The Commerce Department has said that China may be trying to dominate the market in the U.S. for beer kegs. A preliminary investigation has found that Beijing has been subsidizing exports of the metal containers at rates ranging from 16 to 144 percent of their cost.
The administration could impose countervailing duties on the Chinese barrels in response. Commerce is scheduled to announce its final determination on or about Aug. 13.
In the meantime, the determination means that U.S. Customs and Border Protection will collect cash deposits from importers of refillable stainless steel kegs from China.
“The strict enforcement of U.S. trade law is a primary focus of the Trump Administration,” the department said in a statement.
The Trump administration has ramped up enforcement of anti-dumping policies.
The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed by American Keg Company, a Pottstown, Pa., company. A spokesman for the company declined comment Tuesday, noting the determination was just preliminary and the case was ongoing. The company’s CEO has previously said that keg tariffs could help level the playing field.
