[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 175 (Monday, September 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 55451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22134]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 175 / Monday, September 10, 2012 / 
Notices  

[[Page 55451]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary


Determination of Total Amounts of Fiscal Year 2013 Tariff-Rate 
Quotas for Raw Cane Sugar and Certain Sugars, Syrups and Molasses; and 
the Fiscal Year 2013 Overall Allotment Quantity Under the Sugar 
Marketing Allotment Program

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture 
announces the establishment of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 (October 1, 
2012-September 30, 2013) in-quota aggregate quantity of the raw, as 
well as, refined and specialty sugar Tariff-Rate Quotas (TRQ). The FY 
2013 raw cane sugar TRQ is established at 1,117,195 metric tons raw 
value (MTRV). In addition, the in-quota aggregate quantity of the 
refined and specialty sugar TRQ is established at 117,254 MTRV for 
certain sugars, syrups, and molasses (collectively referred to as 
refined sugar) that may be entered during FY 2013.
    The Office of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture also 
announces the establishment of the FY 2013 Overall Allotment Quantity 
(OAQ) at 9,711,250 short tons, raw value (STRV). As required by the 
Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended, the sugar beet sector 
was allotted 5,278,064 STRV (54.35 percent of the OAQ), and the cane 
sugar sector was allotted 4,433,186 STRV (45.65 percent of the OAQ). 
CCC will distribute the sector allotments among domestic sugar beet and 
sugarcane processors according to the regulations in 7 CFR part 1435 in 
a press release before September 30, 2012.

DATES: Effective Date: September 10, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Souleymane Diaby, Import Policies and 
Export Reporting Division, Foreign Agricultural Service, Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., AgStop 1021, Washington, DC 
20250-1021; by telephone (202) 720-2916; by fax (202) 720-0876; or by 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The provisions of paragraph (a)(i) of the 
Additional U.S. Note 5, Chapter 17 in the HTS authorize the Secretary 
of Agriculture to establish the in-quota TRQ amounts (expressed in 
terms of raw value) for imports of raw cane sugar and certain sugars, 
syrups, and molasses that may be entered under the subheadings of the 
HTS subject to the lower tier of duties of the TRQs for entry during 
each fiscal year. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is 
responsible for the allocation of these quantities among supplying 
countries and areas.
    Section 359(k) of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as 
amended, requires that at the beginning of the quota year the Secretary 
of Agriculture establish the TRQs for raw cane sugar and refined sugars 
at the minimum levels necessary to comply with obligations under 
international trade agreements, with the exception of specialty sugar.
    Notice is hereby given that I have determined, in accordance with 
paragraph (a)(i) of the Additional U.S. Note 5, Chapter 17 in the HTS 
and section 359(k) of the 1938 Act, that an aggregate quantity of up to 
1,117,195 MTRV of raw cane sugar may be entered or withdrawn from 
warehouse for consumption during FY 2013. This is the minimum amount to 
which the United States is committed under the WTO Uruguay Round 
Agreements. I have further determined that an aggregate quantity of 
117,254 MTRV of sugars, syrups, and molasses may be entered or 
withdrawn from warehouse for consumption during FY 2013. Of this 
quantity of 117,254 MTRV, the quantity of 96,910 MTRV is reserved for 
the importation of specialty sugars as defined by the USTR. The total 
of 117,254 MTRV includes the 22,000 MTRV minimum level necessary to 
comply with U.S. WTO Uruguay Round commitments, of which 1,656 MTRV is 
reserved for specialty sugar. Because the specialty sugar TRQ is first-
come, first-served, tranches are needed to allow for orderly marketing 
throughout the year. The FY 2013 specialty sugar TRQ will be opened in 
five tranches. The first tranche, totaling 1,656 MTRV, will open 
October 12, 2012. All specialty sugars are eligible for entry under 
this tranche. The second tranche will open on October 26, 2012, and be 
equal to 35,245 MTRV. The remaining tranches will each be equal to 
20,003 MTRV, with the third opening on January 11, 2013; the fourth, on 
April 11, 2013; and the fifth, on July 11, 2013. The second, third, 
fourth, and fifth tranches will be reserved for organic sugar and other 
specialty sugars not currently produced commercially in the United 
States or reasonably available from domestic sources.
    Section 359c of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as 
amended, requires that the OAQ be established at not less than 85 
percent of the estimated quantity of sugar for domestic human 
consumption for the crop year, and that fixed percentages of the OAQ be 
assigned to the beet sector and cane sector. The OAQ for FY 2013 is 
being established at the minimum quantity of 9,711,250 STRV. Based on 
the required beet sector and cane sector percentages of 54.35 and 46.65 
respectively, the sugar beet sector is allotted 5,278,064 STRV and cane 
sector is allotted 4,433,186 STRV for FY 2013.
    The cane sector allotment is allocated to the sugarcane States 
according to provisions in the sugar program, as follows: Hawaii--
245,499 STRV; Florida--2,250,786 STRV; Louisiana--1,741,236 and Texas--
195,665 STRV. Company allocations will be announced in a press release 
before September 30, 2012.
    * Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons.

    Dated: August 24, 2012.
Michael T. Scuse,
Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services.
[FR Doc. 2012-22134 Filed 9-7-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-P