(VOV) - The US Department of Commerce, DOC, has reached a preliminary decision on anti-dumping duties as they apply to Vietnamese shrimp exported to the US from February 1, 2011, to January 31, 2012. Under the decision, both mandatory and voluntary defendants will enjoy a zero percent tax rate for the period. The decision is the first time in the history of DOC deliberations that they have officially acknowledged that Vietnamese shrimp exporters were not engaged in dumping activities. According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the move will open up greater prospects for Vietnamese shrimp businesses in the face of its current difficulties. The US remained the second biggest export market for Vietnam last year, second only to Japan, with exports reaching US$454 million and accounting for more than 20% of Vietnam’s shrimp export volume. The US surpassed Japan to become the largest importer of Vietnamese shrimp in January this year, achieving nearly 40% growth on the same period last year.