[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 25012]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11994]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
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. 63, No. 87 / Wednesday, May 6, 1998 /
Notices
[[Page 25012]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of the Secretary
Determination of Total Amount and Quota Period for Tariff-Rate
Quota for Raw Cane Sugar
agency: Office of the Secretary, USDA.
action: Notice.
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summary: This notice sets forth the establishment of the aggregate
quantity of 1,600,000 metric tons, raw value, of raw cane sugar that
may be entered under subheading 1701.11.10 during fiscal year (FY)
1998, with 400,000 metric tons subject to possible cancellation. This
notice does not affect the previously established 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: May 6, 1998.
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 Policies 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The aggregate quantity of raw cane sugar entered, or withdrawn from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), not 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 sugars, syrups 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.
The Secretary originally established the FY 1998 raw sugar TRQ at
1,800,000 metric tons raw value. Of that quantity, the U.S. Trade
Representative allocated 1,200,000 metric tons on September 17, 1997,
and the remaining 600,000 metric tons was held in reserve for the
allocation or cancellation of 200,000 metric tons in January, March,
and May. The stocks-to-use ratio published in the January 1998 World
Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report was 15.7 percent.
Because this stocks-to-use ratio is greater than 15.5 percent, 200,000
metric tons of the reserved quantity for raw cane sugar has been
canceled. The size of the raw cane TRQ is now being established at
1,600,000 metric tons. Of that quantity, 400,000 metric tons is being
held in reserve for the allocation or cancellation of 200,000 metric
tons in March and May.
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 1,600,000 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 was allocated by the United States Trade
Representative, and the remaining 400,000 metric tons will be held in
reserve.
If the stocks-to-use ratio published in the March 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
March 1998 WASDE is greater than 15.5 percent, 200,000 metric tons of
the reserved quantity for raw cane sugar will automatically be 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 automatically be canceled without
further notice.
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, Colombia, 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 March, and May blocks, they
may be entered subsequent to their allocation by the United States
Trade Representative.
Signed at Washington, DC, on April 29, 1998.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 98-11994 Filed 5-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M