Anti-Subsidy Duties on Indonesian Biodiesel Must Be Revisited

The Commerce Department must revisit and possibly lower anti-subsidy duties on imports of biodiesel from Indonesia, the U.S. Court of International Trade said, questioning whether an Indonesian export tax policy system warrants countervailing U.S. duties.

In 2017 the Commerce Department determined that Indonesian biodiesel producers and exporters were benefiting from unfair government subsidies, and the U.S. began imposing countervailing duties. The department calculated subsidy margins and corresponding duty rates of 64.73% for PT Musim Mas, 34.45% for Wilmar Trading Co., and 38.95% for all other Indonesian producers and exporters.

Indonesian biodiesel is made primarily from crude palm oil, and can ...