The Department of Commerce of China on Thursday, April 11, confirmed that it is considering a request from the US trade association to review its anti-dumping tariffs on grain imports of distiller (DDGS) from the United States.

The Chinese ministry said it initially received a request from the US Grain Council on February 28 and then requested additional materials from the Grain Council, which it submitted March 29.

“The Ministry of Commerce is currently investigating the request and, provided that it meets our legal requirements, we will decide whether to consider the case. If the ministry decides to proceed with the review, it will conduct an impartial and fair investigation and make a final decision on the basis of the results, ”the statement said.

DDGS is a by-product of ethanol production and has become a major source of profit for biofuel producers. After the introduction of tariffs in 2016, Chinese DDGS imports decreased by 55 percent compared to 2015 to 3 million tons worth $ 684 million.

The US industrial request came against the backdrop of negotiations between Beijing and Washington to conclude an agreement to end the trade war, which shocked world markets.