[Federal Register: October 6, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 192)] [Notices] [Page 51361-51362] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr06oc09-119] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE Fiscal Year 2010 Tariff-Rate Quota Allocations for Raw Cane Sugar, Refined and Specialty Sugar, and Sugar-Containing Products AGENCY: 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) 2010 in-quota quantity of the tariff-rate quotas for imported raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar, and sugar-containing products. DATES: Effective Date: October 6, 2009. ADDRESSES: Inquiries may be mailed or delivered to Leslie O'Connor, Director of Agricultural Affairs, Office of Agricultural Affairs, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leslie O'Connor, Office of Agricultural Affairs, telephone: 202-395-6127 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. [[Page 51362]] The President delegated this authority to the United States Trade Representative under Presidential Proclamation 6763 (60 FR 1007). On September 25, 2009, the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) announced the sugar program provisions for fiscal year (FY) 2010 (Oct. 1, 2009, through Sept. 30, 2010). The Secretary announced an in-quota quantity of the TRQ for raw cane sugar for FY 2010 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: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FY 2010 Raw Cane Sugar Country 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 in-quota quantities 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 for which an allocation has been provided. On September 25, 2009, the Secretary announced the establishment of the in-quota quantity of 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 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 68,039 MTRV for specialty sugars. 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. 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 68,039 MTRV. The first tranche of 1,656 MTRV will open 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 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. * Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons. Ronald Kirk, United States Trade Representative. [FR Doc. E9-23582 Filed 10-5-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3190-WP-P
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