[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 182 (Friday, September 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49202-49203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25071]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 182 / Friday, September 19, 1997 / 
Notices  

[[Page 49202]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary


Determination of Total Amounts and Quota Period for Tariff-Rate 
Quotas for Raw Cane Sugar and Certain Imported Sugars, Syrups, and 
Molasses

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice establishes the aggregate quantity of 1,800,000 
metric tons, raw value, or raw cane sugar that may be entered under 
subheading 1701.11.10 during fiscal year (FY) 1998, with 600,000 metric 
tons subject to possible cancellation. This notice in addition 
establishes the aggregate quantity of 50,000 metric tons (raw value 
basis) for certain sugars, syrups and molasses that may be entered 
under subheadings 1701.12.10, 1701.91.10, 1701.99.10, 1702.90.10, and 
2106.90.44 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) 
during FY 1998.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 17, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries may be mailed or delivered to the Import Policy 
and Programs Division Director, Foreign Agricultural Service, Room 
5531, South Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 
20250-1000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen Hammond (Division Director, 
Import Policy and Programs Division), 202-720-2916.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Paragraph (a)(i) of additional U.S. note 5 
to chapter 17 of the HTS provides in pertinent part as follows:

    The aggregate quantity of raw cane sugar entered, or withdrawn 
from warehouse for consumption, under subheading 1701.11.10, during 
any fiscal year, shall not exceed in the aggregate an amount 
(expressed in terms of raw value), not less than, 1,117,195 metric 
tons, as shall be established by the Secretary of Agriculture * * *, 
and the aggregate quantity of sugars, syrups and molasses entered, 
or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, under subheadings 
1701.12.10, 1701.91.10, 1701.99.10, 1702.90.10 and 2106.90.44, 
during any fiscal year, shall not exceed in the aggregate an amount 
(expressed in terms of raw value), less than 22,000 metric tons, as 
shall be established by the Secretary. With either the aggregate 
quantity for raw cane sugar or the aggregate quantity for syrups, 
sugars and molasses other than raw cane sugar, the Secretary may 
reserve a quota quantity for the importation of specialty sugars as 
defined by the United States Trade Representative.

    These provisions of paragraph (a)(i) of additional U.S. note 5 to 
chapter 17 of the HTS authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to 
establish the total amounts (expressed in terms of raw value) for 
imports of raw cane sugar and certain other sugars, syrups, and 
molasses that may be entered under the subheadings of the HTS subject 
to the lower tier of duties of the tariff-rate quotas for entry during 
the fiscal year beginning October 1.
    USDA issued a press release on July 9, 1997, soliciting comment 
regarding the FY 1998 TRQ administrative approach. Approximately 40 
comments were received. All but three of the comments were either 
neutral or supportive of the current administrative approach, although 
many suggested changes that would lead to higher or lower prices in the 
U.S. domestic market. Some suggested a change in the trigger level. 
Those suggestions ranged from a level of 13.5 percent to 17 percent, 
with the producers supporting a lower trigger level and the refiners 
and manufacturers supporting the higher end of the trigger level 
suggestions. One of the comments suggested abolishment of he TRQ, and 
two other comments suggested that USDA return to an ad hoc method of 
determining the TRQ.
    After carefully considering those comments, USDA will use a 15.5 
percent trigger for the allocation or cancellation of 600,000 metric 
tons, 200,000 tons in January, March, and May.
    Allocaitons of the quota amounts among supplying countries and 
areas will be made by the United States Trade Representative.

Notice

    Notice is hereby given that I have determined, in accordance with 
paragraph (a) of additional U.S. note 5 to chapter 17 of the HTS, that 
an aggregate quantity of up to 1,800,000 metric tons, raw value, of raw 
cane sugar described in subheading 1701.11.10 of the HTS may be entered 
or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption during the period from 
October 1, 1997, through September 30, 1998. Of this quantity, 
1,200,000 metric tons will be immediately available, to be allocated by 
the United States Trade Representative, and the remaining 600,000 
metric tons will be held in reserve.
    If the stocks-to-use ratio published in the January 1998 World 
Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) is equal to, or less 
than, 15.5 percent (rounded to the nearest tenth), an additional 
200,000 metric tons of the reserved quantity for raw cane sugar will be 
available for allocation. If the stocks-to-use ratio published in the 
January 1998 WASDE is greater than 15.5 percent, 200,000 metric tons of 
the reserved quantity for raw cane sugar will be automatically canceled 
without further notice.
    If the stocks-to-use ratio published in the March 1998 WASDE is 
equal to, or less than, 15.5 percent, an additional 200,000 metric tons 
of the reserved quantity for raw cane sugar will be available for 
allocation. If the stocks-to-use ratio published in the March 1998 
WASDE is greater than 15.5 percent, 200,000 metric tons of the reserved 
quantity for raw cane sugar will be automatically canceled without 
further notice.
    If the stocks-to-use ratio published in the May 1998 WASDE is equal 
to, or less than, 15.5 percent, an additional 200,000 metric tons of 
the reserved quantity for raw cane sugar will be available for 
allocation. If the stocks-to-use ratio published in the May 1998 WASDE 
is greater than 15.5 percent, 200,000 metric tons of the reserved 
quantity for raw cane sugar will be automatically canceled without 
further notice.
    I have further determined that an aggregate quantity of up to 
50,000 metric tons, raw value, of certain sugars, syrups, and molasses 
described in subheadings 1701.12.10, 1701.91.10, 1701.99.10, 
1702.90.10, and 2106.90.44 of the HTS may be entered or withdrawn from 
warehouse for consumption during the period from October 1, 1997 
through September 30, 1998. I have further determined that out of this 
quantity of 50,000 metric tons,

[[Page 49203]]

the quantity of 4,656 metric tons, raw value, is reserved for the 
importation of specialty sugars. These quota amounts may be allocated 
among supplying countries and areas by the United States Trade 
Representative.
    I will issue Certificates of Quota Eligibility (CQEs) to allow the 
Philippines, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic to ship up to 25 
percent of each country's allocation at the low-tier tariff during each 
quarter of FY 1998. Australia, Guatemala, Argentina, Peru, Panama, El 
Salvador, Columbia, South Africa, and Nicaragua will be allowed to ship 
up to 50 percent of their initial allocations in the first six months 
of FY 1998. Unentered allocations, during any quarter or six month 
period, may be entered in any subsequent period. For all other 
countries, CQEs corresponding to each country's allocation may be 
entered at the low-tier tariff at any time during the fiscal year. 
Should country allocations result from the January, March, and May 
blocks, they may be entered subsequent to their allocation by USTR.
    Mexico's North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) access to the 
U.S. market is established at 25,000 metric tons raw value (27,558 
short tons raw value). That access will be for either raw or refined 
sugar, but total access under the refined sugar allocation and the raw-
sugar allocation is not to exceed 25,000 metric tons. Mexico's NAFTA 
access for either raw or refined sugar is established in Annex 703.2.

    Signed at Washington, DC on September 16, 1997.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 97-25071 Filed 9-17-97; 12:46 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M