[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 144 (Friday, July 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60673-60674]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16487]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Fiscal Year 2025 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 is 
providing notice of allocations of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 (October 
1, 2024 through September 30, 2025) in-quota quantity of the tariff-
rate quotas (TRQs) for imported raw cane sugar, certain sugars, syrups 
and molasses (also known as refined sugar), specialty sugar, and sugar-
containing products.

DATES: The changes made by this notice are applicable as of July 26, 
2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Nicholson, Office of Agricultural 
Affairs, at 202-395-9419, 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 sugar 
and refined sugar. Pursuant to Additional U.S. Note 8 to Chapter 17 of 
the HTSUS, 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 U.S. Trade 
Representative under Presidential Proclamations 6763 (60 FR 1007) and 
7235 (64 FR 55611).
    On June 14, 2024, the Acting Administrator of the Foreign 
Agricultural Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(Administrator) announced the sugar program provisions for FY2025. The 
Administrator announced an in-quota quantity of the TRQ for raw cane 
sugar for FY2025 of 1,117,195 metric tons raw value (MTRV) (conversion 
factor: 1 metric ton raw value = 1.10231125 short tons raw value), 
which is the minimum amount to which the United States is committed 
under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement. The U.S. Trade 
Representative is allocating this quantity (1,117,195 MTRV) to the 
following countries in the amounts specified below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            FY 2025 TRQ
                                                            allocations
                         Country                           (metric tons
                                                            raw value)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argentina...............................................          46,260
Australia...............................................          89,293
Barbados................................................           7,531
Belize..................................................          11,834
Bolivia.................................................           8,606
Brazil..................................................         155,993
Colombia................................................          25,819
Congo (Brazzaville).....................................           7,258
Costa Rica..............................................          16,137
Cote d'Ivoire...........................................           7,258
Dominican Republic......................................         189,343
Ecuador.................................................          11,834
El Salvador.............................................          27,971
Eswatini (Swaziland)....................................          17,213
Fiji....................................................           9,682
Gabon...................................................           7,258
Guatemala...............................................          51,639
Guyana..................................................          12,910
Haiti...................................................           7,258
Honduras................................................          10,758
India...................................................           8,606
Jamaica.................................................          11,834
Madagascar..............................................           7,258
Malawi..................................................          10,758
Mauritius...............................................          12,910
Mexico..................................................           7,258
Mozambique..............................................          13,986
Panama..................................................          31,199
Papua New Guinea........................................           7,258
Paraguay................................................           7,258
Peru....................................................          44,108
Philippines.............................................         145,235
South Africa............................................          24,744
St. Kitts & Nevis.......................................           7,258
Taiwan..................................................          12,910
Thailand................................................          15,061
Trinidad-Tobago.........................................           7,531
Uruguay.................................................           7,258
Zimbabwe................................................          12,910
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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. Certificates for 
quota eligibility must accompany imports from any country for which an 
allocation has been provided.
    On June 14, 2024, the Administrator also announced the 
establishment of the in-quota quantity of the FY2025 refined sugar TRQ 
at 232,000 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 Agreement (22,000 MTRV of which 1,656 MTRV is 
reserved for specialty sugar) and an additional 210,000 MTRV for 
specialty sugars. The U.S. Trade Representative is allocating the 
refined sugar TRQ as follows: 10,300 MTRV 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 Administrator has 
announced that the total in-quota quantity of specialty sugar will be 
the 1,656 MTRV reserved within the WTO minimum commitment plus an 
additional 210,000 MTRV. The first tranche of 1,656 MTRV will open on 
October 1, 2024. All types of specialty sugars are eligible for entry 
under this tranche. The second tranche of 75,000 MTRV will open on 
October 8, 2024. The third tranche of 45,000 MTRV will open on January 
21, 2025. The fourth tranche of 45,000 MTRV will open on

[[Page 60674]]

April 14, 2025. The fifth tranche of 45,000 MTRV will open on July 14, 
2025. 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 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 metric tons to Canada. The 
remainder of the in-quota quantity, 5,459 metric tons, is available for 
other countries on a first-come, first-served basis.
    Raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar, and sugar-containing 
products for FY2025 TRQs may enter the United States as of October 1, 
2024.

Douglas McKalip,
Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade 
Representative.
[FR Doc. 2024-16487 Filed 7-25-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3390-F4-P