80 FR 135 pgs. 41545-41546 - Fiscal Year 2016 Tariff-Rate Quota Allocations for Raw Cane Sugar, Refined and Specialty Sugar and Sugar-Containing Products
Type: NOTICEVolume: 80Number: 135Pages: 41545 - 41546
Pages: 41545, 41546FR document: [FR Doc. 2015-17337 Filed 7-14-15; 8:45 am]
Agency: Trade Representative, Office of United States
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Fiscal Year 2016 Tariff-Rate Quota Allocations for Raw Cane Sugar, Refined and Specialty Sugar and Sugar-Containing Products
AGENCY:
Office of Agricultural Affairs, Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice of country-by-country allocations of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 (Oct. 1, 2015 through Sept. 30, 2016) in-quota quantity of the tariff-rate quotas for imported raw cane sugar, certain sugars, syrups and molasses (also known as refined sugar), specialty sugar, and sugar-containing products.
DATES:
Effective date: July 15, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ronald Baumgarten, Office of Agricultural Affairs, telephone: 202-395-9583 or facsimile: 202-395-4579.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Pursuant to Additional U.S. Note 5 to chapter 17 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), the United States maintains tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for imports of raw cane sugar and refined sugar. Pursuant to Additional U.S. Note 8 to chapter 17 of the HTS, the United States maintains a TRQ for imports of sugar-containing products.
Section 404(d)(3) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3601(d)(3)) authorizes the President to allocate the in-quota quantity of a TRQ for any agricultural product among supplying countries or customs areas. The President delegated this authority to the United States Trade Representative under Presidential Proclamation 6763 (60 FR 1007).
On June 15, 2015 (80 FR 34129), the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) announced the sugar program provisions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. The Secretary announced an in-quota quantity of the TRQ for raw cane sugar for FY 2016 of 1,117,195 metric tons * raw value (MTRV), which is the minimum amount to which the United States is committed under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Uruguay Round Agreements. USTR is allocating this quantity (1,117,195 MTRV) to the following countries in the amounts specified below:
| Country | FY 2016 raw cane sugar allocations (MTRV) |
|---|---|
| Argentina | 45,281 |
| Australia | 87,402 |
| Barbados | 7,371 |
| Belize | 11,584 |
| Bolivia | 8,424 |
| Brazil | 152,691 |
| Colombia | 25,273 |
| Congo | 7,258 |
| Costa Rica | 15,796 |
| Cote d'Ivoire | 7,258 |
| Dominican Republic | 185,335 |
| Ecuador | 11,584 |
| El Salvador | 27,379 |
| Fiji | 9,477 |
| Gabon | 7,258 |
| Guatemala | 50,546 |
| Guyana | 12,636 |
| Haiti | 7,258 |
| Honduras | 10,530 |
| India | 8,424 |
| Jamaica | 11,584 |
| Madagascar | 7,258 |
| Malawi | 10,530 |
| Mauritius | 12,636 |
| Mexico | 7,258 |
| Mozambique | 13,690 |
| Nicaragua | 22,114 |
| Panama | 30,538 |
| Papua New Guinea | 7,258 |
| Paraguay | 7,258 |
| Peru | 43,175 |
| Philippines | 142,160 |
| South Africa | 24,220 |
| St. Kitts & Nevis | 7,258 |
| Swaziland | 16,849 |
| Taiwan | 12,636 |
| Thailand | 14,743 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 7,371 |
| Uruguay | 7,258 |
| Zimbabwe | 12,636 |
[top] These allocations are based on the countries' historical shipments to the United States. The allocations of the in-quota quantities of the raw cane sugar
On June 15, 2015, the Secretary also announced the establishment of the in-quota quantity of the FY 2016 refined sugar TRQ at 132,000 MTRV for which the sucrose content, by weight in the dry state, must have a polarimeter reading of 99.5 degrees or more. This amount includes the minimum level to which the United States is committed under the WTO Uruguay Round Agreements (22,000 MTRV of which 1,656 MTRV is reserved for specialty sugar) and an additional 110,000 MTRV for specialty sugars. USTR is allocating the refined sugar TRQ as follows: 10,300 MTRV of refined sugar to Canada, 2,954 MTRV to Mexico, and 7,090 MTRV to be administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Imports of all specialty sugar will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis in five tranches. The Secretary has announced that the total in-quota quantity of specialty sugar will be the 1,656 MTRV included in the WTO minimum plus an additional 110,000 MTRV. The first tranche of 1,656 MTRV will open October 9, 2015. All types of specialty sugars are eligible for entry under this tranche. The second tranche of 27,500 MTRV will open on October 23, 2015. The third, fourth, and fifth tranches of 27,500 MTRV each will open on January 8, 2016, April 8, 2016 and July 8, 2016, respectively. The second, third, fourth and fifth tranches will be reserved for organic sugar and other specialty sugars not currently produced commercially in the United States or reasonably available from domestic sources.
With respect to the in-quota quantity of 64,709 metric tons (MT) of the TRQ for imports of certain sugar-containing products maintained under Additional U.S. Note 8 to chapter 17 of the HTS, USTR is allocating 59,250 MT to Canada. The remainder, 5,459 MT, of the in-quota quantity is available for other countries on a first-come, first-served basis.
Raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar and sugar-containing products for FY 2016 TRQs may enter the United States as of October 1, 2015.
* Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons.
Dated: July 7, 2015.
Michael Froman,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2015-17337 Filed 7-14-15; 8:45 am]
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