WASHINGTON — The US Department of Commerce on Dec. 11 made a preliminary determination that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of certain pea protein ingredients from China.

If a final determination, which is scheduled for no later than April 22, 2024, is in favor of countervailing duties, the US International Trade Commission then will determine whether imports of pea protein from China are material injuring, or threatening material injury, to the US industry.

The preliminary determination found Chinese pea protein producers received government subsidies at rates ranging from 15% to 342%. The subsidies allowed Chinese producers to sell product in the US market at artificially low prices, which caused material injury to the US industry, according to Puris, a Minneapolis-based pea protein company that on July 12 filed a petition on the issue with the DOC.

“The imposition of countervailing duties will help to level the playing field and ensure that US pea protein producers can compete fairly with our Chinese counterparts,” said Tyler Lorenzen, chief executive officer of Puris, on Dec. 12. “We are also looking forward to the DOC’s preliminary determination in the parallel anti-dumping investigation, which we expect to be announced on Feb. 8, 2024. Strong enforcement of the US trade remedy laws is essential for the long-term health of the US pea protein industry and will help to create new jobs and economic growth.”