[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 134 (Friday, July 14, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32599-32600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14827]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Fiscal Year 2018 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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is 
providing notice of country-by-country allocations of the Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2018 (October 1, 2017 through Sept. 30, 2018) in-quota quantity of 
the tariff-rate quotas for imported raw cane sugar, certain sugars, 
syrups and molasses (also known as refined sugar), specialty sugar, and 
sugar-containing products.

DATES: This notice is effective on July 14, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald Baumgarten, Office of 
Agricultural Affairs, (202) 395-9583 or [email protected].

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 under Presidential Proclamation 6763 (60 FR 
1007).
    On June 30, 2017, the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) 
announced the sugar program provisions for FY2018. See 82 FR 29822. The 
Secretary announced an in-quota quantity of the TRQ for raw cane sugar 
for FY2018 of 1,117,195 metric tons raw value (MTRV) (conversion 
factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons), which is the minimum 
amount to which the United States is committed under the World Trade 
Organization (WTO) Uruguay Round Agreements. USTR is allocating this 
quantity (1,117,195 MTRV) to the following countries in the amounts 
specified below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            FY2018 Raw
                                                            cane sugar
                         Country                            allocations
                                                              (MTRV)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argentina...............................................          45,281
Australia...............................................          87,402
Barbados................................................           7,371
Belize..................................................          11,584
Bolivia.................................................           8,424
Brazil..................................................         152,691
Colombia................................................          25,273
Congo...................................................           7,258
Costa Rica..............................................          15,796
Cote d'Ivoire...........................................           7,258
Dominican Republic......................................         185,335
Ecuador.................................................          11,584
El Salvador.............................................          27,379
Fiji....................................................           9,477
Gabon...................................................           7,258
Guatemala...............................................          50,546
Guyana..................................................          12,636
Haiti...................................................           7,258
Honduras................................................          10,530
India...................................................           8,424
Jamaica.................................................          11,584
Madagascar..............................................           7,258
Malawi..................................................          10,530
Mauritius...............................................          12,636
Mexico..................................................           7,258
Mozambique..............................................          13,690
Nicaragua...............................................          22,114
Panama..................................................          30,538
Papua New Guinea........................................           7,258
Paraguay................................................           7,258
Peru....................................................          43,175
Philippines.............................................         142,160
South Africa............................................          24,220
St. Kitts & Nevis.......................................           7,258
Swaziland...............................................          16,849
Taiwan..................................................          12,636
Thailand................................................          14,743
Trinidad & Tobago.......................................           7,371
Uruguay.................................................           7,258
Zimbabwe................................................          12,636
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    USTR based these allocations on the countries' 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 June 30, 2017, the Secretary also announced the establishment of 
the in-quota quantity of the FY2018 refined sugar TRQ at 182,000 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 level to which the United States is committed under the WTO 
Uruguay Round Agreements (22,000 MTRV of which 1,656 MTRV is reserved 
for specialty sugar) and an additional 160,000 MTRV for specialty 
sugars. USTR is allocating the refined sugar TRQ as follows: 10,300 
MTRV of refined sugar to Canada, 2,954 MTRV to Mexico, and 7,090 MTRV 
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 in the WTO minimum plus an additional 160,000 MTRV. The 
first tranche of 1,656 MTRV will open on October 2, 2017. All types of 
specialty sugars are eligible for entry under this tranche. The second 
tranche of 48,000 MTRV will open on October 18, 2017. 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.
    With respect to the in-quota quantity of 64,709 MTRV of the TRQ for 
imports

[[Page 32600]]

of certain sugar-containing products maintained under Additional U.S. 
Note 8 to chapter 17 of the HTS, USTR is allocating 59,250 MTRV to 
Canada. The remainder, 5,459 MTRV, 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 FY2018 TRQs may enter the United States as of October 2, 
2017.

Robert E. Lighthizer
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2017-14827 Filed 7-13-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3290-F7-P