[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 19, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32922-32923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-15412]


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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 1,360,983 
metric tons raw value of sugar that may be entered under the provisions 
of additional U.S. Note 5 (a) of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 
United States (HTS) during fiscal year (FY) 2001. The following 
quantities are established for entry: 1,117,195 metric tons raw value 
of raw sugar under subheading 1701.11.10 of the HTS; 38,000 metric tons 
raw value of certain sugars, syrups, and molasses under subheadings 
1701.12.10, 1701.91.10, 1701.99.10, 1702.90.10, and 2106.90.44; 105,788 
metric tons raw value of sugar from Mexico in accordance with the terms 
of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); and 100,000

[[Page 32923]]

metric tons raw value that will be held in reserve.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 19, 2001.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Blabey (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    The aggregate quantity of raw cane sugar entered, or withdrawn 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withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, under subheading 
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 U.S. 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. Allocations of the quota 
amounts among supplying countries and areas will be made by the United 
States Trade Representative.

Notice

    I hereby give notice, in accordance with paragraph (a)(i) of 
additional U.S. note 5 to chapter 17 of the HTS, that an aggregate 
quantity of up to 1,222,983 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, 2000, through September 30, 2001. This TRQ amount may be allocated 
among supplying countries and areas by the United States Trade 
Representative
    I will issue Certificates of Quota Eligibility (CQEs) to allow 
Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and the Philippines to ship up to 25 
percent of their respective initial country allocations at the low-tier 
tariff during each quarter of FY 2001. Argentina, Australia, Guatemala, 
and Peru will be allowed to ship up to 50 percent of their respective 
initial country allocations in the first 6 months of FY 2001. 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.
    I have further determined that an aggregate quantity of up to 
143,788 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, 2000 
through September 30, 2001. I have further determined that out of this 
quantity of 143,788 metric tons, the quantity of 17,656 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.
    The NAFTA portion of Mexico's access to the U.S. market is 
established at 105,788 metric tons raw value. Mexico's NAFTA access for 
either raw or refined sugar is established in Annex 703.2.
    A reserve quantity of 100,000 metric tons raw value is established. 
The raw or refined sugar TRQs may increased by this quantity, if 
needed. If additional country allocations result from the reserved TRQ 
quantity, they may be entered subsequent to their announcement by the 
United States Trade Representative.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on June 11, 2001.
Ann M. Veneman,
Secretary of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 01-15412 Filed 6-18-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P