USTR Press Release

ATTACHMENT 7 FOR OMB FORM 83-1 TO SUPPORT RENEWED AUTHORITY TO ISSUE CERTIFICATES FOR QUOTA ELIGIBILITY

USTR Announces FY 2010 Tariff-Rate Quota Allocations for Raw Cane Sugar, Refined and Specialty Sugar and Sugar-Containing Products

Washington, D.C. (September 25, 2009) -- The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today 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 (FY) 2010 (Oct. 1, 2009 through Sept. 30, 2010). Tariff-rate quotas allow countries to export specified quantities of a product to the United States at a relatively low tariff, but subject all imports of the product above a pre-determined threshold to a higher tariff.

On September 25, 2009, the Secretary of Agriculture announced sugar program provisions for FY 2010. The in-quota quantity for the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) on raw cane sugar for FY 2010 is 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 the raw cane sugar TRQ of 1,117,195 MTRV to the following countries in the quantities specified below:

Country FY 2010 Raw Cane Sugar Allocations (MTRV)
Argentina 45,281
Australia 87,402
Barbados 7,371
Belize 11,583
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 11,583
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 11,583
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

These allocations are based on the countries' historical shipments to the United States. The allocations of the raw cane sugar TRQ to countries that are net importers of sugar are conditioned on receipt of the appropriate verifications of origin, and certificates for quota eligibility must accompany imports from any country to which an allocation is provided.

On September 25, 2009, the Secretary of Agriculture announced the establishment of the in-quota quantity for the FY 2010 refined sugar TRQ at 90,039 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 quantity to which the United States is committed under the WTO Uruguay Round Agreement (22,000 MTRV, of which 1,656 MTRV is reserved for specialty sugar). USTR is allocating a total of 10,300 MTRV of refined sugar to Canada, 2,954 MTRV of refined sugar to Mexico, and 7,090 MTRV of refined sugar 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. USDA has announced that the total quantity of specialty sugar will be the 1,656 MTRV included in the WTO minimum and an additional 68,039 MTRV. The first tranche of 1,656 MTRV will open on October 20, 2009. All types of specialty sugars are eligible for entry under this tranche. The second tranche of 25,000 MTRV will open on November 10, 2009. The third, fourth, and fifth tranches of 14,346 MTRV each will open on January 12, 2010; May 17, 2010; and August 24, 2010, 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 amount of 64,709 metric tons (MT) for the TRQ on certain sugar-containing products maintained under Additional U.S. Note 8 to Chapter 17 to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, USTR is allocating 59,250 MT to Canada. The remainder is available for other countries on a first-come, first-served basis.

*Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons.