Apiário Diamante Comercial Exportadora Ltda. v. United States

755 F. Supp. 3d 1329, 2025 CIT 10
CourtUnited States Court of International Trade
DecidedJanuary 24, 2025
Docket22-00185
StatusPublished

This text of 755 F. Supp. 3d 1329 (Apiário Diamante Comercial Exportadora Ltda. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of International Trade primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Apiário Diamante Comercial Exportadora Ltda. v. United States, 755 F. Supp. 3d 1329, 2025 CIT 10 (cit 2025).

Opinion

SlipȱOp.ȱ25Ȭ10

UNITEDȱSTATESȱCOURTȱOFȱINTERNATIONALȱTRADEȱ

APIÁRIOȱDIAMANEȱCOMERCIALȱ EXPORTADORAȱLTDAȱANDȱAPIÁRIOȱ DIAMANTEȱPRODUÇÃOȱEȱCOMERCIALȱDEȱ MELȱLTDA,ȱ

Plaintiffs,ȱ

v.ȱ Before:ȱTimothyȱC.ȱStanceu,ȱ UNITEDȱSTATES,ȱ Judgeȱ

Defendant,ȱ CourtȱNo.ȱ22Ȭ00185ȱ

andȱ

AMERICANȱHONEYȱPRODUCERSȱ ASSOCIATIONȱANDȱTHEȱSIOUXȱHONEYȱ ASSOCIATION,ȱ

DefendantȬIntervenors.ȱ

OPINIONȱ

[Sustainingȱanȱagencyȱdecisionȱsubmittedȱinȱresponseȱtoȱcourtȱorderȱinȱanȱactionȱ contestingȱaȱfinalȱdeterminationȱconcludingȱanȱantidumpingȱdutyȱinvestigation]ȱ

Dated:ȱJanuaryȱ24,ȱ2025ȱ

PierceȱJ.ȱLee,ȱCrowellȱ&ȱMoringȱLLP,ȱofȱWashington,ȱD.C.,ȱforȱplaintiffsȱApiárioȱ DiamanteȱComercialȱExportadoraȱLtdaȱandȱApiárioȱDiamanteȱProduçãoȱeȱComercialȱdeȱ MelȱLtda.ȱȱWithȱhimȱonȱtheȱbriefȱwasȱDanielȱJ.ȱCannistra.ȱ

KaraȱM.ȱWestercamp,ȱSeniorȱTrialȱCounsel,ȱCommercialȱLitigationȱBranch,ȱCivilȱ Division,ȱU.S.ȱDepartmentȱofȱJustice,ȱofȱWashington,ȱD.C.,ȱforȱdefendant.ȱȱWithȱherȱonȱ theȱbriefȱwereȱBrianȱM.ȱBoynton,ȱPrincipalȱDeputyȱAssistantȱAttorneyȱGeneral,ȱPatriciaȱ CourtȱNo.ȱ22Ȭ00185 Pageȱ2ȱ

M. McCarthy,ȱDirector,ȱReginaldȱT.ȱBlades,ȱJr.,ȱAssistantȱDirector.ȱȱOfȱcounselȱonȱtheȱbrief wasȱBenjaminȱJuvelier,ȱAttorney,ȱOfficeȱofȱtheȱChiefȱCounselȱforȱTradeȱEnforcementȱ& Compliance,ȱU.S.ȱDepartmentȱofȱCommerce,ȱofȱWashington,ȱD.C.

R. AlanȱLuberda,ȱKelleyȱDryeȱ&ȱWarrenȱLLP,ȱofȱWashington,ȱD.C.,ȱforȱdefendantȬ intervenorsȱAmericanȱHoneyȱProducersȱAssociationȱandȱtheȱSiouxȱHoneyȱAssociation.ȱȱ WithȱhimȱonȱtheȱbriefȱwereȱElizabethȱC.ȱJohnson,ȱMelissaȱM.ȱBrewer,ȱandȱMalihaȱKhan.ȱ

Stanceu,ȱJudge:ȱȱPlaintiffsȱApiárioȱDiamanteȱComercialȱExportadoraȱLtdaȱ

(“ApiárioȱExport”)ȱandȱApiárioȱDiamanteȱProduçãoȱeȱComercialȱdeȱMelȱLtdaȱ(“Apiárioȱ

Produção”)ȱ(collectively,ȱ“Apiário,”ȱoperatingȱjointlyȱunderȱtheȱtradeȱnameȱ

“Supermel”)ȱcontestedȱanȱaffirmativeȱ“lessȬthanȬfairȬvalue”ȱdeterminationȱ(“Finalȱ

Determination”)ȱthatȱtheȱInternationalȱTradeȱAdministration,ȱU.S.ȱDepartmentȱofȱ

Commerceȱ(“Commerce”ȱorȱtheȱ“Department”)ȱissuedȱtoȱconcludeȱanȱantidumpingȱ

dutyȱinvestigationȱonȱimportedȱrawȱhoneyȱfromȱseveralȱcountries.ȱȱRawȱHoneyȱFromȱ

Brazil:ȱFinalȱDeterminationȱofȱSalesȱatȱLessȱThanȱFairȱValue,ȱ87ȱFed.ȱReg.ȱ22,182ȱ(Int’lȱTradeȱ

Admin.ȱApr.ȱ14,ȱ2022),ȱP.R.ȱ358,ȱECFȱNo.ȱ31Ȭ2ȱ(“FinalȱDetermination”).1ȱȱTheȱcourtȱ

previouslyȱorderedȱCommerceȱtoȱreconsiderȱitsȱFinalȱDetermination.ȱȱApiárioȱDiamanteȱ

ComercialȱExportadoraȱLtda.ȱv.ȱUnitedȱStates,ȱ48ȱCITȱ__,ȱ__,ȱ705ȱF.ȱSupp.ȱ3dȱ1398,ȱ1420ȱ

(2024)ȱ(“ApiárioȱI”).ȱ

1 ȱCitationsȱtoȱdocumentsȱfromȱtheȱJointȱAppendixȱ(Apr.ȱ18,ȱ2023),ȱECFȱNos.ȱ30ȱ (conf.),ȱ31ȱ(public)ȱ(supplementedȱbyȱECFȱNos.ȱ33ȱ(conf.),ȱ34ȱ(public),ȱfiledȱonȱNov.ȱ16,ȱ 2023)ȱareȱreferencedȱhereinȱasȱ“P.R.ȱ__”ȱforȱpublicȱversions.ȱȱCitationsȱtoȱdocumentsȱ fromȱtheȱRemandȱJointȱAppendixȱ(Nov.ȱ1,ȱ2024),ȱECFȱNos.ȱ51ȱ(conf.),ȱ52ȱ(public),ȱareȱ referencedȱhereinȱasȱ“P.R.R.ȱ__”ȱforȱpublicȱversions.ȱ CourtȱNo.ȱ22Ȭ00185 Pageȱ3ȱ

BeforeȱtheȱcourtȱisȱtheȱDepartment’sȱ“RemandȱRedetermination,”ȱissuedȱinȱ

responseȱtoȱtheȱcourt’sȱopinionȱandȱorderȱinȱApiárioȱI.ȱȱFinalȱResultsȱofȱRedeterminationȱ

PursuantȱtoȱCourtȱRemandȱ(Int’lȱTradeȱAdmin.ȱAug.ȱ26,ȱ2024),ȱECFȱNo.ȱ41Ȭ1ȱ(“Remandȱ

Redetermination”).ȱȱȱ

TheȱcourtȱsustainsȱtheȱRemandȱRedetermination.ȱȱȱ

I. BACKGROUND

Backgroundȱforȱthisȱcaseȱisȱpresentedȱinȱtheȱcourt’sȱpriorȱopinionȱandȱisȱ

supplementedȱherein.ȱȱApiárioȱI,ȱ48ȱCITȱatȱ__,ȱ705ȱF.ȱSupp.ȱ3dȱatȱ1401–02.ȱ

A. TheȱContestedȱDecision

OnȱNovemberȱ23,ȱ2021,ȱCommerceȱissuedȱaȱ“PreliminaryȱDetermination”ȱafterȱ

itsȱantidumpingȱinvestigationȱofȱrawȱhoneyȱfromȱBrazilȱforȱtheȱtimeȱperiodȱ(theȱ“periodȱ

ofȱinvestigation”ȱorȱ“POI”)ȱofȱAprilȱ1,ȱ2020ȱthroughȱMarchȱ31,ȱ2021,ȱinȱwhichȱitȱassignedȱ

aȱ29.61%ȱestimatedȱdumpingȱmarginȱtoȱSupermelȱandȱaȱ20.19%ȱdumpingȱmarginȱtoȱallȱ

otherȱexportersȱandȱproducers.ȱȱRawȱHoneyȱFromȱBrazil:ȱPreliminaryȱAffirmativeȱ

DeterminationȱofȱSalesȱatȱLessȱThanȱFairȱValue,ȱPostponementȱofȱFinalȱDetermination,ȱandȱ

ExtensionȱofȱProvisionalȱMeasures,ȱ86ȱFed.ȱReg.ȱ66,533,ȱ66,533–34ȱ(Int’lȱTradeȱAdmin.ȱ

Nov.ȱ23,ȱ2021),ȱP.R.ȱ292,ȱECFȱNo.ȱ31Ȭ31ȱ(“PreliminaryȱDetermination”);ȱDecisionȱ

MemorandumȱforȱtheȱPreliminaryȱDeterminationȱinȱtheȱLessȬThanȬFairȬValueȱInvestigationȱofȱ

RawȱHoneyȱfromȱBrazilȱ17,ȱ21ȱ(Int’lȱTradeȱAdmin.ȱNov.ȱ17,ȱ2021),ȱP.R.ȱ288,ȱECFȱNo.ȱ31Ȭ30ȱ

(“Prelim.ȱI&DȱMem.”).ȱȱOnȱDecemberȱ17,ȱ2021,ȱhavingȱcorrectedȱministerialȱerrorsȱinȱtheȱ CourtȱNo.ȱ22Ȭ00185ȱ ȱ Pageȱ4ȱ

PreliminaryȱDeterminationȱpursuantȱtoȱ19ȱC.F.R.ȱ§ȱ351.224(f),ȱCommerceȱissuedȱanȱ

“AmendedȱPreliminaryȱDetermination,”ȱinȱwhichȱitȱassignedȱaȱ10.52%ȱestimatedȱ

dumpingȱmarginȱtoȱSupermelȱandȱaȱ9.38%ȱestimatedȱdumpingȱmarginȱtoȱallȱotherȱ

exportersȱandȱproducers.ȱȱRawȱHoneyȱFromȱBrazil:ȱAmendedȱPreliminaryȱDeterminationȱofȱ

SalesȱatȱLessȱThanȱFairȱValue,ȱ86ȱFed.ȱReg.ȱ71,614,ȱ71,615ȱ(Int’lȱTradeȱAdmin.ȱDec.ȱ17,ȱ

2021),ȱP.R.ȱ313,ȱECFȱNo.ȱ31Ȭ34ȱ(“AmendedȱPreliminaryȱDetermination”).ȱ

OnȱAprilȱ14,ȱ2022,ȱCommerceȱissuedȱtheȱFinalȱDetermination,ȱwhichȱ

incorporatedȱbyȱreferenceȱaȱ“FinalȱIssuesȱandȱDecisionȱMemorandum.”ȱȱIssuesȱandȱ

DecisionȱMemorandumȱforȱtheȱFinalȱAffirmativeȱDeterminationȱinȱtheȱLessȬThanȬFairȬValueȱ

InvestigationȱofȱRawȱHoneyȱfromȱBrazilȱ(Int’lȱTradeȱAdmin.ȱApr.ȱ7,ȱ2022),ȱP.R.ȱ354,ȱECFȱ

No.ȱ31Ȭ3ȱ(“FinalȱI&DȱMem.”).ȱȱInȱtheȱFinalȱDetermination,ȱCommerceȱassignedȱSupermelȱ

anȱestimatedȱdumpingȱmarginȱofȱ83.72%ȱadȱvaloremȱbyȱinvokingȱ“factsȱotherwiseȱ

available”ȱunderȱSectionȱ776(a)ȱofȱtheȱTariffȱActȱofȱ1930,ȱasȱamendedȱ(“TariffȱAct”),ȱ

19ȱU.S.C.ȱ§ȱ1677e(a),ȱandȱanȱ“adverseȱinference”ȱunderȱSectionȱ776(b)ȱofȱtheȱTariffȱAct,ȱ

19ȱU.S.C.ȱ§ȱ1677e(b),ȱprovisionsȱtoȱwhichȱCommerceȱoftenȱrefersȱinȱtheȱaggregateȱasȱ

“adverseȱfactsȱavailable”ȱorȱ“AFA.”ȱȱFinalȱDetermination,ȱ87ȱFed.ȱReg.ȱatȱ22,182–83.2ȱȱ

CommerceȱfoundȱthatȱSupermelȱ“significantlyȱimpededȱtheȱproceedingȱbyȱnotȱ

substantiating”ȱtheȱreportedȱcostȱofȱproductionȱofȱrawȱhoneyȱandȱthereforeȱappliedȱ

ȱCitationsȱtoȱtheȱU.S.ȱCodeȱhereinȱareȱtoȱtheȱ2018ȱedition.ȱȱCitationsȱtoȱtheȱCodeȱ 2

ofȱFederalȱRegulationsȱhereinȱareȱtoȱtheȱ2022ȱedition.ȱ CourtȱNo.ȱ22Ȭ00185 Pageȱ5ȱ

“totalȱAFA”ȱtoȱassignȱtheȱ83.72%ȱrateȱtoȱSupermel.ȱȱFinalȱI&DȱMem.ȱ12,ȱ18–20.ȱȱ

FollowingȱanȱaffirmativeȱinjuryȱdeterminationȱbyȱtheȱU.S.ȱInternationalȱTradeȱ

Commission,ȱCommerceȱissuedȱanȱantidumpingȱdutyȱorderȱonȱrawȱhoneyȱfromȱ

Argentina,ȱBrazil,ȱIndia,ȱandȱtheȱSocialistȱRepublicȱofȱVietnamȱ(theȱ“Order”).ȱȱRawȱ

HoneyȱFromȱArgentina,ȱBrazil,ȱIndia,ȱandȱtheȱSocialistȱRepublicȱofȱVietnam:ȱAntidumpingȱ

DutyȱOrders,ȱ87ȱFed.ȱReg.ȱ35,501ȱ(Int’lȱTradeȱAdmin.ȱJuneȱ10,ȱ2022),ȱP.R.ȱ362,ȱECFȱNo.ȱ

31Ȭ1.ȱ

B. TheȱCourt’sȱPriorȱOpinionȱandȱOrder

InȱApiárioȱI,ȱtheȱcourtȱheldȱthatȱtheȱDepartment’sȱtotalȱapplicationȱofȱfactsȱ

otherwiseȱavailableȱwithȱanȱadverseȱinferenceȱ“wasȱbasedȱonȱmultipleȱfindingsȱofȱfactȱ

forȱwhichȱtheȱrecordȱdoesȱnotȱcontainȱsubstantialȱevidence”ȱandȱremandedȱtheȱFinalȱ

DeterminationȱtoȱCommerceȱforȱaȱ“redeterminationȱ.ȱ.ȱ.ȱthatȱreconsiders,ȱbasedȱonȱtheȱ

existingȱrecord,ȱtheȱDepartment’sȱdeterminationȱonȱtheȱapplicationȱofȱ19ȱU.S.C.ȱ§ȱ1677eȱ

toȱSupermel;ȱthatȱdeterminesȱaȱnewȱestimatedȱdumpingȱmarginȱforȱSupermel;ȱandȱthatȱ

isȱinȱaccordanceȱwithȱthisȱAmendedȱOpinionȱandȱOrder.”ȱȱ48ȱCITȱatȱ__,ȱ705ȱF.ȱSupp.ȱ3dȱ

atȱ1420.ȱ

Commerceȱbasedȱitsȱtotalȱapplicationȱofȱfactsȱotherwiseȱavailableȱandȱanȱadverseȱ

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755 F. Supp. 3d 1329, 2025 CIT 10, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/apiario-diamante-comercial-exportadora-ltda-v-united-states-cit-2025.