[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 183 (Tuesday, September 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50553-50554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25292]


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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. 63, No. 183 / Tuesday, September 22, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 50553]]


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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 1,614,937 
metric tons, raw value, of raw cane sugar that may be entered under 
subheading 1701.11.10 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
States (HTS) during fiscal year (FY) 1999, with 450,000 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 HTS during FY 1999.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 22, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries may be mailed or delivered to the Import Policy 
and Programs Division Director, Foreign Agricultural Service, Ag Stop 
1021, South Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 
20250-1021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Williams (Team Leader, 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    The aggregate quantity of raw cane sugar entered, or withdrawn 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), 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 can 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 (TRQs) for entry 
during the fiscal year beginning October 1.
    USDA issued a news release on June 29, 1998, soliciting comments 
regarding the FY 1999 TRQ administrative approach. Approximately 30 
comments were received. Most of the comments were 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 for the allocation or 
cancellation of the reserved TRQ quantity. Those suggestions ranged 
from a level of 13.5 percent to 20.5 percent, with the producers 
supporting a lower trigger level and the refiners and manufacturers 
supporting a higher trigger level. One of the comments suggested 
abolishment of the current TRQ administrative approach, recommending a 
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 450,000 metric 
tons, 150,000 tons respectively, in January, March and May.
    Allocations 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 1,614,937 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, 1998, through September 30, 1999. Of this quantity, 
1,164,937 metric tons will be immediately available, to be allocated by 
the United States Trade Representative, and the remaining 450,000 
metric tons will be held in reserve.
    If the stocks-to-use ratio published in the January 1999 World 
Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) is equal to, or less 
than, 15.5 percent (rounded to the nearest tenth), an additional 
150,000 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 1999 WASDE is greater than 15.5 (rounded to the nearest tenth), 
150,000 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 1999 WASDE is 
equal to, or less than, 15.5 percent (rounded to the nearest tenth), an 
additional 150,000 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 1999 WASDE is greater than 15.5 percent (rounded 
to the nearest tenth), 150,000 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 1999 WASDE is equal 
to, or less than, 15.5 percent (rounded to the nearest tenth), an 
additional 150,000 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 1999 WASDE is greater than 15.5 percent (rounded 
to the nearest tenth), 150,000 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

[[Page 50554]]

withdrawn from warehouse for consumption during the period from October 
1, 1998 through September 30, 1999. I have further determined that out 
of this quantity of 50,000 metric tons, the quantity of 4,656 metric 
tons, raw value, is reserved for the importation of specialty sugars. 
These TRQ 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 their respective initial country allocations at the low-tier 
tariff during each quarter of FY 1999. Australia, Guatemala, Argentina, 
Peru, Panama, El Salvador, Colombia, South Africa, and Nicaragua will 
be allowed to ship up to 50 percent of their respective initial country 
allocations in the first 6 months of FY 1999. Unentered allocations, 
during any quarter or six month period, may be entered in any 
subsequent period. For all other countries, CQEs corresponding to their 
respective country allocations may be entered at the low-tier tariff at 
any time during the fiscal year. If additional country allocations 
result from the January, March, and May blocks of the reserved TRQ 
quantity, they may be entered subsequent to their announcement by the 
United States Trade Representative.
    Mexico's North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) access to the 
U.S. market is established at 25,000 metric 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, 1998.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 98-25292 Filed 9-21-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M