[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 6, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51361-51362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-23582]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Fiscal Year 2010 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) 2010 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 6, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries may be mailed or delivered to Leslie O'Connor, 
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: Leslie O'Connor, 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.

[[Page 51362]]

The President delegated this authority to the United States Trade 
Representative under Presidential Proclamation 6763 (60 FR 1007).
    On September 25, 2009, the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) 
announced the sugar program provisions for fiscal year (FY) 2010 (Oct. 
1, 2009, through Sept. 30, 2010). The Secretary announced an in-quota 
quantity of the TRQ for raw cane sugar for FY 2010 of 1,117,195 metric 
tons* raw value (MTRV), 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:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            FY 2010 Raw
                                                            Cane Sugar
                         Country                            Allocations
                                                              (MTRV)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argentina...............................................          45,281
Australia...............................................          87,402
Barbados................................................           7,371
Belize..................................................          11,583
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.................................................          11,583
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.................................................          11,583
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
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    These allocations are based 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 September 25, 2009, the Secretary announced the establishment of 
the in-quota quantity of the FY 2010 refined sugar TRQ at 90,039 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 68,039 MTRV for specialty 
sugars. USTR is allocating a total of 10,300 MTRV of refined sugar to 
Canada, 2,954 MTRV of refined sugar to Mexico, and 7,090 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 in the WTO minimum plus an additional 68,039 MTRV. The 
first tranche of 1,656 MTRV will open October 20, 2009. All types of 
specialty sugars are eligible for entry under this tranche. The second 
tranche of 25,000 MTRV will open on November 10, 2009. The third, 
fourth, and fifth tranches of 14,346 MTRV each will open on January 12, 
2010, May 17, 2010 and August 24, 2010, 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.

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

Ronald Kirk,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. E9-23582 Filed 10-5-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-WP-P