[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 125 (Friday, June 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 29822]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13781]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary


Determination of Total Amounts of Fiscal Year 2018 WTO Tariff-
Rate Quotas for Raw Cane Sugar and Certain Sugars, Syrups and Molasses

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture 
(the Secretary) announces the establishment of the Fiscal Year (FY) 
2018 (October 1, 2017-September 30, 2018) in-quota aggregate quantity 
of raw cane sugar at 1,117,195 metric tons raw value (MTRV), and the 
establishment of the FY 2018 in-quota aggregate quantity of certain 
sugars, syrups, and molasses (also referred to as refined sugar) at 
182,000 MTRV.

DATES: Effective Date: June 30, 2017.

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 U.S. Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule (HTS) authorize the Secretary to establish the in-quota 
tariff-rate 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 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 2018. 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 
182,000 MTRV of sugars, syrups, and molasses may be entered or 
withdrawn from warehouse for consumption during FY 2018. This quantity 
includes the minimum amount to which the United States is committed 
under the WTO Uruguay Round Agreements, 22,000 MTRV, of which 20,344 
MTRV is established for any sugars, syrups and molasses, and 1,656 MTRV 
is reserved for specialty sugar. An additional amount of 160,000 MTRV 
is added to the specialty sugar TRQ for a total of 161,656 MTRV.
    Because the specialty sugar TRQ is first-come, first-served, 
tranches are needed to allow for orderly marketing throughout the year. 
The FY 2018 specialty sugar TRQ will be opened in five tranches. The 
first tranche, totaling 1,656 MTRV, will open October 2, 2017. All 
specialty sugars are eligible for entry under this tranche. The second 
tranche will open on October 18, 2017, and be equal to 48,000 MTRV. The 
third tranche of 48,000 MTRV will open on January 23, 2018. The fourth 
and fifth tranches of 32,000 MTRV each will open on April 17, 2018, and 
July 17, 2018, 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.
    * Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons.

    Dated: June 21, 2017.
Jason Hafemeister,
Acting Deputy Under Secretary, Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs.
    Dated: June 22, 2017.
Robert Johansson,
Acting Under Secretary, Farm Production and Conservation.
[FR Doc. 2017-13781 Filed 6-29-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P