US solar imports from China fall 45% Y/Y in May 2012

Jul 13, 2012 - Imports to the US of solar cells and panels made in China for May have dropped by 45% on the year, reflecting certain anti-subsidy duties imposed on these products, the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) said in a report yesterday.

Total imports for the month stood at USD 124.1 million (EUR 101.7m), compared with USD 225.8 million in May 2011. Yet Chinese imports for the first five months of 2012 rose to USD 1.21 billion from USD 993.2 million over the same period of 2011, CASM said, citing the Department of Commerce's US Imports of Merchandise database.

According to the sector organisation, which in October 2011 called for anti-dumping tariffs accusing China of illegally subsidising solar cell production and dumping crystalline silicon cells on the US market, the 45% decline for May does not fully reflect the preliminary duties of between 31% and 249.96% that the Commerce Department announced in mid-May. CASM noted that the final duties, to be unveiled on October 9, could further rise. "The final determination will provide estimated duty deposit rates for current entries of Chinese imports, but those tariff rates will not actually be finalized for at least a year from now," CASM said.

At the same time, the Commerce Department observed growth in imports from Malaysia -- USD 135.5 million for May or 950% more than a year back; Taiwan -- USD 47.2 million or an increase of 615%; and the Philippines -- USD 41.5 million, up 47.3% year-on-year.

(USD 1 = EUR 0.819)

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