commerce is postponing the final 
determination and extending the provisional measures from a four-month 
period to a six-month period. Accordingly, Commerce will make its final 
determination no later than 135 days after the date of publication of 
this preliminary determination.

International Trade Commission Notification

    In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify 
the International Trade Commission (ITC) of its preliminary 
determination. If the final determination is affirmative, the ITC will 
determine before the later of 120 days after the date of this 
preliminary determination or 45 days after the final determination 
whether these imports are materially injuring, or threaten material 
injury to, the U.S. industry.

[[Page 793]]

Notification to Interested Parties

    This determination is issued and published in accordance with 
sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(c).

    Dated: December 29, 2017.
Christian Marsh,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

    The merchandise covered by this investigation includes all 
grades and granulation sizes of citric acid, sodium citrate, and 
potassium citrate in their unblended forms, whether dry or in 
solution, and regardless of packaging type. The scope also includes 
blends of citric acid, sodium citrate, and potassium citrate; as 
well as blends with other ingredients, such as sugar, where the 
unblended form(s) of citric acid, sodium citrate, and potassium 
citrate constitute 40 percent or more, by weight, of the blend.
    The scope also includes all forms of crude calcium citrate, 
including dicalcium citrate monohydrate, and tricalcium citrate 
tetrahydrate, which are intermediate products in the production of 
citric acid, sodium citrate, and potassium citrate.
    The scope includes the hydrous and anhydrous forms of citric 
acid, the dihydrate and anhydrous forms of sodium citrate, otherwise 
known as citric acid sodium salt, and the monohydrate and 
monopotassium forms of potassium citrate. Sodium citrate also 
includes both trisodium citrate and monosodium citrate which are 
also known as citric acid trisodium salt and citric acid monosodium 
salt, respectively.
    The scope does not include calcium citrate that satisfies the 
standards set forth in the United States Pharmacopeia and has been 
mixed with a functional excipient, such as dextrose or starch, where 
the excipient constitutes at least 2 percent, by weight, of the 
product.
    Citric acid and sodium citrate are classifiable under 
2918.14.0000 and 2918.15.1000 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of 
the United States (HTSUS), respectively. Potassium citrate and crude 
calcium citrate are classifiable under 2918.15.5000 and, if included 
in a mixture or blend, 3824.99.9295 of the HTSUS. Blends that 
include citric acid, sodium citrate, and potassium citrate are 
classifiable under 3824.99.9295 of the HTSUS. Although the HTSUS 
subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the 
written description of the merchandise is dispositive.

Appendix II

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Period of Investigation
IV. Postponement of Final Determination and Extension of Provisional 
Measures
V. Scope Comments
VI. Scope of the Investigation
VII. Preliminary Negative Determination of Critical Circumstances
VIII. Discussion of the Methodology
    A. Determination of the Comparison Method
    B. Results of the Differential Pricing Analysis
IX. Date of Sale
X. Product Comparisons
XI. Export Price and Constructed Export Price
XII. Normal Value
    A. Comparison Market Viability
    B. Level of Trade
    C. Cost of Production (COP) Analysis
    1. Calculation of COP
    2. Test of Comparison Market Sales Prices
    3. Results of the COP Test
    D. Calculation of NV Based on Comparison Market Prices
XIII. Currency Conversion
XIV. Verification
XV. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2018-00131 Filed 1-5-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P