Oct. 20, 2010, Leamington, Ont. – The Canadian International Trade
Tribunal (CITT) announced its final determination yesterday, upholding
the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers’ (OGVG) complaint of injurious
dumping of bell peppers by the Netherlands into the Canadian
marketplace.
Oct. 20, 2010, Leamington, Ont. – The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) announced its final determination yesterday, upholding the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers ’ (OGVG) complaint of injurious dumping of bell peppers by the Netherlands into the Canadian marketplace.
The complaint, which was filed on Dec. 24, 2009, alleged that imports of greenhouse bell peppers originating or exported from the Netherlands were being dumped and that the dumping of these goods was causing injury to the Canadian industry.
This announcement follows the Canadian Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Sept. 20th, 2010, final determination that greenhouse bell peppers from the Netherlands had been dumped, and that the margin of dumping was significant.
“We are very pleased with the results of the investigations by both the CITT and the CBSA,” said OGVG chair Len Roozen. “The finding of injury to Canadian growers, and the resulting duty imposition, restores a level playing field for our growers. Our growers want to compete on the basis of fair trading practices, and this case demonstrates that we are prepared to defend ourselves if necessary.”
This decision means that bell peppers imported into Canada from the Netherlands will now be subject to a duty for the next five years.
Earlier this year, OGVG requested that the CBSA investigate the unfair pricing of greenhouse sweet bell pepper imports from the Netherlands. This request reflected the OGVG’s belief that Dutch exporters were selling below their cost of production, at very low prices, into the Canadian marketplace. This had continued over a period of years, and has caused serious injury to Ontario growers. OGVG’s concerns were shared and supported by greenhouse producers in other provinces.
Canada’s Special Import Measures Act permits Canadian producers to seek the imposition of anti-dumping measures when they are injured by foreign producers selling into Canada below the selling prices in their own country, or below their costs of production.
Over the last 10 years, Canadian growers have made substantial investments in greenhouse technology in order to expand the availability of Canadian grown vegetables, including sweet bell peppers.
The Ontario greenhouse sector is now one of the largest in North America, featuring over 1,824 acres of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.
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