[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10093-10094]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2737]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Revised Fiscal Year 2006 Tariff-rate Quota Allocations for Raw 
Cane Sugar and Refined Sugar

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

[[Page 10094]]


ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is 
providing notice of additional country-by-country allocations of the 
in-quota quantity of the tariff-rate quotas for imported raw cane sugar 
and refined sugar for the period October 1, 2005 through September 30, 
2006 (FY 2006). In addition, USTR is providing notice of country-by-
country re-allocations of the FY 2006 in-quota quantity of the tariff-
rate quota for imported raw cane sugar.

DATES: Effective Date: February 28, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries may be mailed or delivered to Jason Hafemeister, 
Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, Office of Agricultural 
Affairs, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Hafemeister, Office of 
Agricultural Affairs, telephone: 202-395-6127 or facsimile: 202-395-
4579.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Additional U.S. Note 5 to 
chapter 17 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(HTS), the United States maintains a tariff-rate quota for imports of 
raw cane sugar and refined sugar.
    Section 404(d)(3) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 
3601(d)(3)) authorizes the President to allocate the in-quota quantity 
of a tariff-rate quota for any agricultural product among supplying 
countries or customs areas. The President delegated this authority to 
the United States Trade Representative under Presidential Proclamation 
6763 (60 FR 1007).
    On February 2, 2006, the Secretary of Agriculture increased the in-
quota quantity of the tariff-rate quota for raw cane sugar for FY 2006 
by 226,796 metric tons * raw value. USTR is allocating this increased 
quantity. Further, USTR is re-allocating 35,126 metric tons raw value 
of the FY 2006 tariff-rate quota allocations that will not be used by 
certain countries. The total quantity of the raw sugar allocations 
(i.e., the additional allocation and the re-allocation) of 261,922 
metric tons raw value is being allocated to the following countries:
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    * Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons.

                  FY 2006 Additional and Re-Allocations
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                                                            Metric tons
                         Country                             raw value
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Argentina...............................................          15,461
Australia...............................................          29,844
Belize..................................................           3,955
Bolivia.................................................           2,877
Brazil..................................................          52,138
Colombia................................................           8,630
Costa Rica..............................................           5,394
Ecuador.................................................           3,955
El Salvador.............................................           9,349
Guatemala...............................................          17,259
Guyana..................................................           4,315
Honduras................................................           3,596
Jamaica.................................................           3,955
Malawi..................................................           3,596
Mauritius...............................................           4,315
Mozambique..............................................           4,674
Nicaragua...............................................           7,551
Panama..................................................          10,428
Peru....................................................          14,742
Philippines.............................................          30,000
South Africa............................................           8,270
Swaziland...............................................           5,753
Thailand................................................           5,034
Trinidad & Tobago.......................................           2,517
Zimbabwe................................................           4,315
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    These allocations are based on the countries' historical shipments 
to the United States, excluding countries that are unable to ship 
additional sugar. The allocations of the raw cane sugar tariff-rate 
quota to countries that are net importers of sugar are conditioned on 
receipt of the appropriate verifications of origin. All other country 
raw cane sugar allocations, other than for those countries that are 
unable to ship additional sugar, remain unchanged from those announced 
on August 30, 2005 and December 9, 2005.
    On February 2, 2006, the Secretary of Agriculture increased the in-
quota quantity of the tariff-rate quota for refined sugar for FY 2006 
by 226,796 metric tons raw value, none of which is for specialty 
sugars. A total of 25,000 metric tons raw value is being allocated to 
Canada and 59,349 metric tons raw value is being allocated to Mexico. 
The remaining 142,447 metric tons raw value of the in-quota quantity 
may be supplied by any country on a first-come, first-served basis, 
subject to any other provision of law. The certificate of quota 
eligibility is required for sugar entering under the tariff-rate quota 
for refined sugar that is the product of a country that has been 
allocated a share of the tariff-rate quota for refined sugar.

Rob Portman,
United States Trade Representative.
 [FR Doc. E6-2737 Filed 2-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W6-P