[Federal Register: July 25, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 143)]
[Notices]
[Page 44046-44047]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25jy03-38]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A-570-863]
Honey From the People's Republic of China: Extension of Time
Limit for Preliminary Results of First Antidumping Duty Administrative
Review
AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of extension of time limit for preliminary results of
antidumping duty administrative review.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) is extending the
time limit for the preliminary results of the administrative review of
the antidumping duty order on honey from the People's Republic of China
until no later than December 31, 2003. The period of review for those
entities with an affirmative critical circumstances finding is February
10, 2001, through November 30, 2002. For all other companies, the
period of review is May 11, 2001, through November 30, 2002.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 25, 2003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angelica Mendoza or Brandon Farlander
at (202) 482-3019 or (202) 482-0182, respectively; Antidumping and
Countervailing Duty Enforcement Group III, Import Administration,
International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th
Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Statutory Time Limits
Section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the
Act), and section 351.213(h)(1) of the Department's regulations require
the Department to issue the preliminary results of an administrative
review within 245 days after the last day of the anniversary month of
the order or suspension agreement for which the administrative review
was requested, and final results of review within 120 days after the
date on which the notice of the preliminary results was published in
the Federal Register. However, if the Department determines that it is
not practicable to complete the review within this time period, section
751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and Sec. 351.213(h)(2) of our regulations
allow the Department to extend the 245-day period to 365 days and the
120-day period to 180 days.
Background
On December 10, 2001, the Department of Commerce (the Department)
published in the Federal Register an antidumping duty order covering
honey from the People's Republic of China (PRC). See Notice of Amended
Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Antidumping
Duty Order; Honey from the People's Republic of China, 66 FR 63670
(December 10, 2001). On December 17, 2002, the Department published a
Notice of Opportunity to Request an Administrative Review of
Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended
Investigation, 67 FR 77222 (December 17, 2002). On December 31, 2002,
the American Honey Producers Association and the Sioux Honey
Association (collectively, petitioners) in this proceeding, requested,
in accordance with Sec. 351.213(b) of the Department's regulations, an
administrative review of the antidumping duty order on honey from the
PRC covering the period May 11, 2001, through November 30, 2002.\1\
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\1\ On January 27, 2003, in a memorandum to the file, we
determined that the POR for entities with affirmative findings of
critical circumstances to be February 10, 2001, through November 30,
2002. See Memorandum to the File from Angelica L. Mendoza through
Donna L. Kinsella, dated January 27, 2003 for further details.
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The petitioners requested that the Department conduct an
administrative
[[Page 44047]]
review of entries of subject merchandise made by ten PRC producers/
exporters, which included Shanghai Eswell Enterprise Co., Ltd.
(Shanghai Eswell), Zhejiang Native Produce and Animal By-Products
Import & Export Corp., a.k.a. Zhejiang Native Produce and Animal By-
Products Import and Export Group Corporation (Zhejiang), and Wuhan Bee
Healthy Co., Ltd. (Wuhan). We also received a timely request from
Zhejiang (active respondent in the original investigation) that the
Department conduct an administrative review of entries of subject
merchandise it exported to the United States during the period of
review (POR). On January 22, 2003, the Department initiated an
administrative review for all of these companies. See Initiation of
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews and Requests
for Revocation in Part, 68 FR 3009 (January 22, 2003).
On February 20, 2003, the Department issued antidumping duty
questionnaires to all ten PRC producers/exporters of the subject
merchandise. On April 4, 2003, we received responses to Section A of
our antidumping duty questionnaires from Zhejiang and Wuhan. On April
18, 2003, we received responses to Sections C and D of our antidumping
duty questionnaires from Zhejiang and Wuhan.
On April 22, 2003, petitioners submitted a withdrawal of request
for review for Shanghai Eswell. On May 6, 2003, the Department
rescinded, in part, the administrative review of the antidumping duty
order on honey with respect to Shanghai Eswell. See Honey from the
People's Republic of China: Notice of Partial Rescission of Antidumping
Duty Administrative Review, 68 FR 23963 (May 6, 2003).
Extension of Time Limits for Preliminary Results
Pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and section 351.213(h)
of the Department's regulations, we determine that it is not
practicable to complete this administrative review within the statutory
time limit of 245 days. The Department finds that it is not practicable
to complete the preliminary results of this administrative review
within this time limit because we need additional time to research the
appropriate surrogate value used to value raw honey. Additionally, the
Department is analyzing the Indian financial statements currently on
the record to determine the appropriate surrogate financial ratios to
use in our calculation of normal value. Therefore, in accordance with
section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and section 351.213(h)(2) of the
Department's regulations, the Department is extending the time limit
for the completion of these preliminary results by an additional 120
days. The preliminary results will now be due no later than December
31, 2003. The final results will, in turn, be due 120 days after the
date of issuance of the preliminary results, unless extended.
Dated: July 21, 2003.
Richard O. Weible,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, Group III.
[FR Doc. 03-19021 Filed 7-24-03; 8:45 am]