90 FR 138 pgs. 34433-34436 - Oleoresin Paprika From India: Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigation
Type: NOTICEVolume: 90Number: 138Pages: 34433 - 34436
Pages: 34433, 34434, 34435, 34436Docket number: [C-533-939]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2025-13696 Filed 7-21-25; 8:45 am]
Agency: Commerce Department
Sub Agency: International Trade Administration
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[C-533-939]
Oleoresin Paprika From India: Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigation
AGENCY:
Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
DATES:
Applicable July 15, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Suresh Maniam, Office I, AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-1603.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Petition
On June 25, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) received a countervailing duty (CVD) petition concerning imports of oleoresin paprika from India, filed in proper form on behalf of Rezolex, Ltd. Co. (the petitioner), a domestic producer of oleoresin paprika. 1 The CVD Petition was accompanied by an antidumping duty (AD) petition concerning imports of oleoresin paprika from India. 2
Footnotes:
1 ? See Petitioner's Letter, "Petition for the Imposition of Antidumping and Countervailing Duties," dated June 25, 2025 (Petition).
2 ? Id.
Between June 27 and July 9, 2025, Commerce requested additional information pertaining to certain aspects of the Petition in supplemental questionnaires. 3 Between July 1 and 10, 2025, the petitioner filed timely responses to these requests for additional information. 4
Footnotes:
3 ? See Commerce's Letters, "Supplemental Questions," dated June 27, 2025 (First General Issues Supplemental Questionnaire); "Supplemental Questions," dated June 27, 2025; and "Second General Issues Supplemental Questions," dated July 9, 2025 (Second General Issues Supplemental Questionnaire).
4 ? See Petitioner's Letters, "Response to Supplemental Questions," dated July 1, 2025 (First General Issues Supplement); "Response to Supplemental Questions," dated July 1, 2025; and "Response Supplemental Questions," dated July 10, 2025 (Second General Issues Supplement).
In accordance with section 702(b)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), the petitioner alleges that the Government of India (GOI) is providing countervailable subsidies, within the meaning of sections 701 and 771(5) of the Act, to producers of oleoresin paprika in India, and that such imports are materially injuring, or threatening material injury to, the domestic industry producing oleoresin paprika in the United States. Consistent with section 702(b)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.202(b), for those alleged programs on which we are initiating a CVD investigation, the Petition was accompanied by information reasonably available to the petitioner supporting its allegations.
Commerce finds that the petitioner filed the Petition on behalf of the domestic industry, because the petitioner is an interested party, as defined in section 771(9)(C) of the Act. Commerce also finds that the petitioner demonstrated sufficient industry support with respect to the initiation of the requested CVD investigation. 5
Footnotes:
5 ? See section on "Determination of Industry Support for the Petition," infra.
Period of Investigation (POI)
Because the Petition was filed on June 25, 2025, the POI is January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024. 6
Footnotes:
6 ? See 19 CFR 351.204(b)(2).
Scope of the Investigation
The product covered by this investigation is oleoresin paprika from India. For a full description of the scope of this investigation, see the appendix to this notice.
Comments on the Scope of the Investigation
Between June 27 and July 9, 2025, Commerce requested information and clarification from the petitioner regarding the proposed scope to ensure that the scope language in the Petition is an accurate reflection of the products for which the domestic industry is seeking relief. 7 Between July 1 and 10, 2025, the petitioner provided clarifications and revised the scope. 8 The description of merchandise covered by this investigation, as described in the appendix to this notice, reflects these clarifications.
Footnotes:
7 ? See First General Issues Supplemental Questionnaire; see also Second General Issues Supplemental Questionnaire.
8 ? See First General Issues Supplement at 1-6; see also Second General Issues Supplement at 1-4.
As discussed in the Preamble to Commerce's regulations, we are setting aside a period for interested parties to raise issues regarding product coverage ( i.e., scope). 9 Commerce will consider all scope comments received from interested parties and, if necessary, will consult with interested parties prior to the issuance of the preliminary determination. If scope comments include factual information, 10 all such factual information should be limited to public information. Commerce requests that interested parties provide at the beginning of their scope comments a public executive summary for each comment or issue raised in their submission. Commerce further requests that interested parties limit their public executive summary of each comment or issue to no more than 450 words, not including citations. Commerce intends to use the public executive summaries as the basis of the comment summaries included in the analysis of scope comments. To facilitate preparation of its questionnaires, Commerce requests that scope comments be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on August 4, 2025, which is 20 calendar days from the signature date of this notice. Any rebuttal comments, which may include factual information, and should also be limited to public information, must be filed by 5:00 p.m. ET on August 14, 2025, which is 10 calendar days from the initial comment deadline.
Footnotes:
9 ? See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule, 62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997) ( Preamble ); see also 19 CFR 351.312.
10 ? See 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21) (defining "factual information").
[top] Commerce requests that any factual information that parties consider relevant to the scope of this investigation be submitted during that period. However, if a party subsequently finds that additional factual information pertaining to the scope of the investigation may be relevant, the party must contact Commerce and request permission to submit the additional information. All scope comments must be filed simultaneously on the records of the concurrent AD and CVD investigations.
Filing Requirements
All submissions to Commerce must be filed electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS), unless an exception applies. 11 An electronically filed document must be received successfully in its entirety by the time and date it is due.
Footnotes:
11 ? See Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings: Electronic Filing Procedures; Administrative Protective Order Procedures, 76 FR 39263 (July 6, 2011); see also Enforcement and Compliance; Change of Electronic Filing System Name, 79 FR 69046 (November 20, 2014), for details of Commerce's electronic filing requirements, effective August 5, 2011. Information on using ACCESS can be found at https://access.trade.gov/help.aspx and a handbook can be found at https://access.trade.gov/help/Handbook_on_Electronic_Filing_Procedures.pdf.
Consultations
Pursuant to sections 702(b)(4)(A)(i) and (ii) of the Act, Commerce notified the GOI of the receipt of the Petition and provided an opportunity for consultations with respect to the Petition. 12 The GOI did not request consultations.
Footnotes:
12 ? See Commerce's Letter, "Invitation for Consultations to Discuss the Countervailing Duty Petition," dated June 25, 2025.
Determination of Industry Support for the Petition
Section 702(b)(1) of the Act requires that a petition be filed on behalf of the domestic industry. Section 702(c)(4)(A) of the Act provides that a petition meets this requirement if the domestic producers or workers who support the petition account for: (i) at least 25 percent of the total production of the domestic like product; and (ii) more than 50 percent of the production of the domestic like product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the petition. Moreover, section 702(c)(4)(D) of the Act provides that, if the petition does not establish support of domestic producers or workers accounting for more than 50 percent of the total production of the domestic like product, Commerce shall: (i) poll the industry or rely on other information in order to determine if there is support for the petition, as required by subparagraph (A); or (ii) determine industry support using a statistically valid sampling method to poll the "industry."
Section 771(4)(A) of the Act defines the "industry" as the producers as a whole of a domestic like product. Thus, to determine whether a petition has the requisite industry support, the statute directs Commerce to look to producers and workers who produce the domestic like product. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), which is responsible for determining whether "the domestic industry" has been injured, must also determine what constitutes a domestic like product in order to define the industry. While both Commerce and the ITC apply the same statutory definition regarding the domestic like product, 13 they do so for different purposes and pursuant to a separate and distinct authority. In addition, Commerce's determination is subject to limitations of time and information. Although this may result in different definitions of the like product, such differences do not render the decision of either agency contrary to law. 14
Footnotes:
13 ? See section 771(10) of the Act.
14 ? See USEC, Inc. v. United States, 132 F. Supp. 2d 1, 8 (CIT 2001) (citing Algoma Steel Corp., Ltd. v. United States, 688 F. Supp. 639, 644 (CIT 1988), aff'd Algoma Steel Corp., Ltd. v. United States, 865 F.2d 240 (Fed. Cir. 1989)).
Section 771(10) of the Act defines the domestic like product as "a product which is like, or in the absence of like, most similar in characteristics and uses with, the article subject to an investigation under this title." Thus, the reference point from which the domestic like product analysis begins is "the article subject to an investigation" ( i.e., the class or kind of merchandise to be investigated, which normally will be the scope as defined in the petition).
With regard to the domestic like product, the petitioner does not offer a definition of the domestic like product distinct from the scope of the investigation. 15 Based on our analysis of the information submitted on the record, we have determined that oleoresin paprika, as defined in the scope, constitutes a single domestic like product, and we have analyzed industry support in terms of that domestic like product. 16
Footnotes:
15 ?For a discussion of the domestic like product analysis as applied to this case and information regarding industry support, see Checklist, "Countervailing Duty Investigation Initiation Checklist: Oleoresin Paprika from India," dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (India CVD Initiation Checklist), at Attachment II, "Analysis of Industry Support for the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Petitions Covering Oleoresin Paprika from India." This checklist is on file electronically via ACCESS.
16 ? Id.
In determining whether the petitioner has standing under section 702(c)(4)(A) of the Act, we considered the industry support data contained in the Petition with reference to the domestic like product as defined in the "Scope of the Investigation," in the appendix to this notice. To establish industry support, the petitioner provided its own production of the domestic like product in 2024. 17 The petitioner identified itself as the sole remaining producer of the domestic like product; therefore, the Petition is supported by 100 percent of the U.S. industry. 18 We relied on data provided by the petitioner for purposes of measuring industry support. 19
Footnotes:
17 ? Id.
18 ? Id.
19 ? Id.
Our review of the data provided in the Petition, the First General Issues Supplement, and other information readily available to Commerce indicates that the petitioner has established industry support for the Petition. 20 First, the Petition established support from domestic producers (or workers) accounting for more than 50 percent of the total production of the domestic like product and, as such, Commerce is not required to take further action in order to evaluate industry support ( e.g., polling). 21 Second, the domestic producers (or workers) have met the statutory criteria for industry support under section 702(c)(4)(A)(i) of the Act because the domestic producers (or workers) who support the Petition account for at least 25 percent of the total production of the domestic like product. 22 Finally, the domestic producers (or workers) have met the statutory criteria for industry support under section 702(c)(4)(A)(ii) of the Act because the domestic producers (or workers) who support the Petition account for more than 50 percent of the production of the domestic like product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the Petition. 23 Accordingly, Commerce determines that the Petition was filed on behalf of the domestic industry within the meaning of section 702(b)(1) of the Act. 24
Footnotes:
20 ? Id.
21 ? Id.; see also section 702(c)(4)(D) of the Act.
22 ? See Attachment II of the India CVD Initiation Checklist.
23 ? Id.
24 ? Id.
Injury Test
Because India is a "Subsidies Agreement Country" within the meaning of section 701(b) of the Act, section 701(a)(2) of the Act applies to this investigation. Accordingly, the ITC must determine whether imports of the subject merchandise from India materially injure, or threaten material injury to, a U.S. industry.
Allegations and Evidence of Material Injury and Causation
[top] The petitioner alleges that imports of the subject merchandise are benefiting from countervailable subsidies and that
Footnotes:
25 ?For further discussion, see India CVD Initiation Checklist at Attachment III, "Analysis of Allegations and Evidence of Material Injury and Causation for the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Petitions Covering Oleoresin Paprika from India."
The petitioner contends that the industry's injured condition is illustrated by a significant increase in the volume of subject imports; lost sales and revenues; underselling and price depression and/or suppression; declines in production, capacity utilization, and sales volume; and negative impact on financial performance. 26 We assessed the allegations and supporting evidence regarding material injury, threat of material injury, causation, as well as negligibility, and we have determined that these allegations are properly supported by adequate evidence, and meet the statutory requirements for initiation. 27
Footnotes:
26 ? Id.
27 ? Id.
Initiation of CVD Investigation
Based upon the examination of the Petition and supplemental responses, we find that these meet the requirements of section 702 of the Act. Therefore, we are initiating a CVD investigation to determine whether imports of oleoresin paprika from India benefit from countervailable subsidies conferred by the GOI. In accordance with section 703(b)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(b)(1), unless postponed, we will make our preliminary determination no later than 65 days after the date of this initiation.
Based on our review of the Petition, we find that there is sufficient information to initiate a CVD investigation on 21 programs alleged by the petitioner. For a full discussion of the basis for our decision to initiate on each program, see the India CVD Initiation Checklist. A public version of the initiation checklist for this investigation is available on ACCESS.
Respondent Selection
In the Petition, the petitioner identified 57 companies in India as producers/exporters of oleoresin paprika. 28 Commerce intends to follow its standard practice in CVD investigations and calculate company-specific subsidy rates in this investigation. In the event that Commerce determines that the number of companies is large and it cannot individually examine each company based on Commerce's resources, Commerce intends to select mandatory respondents based on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) entry data for U.S. imports under the appropriate Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheading(s) listed in the "Scope of the Investigation" in the appendix.
Footnotes:
28 ? See Petition at Volume I (page 30 and Exhibit I-17); see also First General Issues Supplement at 1 and Exhibit I-SUPP-1.
On July 9, 2025, Commerce released CBP data on imports of oleoresin paprika from India under administrative protective order (APO) to all parties with access to information protected by APO and indicated that interested parties wishing to comment on CBP data and/or respondent selection must do so within three business days of the publication date of the notice of initiation of this investigation. 29 Comments must be filed electronically using ACCESS. An electronically-filed document must be received successfully in its entirety via ACCESS by 5:00 p.m. ET on the specified deadline. Commerce will not accept rebuttal comments regarding the CBP data or respondent selection.
Footnotes:
29 ? See Memorandum, "Release of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Entry Data," dated July 9, 2025.
Interested parties must submit applications for disclosure under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(b). Instructions for filing such applications may be found on Commerce's website at https://www.trade.gov/administrative-protective-orders.
Distribution of a Copy of the Petition
In accordance with section 702(b)(4)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.202(f), a copy of the public version of the Petition has been provided to the GOI via ACCESS. To the extent practicable, we will attempt to provide a copy of the public version of the Petition to each exporter named in the Petition, as provided under 19 CFR 351.203(c)(2).
ITC Notification
Commerce will notify the ITC of its initiation, as required by section 702(d) of the Act.
Preliminary Determination by the ITC
The ITC will preliminarily determine, within 45 days after the date on which the Petition was filed, whether there is a reasonable indication that imports of oleoresin paprika from India are materially injuring, or threatening material injury to, a U.S. industry. 30 A negative ITC determination will result in the investigation being terminated. 31 Otherwise, this CVD investigation will proceed according to statutory and regulatory time limits.
Footnotes:
30 ? See section 703(a)(1) of the Act.
31 ? Id.
Submission of Factual Information
Factual information is defined in 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21) as: (i) evidence submitted in response to questionnaires; (ii) evidence submitted in support of allegations; (iii) publicly available information to value factors of production under 19 CFR 351.408(c) or to measure the adequacy of remuneration under 19 CFR 351.511(a)(2); (iv) evidence placed on the record by Commerce; and (v) evidence other than factual information described in (i)-(iv). Section 351.301(b) of Commerce's regulations requires any party, when submitting factual information, to specify under which subsection of 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21) the information is being submitted? 32 and, if the information is submitted to rebut, clarify, or correct factual information already on the record, to provide an explanation identifying the information already on the record that the factual information seeks to rebut, clarify, or correct. 33 Time limits for the submission of factual information are addressed in 19 CFR 351.301, which provides specific time limits based on the type of factual information being submitted. Interested parties should review the regulations prior to submitting factual information in this investigation.
Footnotes:
32 ? See 19 CFR 351.301(b).
33 ? See 19 CFR 351.301(b)(2).
Extensions of Time Limits
[top] Parties may request an extension of time limits before the expiration of a time limit established under 19 CFR 351.301, or as otherwise specified by Commerce. In general, an extension request will be considered untimely if it is filed after the expiration of the time limit established under 19 CFR 351.301, or as otherwise specified by Commerce. 34 For submissions that are due from multiple parties simultaneously, an extension request will be considered untimely if it is filed after 10:00 a.m. ET on the due date. Under certain circumstances, Commerce may elect to specify a different time limit by which extension requests will be considered untimely for submissions which are due from multiple parties simultaneously. In such a case, we will
Footnotes:
34 ? See 19 CFR 351.302.
35 ? See 19 CFR 351.301; see also Extension of Time Limits; Final Rule, 78 FR 57790 (September 20, 2013) ( Time Limits Final Rule ), available at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-09-20/html/2013-22853.htm.
Certification Requirements
Any party submitting factual information in an AD or CVD proceeding must certify to the accuracy and completeness of that information. 36 Parties must use the certification formats provided in 19 CFR 351.303(g). 37 Commerce intends to reject factual submissions if the submitting party does not comply with the applicable certification requirements.
Footnotes:
36 ? See section 782(b) of the Act.
37 ? See Certification of Factual Information to Import Administration During Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 78 FR 42678 (July 17, 2013) ( Final Rule ); see also frequently asked questions regarding the Final Rule, available at https://enforcement.trade.gov/tlei/notices/factual_info_final_rule_FAQ_07172013.pdf.
Notification to Interested Parties
Interested parties must submit applications for disclosure under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305. Parties wishing to participate in this investigation should ensure that they meet the requirements of 19 CFR 351.103(d) ( e.g., by filing the required letters of appearance). Note that Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f). 38
Footnotes:
38 ? See Administrative Protective Order, Service, and Other Procedures in Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 88 FR 67069 (September 29, 2023).
This notice is issued and published pursuant to sections 702 and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.203(c).
Dated: July 15, 2025.
Christopher Abbott,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
Appendix
Scope of the Investigation
The merchandise covered by the scope of this investigation is the coloring additive oleoresin paprika. Oleoresin paprika is a viscous, highly colored liquid in various shades of red or orange made from the extract of Capsicum peppers. Covered merchandise includes all oleoresin paprika, regardless of pepper variety, with an American Spice Trade Association (ASTA) value of at least 500 or a color unit (CU) value of at least 20,000 as determined by spectrophotometric measurement. The Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry numbers for oleoresin paprika are 68917-78-2 and 84625-29-6; the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) number is 977006-45-3; the Flavoring Extract Manufacturers' Association (FEMA) number is 2834; and the E number is E160c. Subject oleoresin paprika may also be referred to by other product names, including, but not limited to, paprika oleoresin, oleoresin of paprika, paprika extract, extract of paprika, paprika oil, or paprika essential oil.
Subject oleoresin paprika may be blended with oil or water prior to importation or may be imported in its crude or unstandardized form. Subject oleoresin paprika may also be blended with emulsifiers or preservatives. The scope includes all oleoresin paprika meeting the specifications above regardless of whether or not blended with or soluble in oil or water, and regardless of weight, pungency, quality, solvent content, or additives. Further, the scope includes crude or unstandardized oleoresin paprika that has been blended, finished, packaged, or otherwise processed in a third country, if the blending, finishing, packaging, or processing performed would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope. Oleoresin paprika that is otherwise subject to this investigation is not excluded when commingled with oleoresin paprika from sources not subject to this investigation, or when commingled with other oleoresins. Only the subject component of such commingled products is covered by the scope of this investigation.
The merchandise subject to this investigation is classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) under subheadings 3203.00.8000 and 3301.90.1010. Subject merchandise may also enter under HTSUS subheading 1301.90.9190, 1302.19.9140, and 3205.00.0500. Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of this investigation is dispositive.
[FR Doc. 2025-13696 Filed 7-21-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P