{\rtf1\adeflang1054\ansi\ansicpg874\uc1\adeff27 \deff0\deflang1033\deflangfe1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fcharset0\fprq2{\*\panose 02020603050405020304}Times New Roman;}{\f1\fswiss\fcharset0\fprq2{\*\panose 020b0604020202020204}Arial;}
{\f27\froman\fcharset0\fprq2{\*\panose 02020603050405020304}Angsana New;}{\f33\froman\fcharset238\fprq2 Times New Roman CE;}{\f34\froman\fcharset204\fprq2 Times New Roman Cyr;}{\f36\froman\fcharset161\fprq2 Times New Roman Greek;}
{\f37\froman\fcharset162\fprq2 Times New Roman Tur;}{\f39\froman\fcharset178\fprq2 Times New Roman (Arabic);}{\f40\froman\fcharset186\fprq2 Times New Roman Baltic;}{\f43\fswiss\fcharset238\fprq2 Arial CE;}{\f44\fswiss\fcharset204\fprq2 Arial Cyr;}
{\f46\fswiss\fcharset161\fprq2 Arial Greek;}{\f47\fswiss\fcharset162\fprq2 Arial Tur;}{\f49\fswiss\fcharset178\fprq2 Arial (Arabic);}{\f50\fswiss\fcharset186\fprq2 Arial Baltic;}{\f312\froman\fcharset222\fprq2 Angsana New;}}{\colortbl;\red0\green0\blue0;
\red0\green0\blue255;\red0\green255\blue255;\red0\green255\blue0;\red255\green0\blue255;\red255\green0\blue0;\red255\green255\blue0;\red255\green255\blue255;\red0\green0\blue128;\red0\green128\blue128;\red0\green128\blue0;\red128\green0\blue128;
\red128\green0\blue0;\red128\green128\blue0;\red128\green128\blue128;\red192\green192\blue192;}{\stylesheet{\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fcs1 \af27\afs28\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \fcs0 
\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \snext0 Normal;}{\*\cs10 \additive Default Paragraph Font;}}{\info{\author Mercury}{\operator Mercury}{\creatim\yr2004\mo3\dy4\hr14\min20}{\revtim\yr2004\mo3\dy4\hr14\min23}{\version2}{\edmins3}
{\nofpages1}{\nofwords372}{\nofchars2124}{\nofcharsws2608}{\vern8197}}\widowctrl\ftnbj\aenddoc\noxlattoyen\expshrtn\noultrlspc\dntblnsbdb\nospaceforul\hyphcaps0\horzdoc\dghspace120\dgvspace120\dghorigin1701\dgvorigin1984\dghshow0\dgvshow3
\jcompress\viewkind4\viewscale100\nolnhtadjtbl \fet0\sectd \linex0\sectdefaultcl {\*\pnseclvl1\pnucrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl2\pnucltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl3\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang
{\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl4\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl5\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl6\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl7
\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl8\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl9\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}\pard\plain 
\ql \li0\ri0\sb100\sa100\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fcs1 \af27\afs28\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \fcs0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fcs1 \ab\af27 \fcs0 \b\fs28 Potential duties spur heavy exports to US }{\fcs1 
\af27 \fcs0 \fs28 
\par }{\fcs1 \ab\ai\af27\afs24 \fcs0 \b\i Charges may take effect on Friday }{\fcs1 \af27 \fcs0 \fs28 
\par }{\fcs1 \ab\af27\afs20 \fcs0 \b\fs20 Bangkok Post, 3 March 2004
\par Phusadee Arunmas }{\fcs1 \af27 \fcs0 \fs28 
\par }{\fcs1 \af27\afs20 \fcs0 \fs20 Thai shrimp exports to the United States have surged as exporters step up shipments before March 5, the date when anti-
dumping duties could potentially come into effect if the US government rules that punitive tariffs must be charged.\line \line 
Exports of both frozen and processed shrimp in January and February were four times higher than in the same period last year. Shipments totalled 15,700 tonnes in January 2003 and 14,983 tonnes in February.\line \line 
According to Panisuan Jamnarnweij, president of the Thai Frozen Foods Association, US importers have been placing heavy orders since the start of the year, though the period traditionally is considered the trade's low season.\line \line 
He said importers were rushing to get shipments into the US before March 5, the day when shrimp imports may become subject to the new duty charge.\line \line Mr Panisuan said that although the US Department of Commerce (USDC) w
as not scheduled to rule until June 8 on whether shrimp from six countries including Thailand have been unfairly dumped, the punitive tariff charges would likely be backdated 90 days.\line \line 
Last month, the US International Trade Commission ruled 6:0 in favour o
f a petition by US shrimp raisers to investigate whether imports from Thailand, China, Brazil, Ecuador, Vietnam and India were being sold in the US at below home-market prices, making them liable for anti-dumping duties.\line \line 
Mr Panisuan said the USDC was inve
stigating four Thai producers and exporters _ Thailand Fishery, Thai Ekkamai, Chanthaburi Seafood and Union Frozen Plc _ over their pricing policies and production costs as part of the trade complaint process before a decision is made in June. \line 
\line Mr Panisuan has called on the Thai government to take action to help shrimp producers avoid the crippling duty. ``Once it is imposed, the anti-dumping duty will be effective for five years with an annual review,'' he said.\line \line 
He said that even a 5% extra duty would jeopardise one-third of the country's 120 processing plants and could force them out of business. ``A 10% duty would have consequences for half of all producers.''\line \line 
According to a source at the Thai Frozen Foods Association, Thai shrimp could face duties of 
5-10%, causing at least 20 billion baht in damages to the economy as the impact would be felt by exporters as well as related industries and more than 30,000 farm households.\line \line 
The US is the largest market for Thai shrimp, accounting for half of last year's 220,000-tonne export total.}{\fcs1 \af27 \fcs0 \fs28 
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\fcs1 \af27\afs20 \fcs0 \f1\fs20 
\par }}