[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 135 (Monday, July 15, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33798-33799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-14938]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Fiscal Year 2020 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) 2020 in-quota quantity of the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) 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 applicable on July 15, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dylan Daniels, Office of Agricultural

[[Page 33799]]

Affairs at 202-395-6095 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Additional U.S. Note 5 to 
Chapter 17 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(HTSUS), the United States maintains TRQs for imports of raw cane and 
refined sugar. Pursuant to Additional U.S. Note 8 to Chapter 17 of the 
HTSUS, the United States maintains TRQs 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 U.S. Trade 
Representative under Presidential Proclamation 6763 (60 FR 1007).
    On June 27, 2019, the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) 
announced the sugar program provisions for FY 2020. The Secretary 
announced an in-quota quantity of the TRQ for raw cane sugar for FY 
2020 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. The U.S. Trade Representative is 
allocating this quantity (1,117,195 MTRV) to the following countries in 
the amounts specified below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            FY 2020 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
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The U.S. Trade Representative 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 27, 2019, the Secretary also announced the establishment of 
the in-quota quantity of the FY 2020 refined sugar TRQ at 192,000 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 Uruguay 
Round Agreements (22,000 MTRV of which 1,656 MTRV is reserved for 
specialty sugar) and an additional 170,000 MTRV for specialty sugars. 
The U.S. Trade Representative 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 170,000 MTRV. The 
first tranche of 1,656 MTRV will open October 1, 2019. All types of 
specialty sugars are eligible for entry under this tranche. The second 
tranche of 50,000 MTRV will open on October 9, 2019. The third tranche 
of 50,000 MTRV will open on January 22, 2020. The fourth tranche of 
35,000 MTRV will open on April 15, 2020. The fifth tranche of 35,000 
MTRV will open on July 15, 2020. 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 of certain sugar-containing products maintained under 
Additional U.S. Note 8 to chapter 17 of the HTSUS, the U.S. Trade 
Representative 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 FY 2020 TRQs may enter the United States as of October 1, 
2019.

Gregory Doud,
Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade 
Representative.
[FR Doc. 2019-14938 Filed 7-12-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3290-F9-P