USTR Sets Country-by-Country Sugar Import Quotas
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Executive announced the country-specific in-quota allocations under the tariff-rate quotas on imported raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar and sugar-containing products for Fiscal Year 2013 (Oct. 1, 2012 through Sept. 30, 2013). Tariff-rate quotas allow countries to export specified quantities of a product to the U.S. at a relatively low tariff, but subject all imports of the product above a pre-determined threshold to a higher tariff.
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The Secretary of Agriculture announced sugar program provisions for FY 2013 on Sept. 7 (See ITT's Online Archives 12090713), setting the in-quota quantity for the tariff-rate quota on raw cane sugar for FY 2013 at 1,117,195 metric tons, the minimum amount to which the U.S. is committed under the World Trade Organization. USTR allocated that amount to the following countries, based on each country’s historical shipments to the U.S.:
Country FY 2013 Raw Cane Sugar Allocations (MTRV) Argentina 46,154 Australia 89,087 Barbados 7,513 Belize 11,807 Bolivia 8,587 Brazil 155,634 Colombia 25,760 Congo 7,258 Costa Rica 16,100 Cote d'Ivoire 7,258 Dominican Republic 188,908 Ecuador 11,807 El Salvador 27,907 Fiji 9,660 Gabon 7,258 Guatemala 51,520 Guyana 12,880 Haiti 7,258 Honduras 10,733 India 8,587 Jamaica 11,807 Madagascar 7,258 Malawi 10,733 Mauritius 12,880 Mozambique 13,953 Nicaragua 22,540 Panama 31,127 Papua New Guinea 7,258 Paraguay 7,258 Peru 44,007 Philippines 144,901 South Africa 24,687 St. Kitts & Nevis 7,258 Swaziland 17,174 Thailand 15,027 Trinidad & Tobago 7,513 Uruguay 7,258 Zimbabwe 12,880 Imports of specialty sugar will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis in five tranches. USDA has said the total quantity of specialty sugar will be the 1,656 MTRV consistent with our WTO commitment plus an additional 95,254 MTRV. The first tranche of 1,656 MTRV will open on Oct. 12. All types of specialty sugars are eligible for entry under this tranche. The second tranche of 35,245 MTRV will open on Oct. 26. The third, fourth, and fifth tranches of 20,003 MTRV each will open on Jan. 11, 2013; April 11, 2013; and July 11, 2013. The second, third, fourth, and fifth tranches will be reserved for organic sugar and other specialty sugars not currently produced commercially in the U.S. or reasonably available from domestic sources.
For the in-quota quantity of 64,709 metric tons for imports of certain sugar-containing products maintained under Additional U.S. Note 8 to Chapter 17 to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, USTR is allocating 59,250 MT to Canada. The remainder is available for other countries on a first-come, first-served basis, USTR said.