Office of the Secretary August 2, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture is providing notice of an increase in the fiscal year (FY) 2011 specialty sugar tariff-rate quota (TRQ) of 9,072 metric tons raw value (MTRV). The Secretary also announces the establishment of the FY 2012 in-quota aggregate quantity of the raw, as well as, refined and specialty sugar TRQ as required under the U.S. World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments. The FY 2012 raw cane sugar TRQ is established at 1,117,195 MTRV that may be entered under subheading 1701.11.10 of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) during FY 2012 (October 1, 2011- September 30, 2012). In addition, the in-quota aggregate quantity of the refined and specialty sugar TRQ is established at 112,718 MTRV for certain sugars, syrups, and molasses (collectively referred to as refined sugar) that may be entered under subheadings 1701.12.10, 1701.91.10, 1701.99.10, 1702.90.10, and 2106.90.44 of the HTS during FY 2012. The Secretary also today announced that sugar entering the United States under the FY 2012 raw sugar import TRQ will be permitted to enter U.S. Customs territory beginning September 1, 2011, a month earlier than the usual first entry date of October 1. This latter action is in response to increased tightness in the U.S. raw sugar market. Additional U.S. Note 5(a) (iv) of Chapter 17 of the HTS authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to permit sugar allocated under a given quota period to be entered in a previous or subsequent quota year period.