The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) today determined that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of imports of certain ammonium nitrate from Ukraine that the Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.

All six Commissioners voted in the affirmative. As a result of the Commission's affirmative determination, the U.S. Department of Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order on imports of this product from Ukraine.

The Commerce Department previously made an affirmative critical circumstances determination with regard to these imports. Therefore, the Commissioners who made an affirmative injury determination today are required to determine whether those imports are likely to undermine seriously the remedial effect of the antidumping duty order Commerce will issue. The Commission made a unanimous negative determination concerning critical circumstances with respect to these imports. As a result of the Commission's negative determination regarding critical circumstances, the antidumping duty order concerning these imports will not apply to goods that entered the United States prior to March 5, 2001, the date of publication in the Federal Register of the Department of Commerce's affirmative preliminary determination.

The Commission's public report Certain Ammonium Nitrate from Ukraine (Investigation No. 731- TA-894 (Final), USITC Publication 3448, August 2001) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigation.

Copies may be obtained after September 21, 2001, by calling 202-205-1809 or from the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be made by fax to 202-205-2104.

Product Description: The imported product subject to this investigation is solid, fertilizer-grade ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), whether prilled, granular, or in other solid form, with or without additives or coating, and with a bulk density equal to or greater than 53 pounds per cubic foot. Specifically excluded from this scope is solid ammonium nitrate with a bulk density less than 53 pounds per cubic foot (commonly referred to as low-density, industrial-grade or explosive-grade ammonium nitrate).

Status of Proceedings:

1.  Type of investigation:  Final antidumping.
2.  Petitioner: Committee for Fair Ammonium Nitrate Trade ("COFANT")   Air Products & 
     Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA; El Dorado Chemical Co., Oklahoma City, OK; LaRoche
     Industries, Inc., Atlanta, GA; Mississippi Chemical Corp., Yazoo City, MS; and Nitram, Inc.,
     Tampa, FL.
3.  Investigation instituted by the USITC:  October 13, 2000.
4.  USITC hearing:  July 24, 2001. 
5.  USITC vote:  August 22, 2001.
6.  USITC notification of the U.S. Department of Commerce:  August 31, 2001.

U.S. Industry in 2000:

1.  Number of producers of subject ammonium nitrate:  8.
2.  Location of producers' plants:  AL, AR, FL, GA, MO, MS, NE, WA, and WY.
3.  Employment of production and related workers:  389.
4.  U.S. producers' U.S. shipments (excluding exports):  1.8 million short tons, valued at
     $218.9 million.
5.  U.S. apparent consumption:  2.3 million short tons, valued at $261.8 million.


U.S. Imports in 2000:  

1.  Total imports: 495,950 short tons valued at $39.4 million.
2.  Imports from Ukraine: (1)

(1) Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.