Nitrogen fertilizer from US, Russia, Trinidad & Tobago to face provisional dumping duties of up to 39.3 percent

Fertilizer producers from Russia, Trinidad & Tobago and the US might face provisional dumping duties ranging from 16.3 percent to 39.3 percent, after EU investigators found that their exports into the bloc are unfairly priced, MLex has learned.

EU producers of nitrogen-based fertilizers asked the European Commission last year to determine whether solutions of urea and ammonium nitrate, or UAN, from the US, Russia, Trinidad & Tobago are exported into the bloc at unfairly low prices.

The initial outcome of the probe, which was opened last August, led EU investigators to a conclusion that fertilizer producers from all three countries sell into the bloc at unfairly low prices, which allows them to undercut their European competitors.

To provide a quick relief to the EU companies, the commission proposes to impose provisional duties of up to 39.3 percent on imports from the three countries, while continuing with its probe until October.

Under the plan, Russian exports into the EU will face the highest duties of 39.3 percent, apart from those from Acron, which will be subject to lower rate of 31.9 percent, according to a document seen by MLex.

All the US fertilizer producers, including CF Industries Holdings, will face duty of 22.6 percent, and all imports from Trinidad & Tobago will be subject to 16.3 percent duty.

National trade experts will discuss the commission's proposal at a meeting in Brussels next week. The commission has until Oct. 12 to impose definitive duties.