[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 180 (Monday, September 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57180-57181]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22868]


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OFFICE OF THE TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Fiscal Year 2013 Tariff-rate Quota Allocations for Raw Cane 
Sugar, Refined and Specialty Sugar, and Sugar-Containing Products

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is 
providing notice of country-by-country allocations of the Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2013 in-quota quantity of the tariff-rate quotas for imported raw 
cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar, and sugar-containing products.

DATES: Effective Date: October 1, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries may be mailed or delivered to Ann Heilman-Dahl, 
Director of Agricultural Affairs, Office of Agricultural Affairs, 
Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Heilman-Dahl, 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 tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for 
imports of raw cane sugar and refined sugar. Pursuant to Additional 
U.S. Note 8 to Chapter 17 of the HTS, the United States maintains a TRQ 
for imports of sugar-containing products.
    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 TRQ for any agricultural product among supplying countries or 
customs areas. The President delegated this authority to the United 
States Trade Representative in Presidential Proclamation 6763 (60 FR 
1007).
    On September 10, 2012, the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) 
announced the sugar program provisions for fiscal year (FY) 2013 (Oct. 
1, 2012, through Sept. 30, 2013). The Secretary announced an in-quota 
quantity of the TRQ for raw cane sugar for FY 2013 of 1,117,195 metric 
tons* raw value (MTRV), which is the minimum amount to which the United 
States is committed to provide access for under the World Trade 
Organization (WTO) Agreement. USTR is allocating this quantity 
(1,117,195 MTRV) to the following countries in the amounts specified 
below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            FY 2013 Raw
                                                            cane sugar
                         Country                            allocations
                                                              (MTRV)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argentina...............................................          46,154
Australia...............................................          89,087
Barbados................................................           7,513
Belize..................................................          11,807
Bolivia.................................................           8,587
Brazil..................................................         155,634
Colombia................................................          25,760
Congo...................................................           7,258
Costa Rica..............................................          16,100
Cote d'Ivoire...........................................           7,258
Dominican Republic......................................         188,908
Ecuador.................................................          11,807
El Salvador.............................................          27,907
Fiji....................................................           9,660
Gabon...................................................           7,258
Guatemala...............................................          51,520
Guyana..................................................          12,880
Haiti...................................................           7,258
Honduras................................................          10,733
India...................................................           8,587
Jamaica.................................................          11,807
Madagascar..............................................           7,258
Malawi..................................................          10,733
Mauritius...............................................          12,880
Mozambique..............................................          13,953
Nicaragua...............................................          22,540
Panama..................................................          31,127
Papua New Guinea........................................           7,258
Paraguay................................................           7,258
Peru....................................................          44,007
Philippines.............................................         144,901
South Africa............................................          24,687
St. Kitts & Nevis.......................................           7,258
Swaziland...............................................          17,174
Thailand................................................          15,027
Trinidad & Tobago.......................................           7,513
Uruguay.................................................           7,258
Zimbabwe................................................          12,880
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 57181]]

    These allocations are based on each country's historical shipments 
to the United States. The allocations of the in-quota quantities of the 
raw cane sugar TRQ to countries that are net importers of sugar are 
conditioned on receipt of the appropriate verifications of origin, and 
certificates for quota eligibility must accompany imports from any 
country for which an allocation has been provided.
    On September 10, 2012, the Secretary announced the establishment of 
the in-quota quantity of the FY 2013 refined sugar TRQ at 117,254 MTRV 
for which the sucrose content, by weight in the dry state, must have a 
polarimeter reading of 99.5 degrees or more. This amount includes the 
minimum amount to which the United States committed to provide market 
access under the WTO Agreement (22,000 MTRV of which 1,656 MTRV is 
reserved for specialty sugar) and an additional 95,254 MTRV for 
specialty sugars. USTR is allocating 12,050 MTRV of refined sugar to 
Canada and 8,294 MTRV of refined sugar to be administered on a first-
come, first-served basis.
    Imports of all specialty sugar will be administered on a first-
come, first-served basis in five tranches. The Secretary has announced 
that the total in-quota quantity of specialty sugar will be the 1,656 
MTRV included under the U.S. WTO commitment plus an additional 95,254 
MTRV. The first tranche of 1,656 MTRV will open October 12, 2012. All 
types of specialty sugars are eligible for entry under this tranche. 
The second tranche of 35,245 MTRV will open on October 26, 2012. The 
third, fourth, and fifth tranches of 20,003 MTRV each will open on 
January 11, 2013, April 11, 2013 and July 11, 2013, respectively. 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.
    With respect to the in-quota quantity of 64,709 metric tons (MT) of 
the TRQ for imports of certain sugar-containing products maintained 
under Additional U.S. Note 8 to Chapter 17 of the HTS, USTR is 
allocating 59,250 MT to Canada. The remainder, 5,459 MT, of the in-
quota quantity is available for other countries on a first-come, first-
served basis.
    Raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar and sugar-containing 
products for FY 2013 TRQs may enter the United States as of October 1, 
2012.

    *Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons.

Ron Kirk,
Ambassador, United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2012-22868 Filed 9-14-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W2-P