As expected, the U.S Department of Commerce announced June 26 an antidumping duty that applies to most exporters of Canadian softwood lumber, in addition to the countervailing duties applied in April of this year.
The Commerce Department has concluded a preliminary investigation, and believes that exporters from Canada have sold softwood lumber the United States at 7.72 percent to 4.59 percent less than fair value. Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to collect cash deposits from importers of softwood lumber from Canada based on these preliminary rates.
When combined with the countervailing duty, the applicable duty rates range from 30.88 percent to 17.41 percent.
The antidumping rates for specific exporters are as follows:
Canfor Corporation, Canadian Forest Products Ltd., and Canfor Wood Products Marketing Ltd. 7.72%
Resolute FP Canada Inc. 4.59%
Tolko Marketing and Sales Ltd. and Tolko Industries Ltd. 7.53%
West Fraser Mills Ltd. 6.76%
All Others 6.87%
The Department of Commerce is scheduled to announce its final antidumping determination on September 7, 2017.
Commerce earlier June 26 released its preliminary determination that softwood lumber products produced in the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island should be excluded from the ongoing investigation.
In 2016, imports of softwood lumber from Canada were valued at an estimated US$5.66 billion.