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Notices Federal Register

25012

Vol. 63, No. 87

Wednesday, May 6, 1998

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary

Determination of Total Amount and

Quota Period for Tariff-Rate Quota for

Raw Cane Sugar

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the

establishment of the aggregate quantity

of 1,600,000 metric tons, raw value, of

raw cane sugar that may be entered

under subheading 1701.11.10 during

fiscal year (FY) 1998, with 400,000

metric tons subject to possible

cancellation. This notice does not affect

the previously established aggregate

quantity of 50,000 metric tons (raw

value basis) for certain sugars, syrups

and molasses that may be entered under

subheadings 1701.12.10, 1701.91.10,

1701.99.10, 1702.90.10, and 2106.90.44

of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of

the United States (HTS) during FY 1998.

EFFECTIVE DATE: May 6, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries may be mailed or

delivered to the Import Policy and

Programs Division Director, Foreign

Agricultural Service, Room 5531, South

Building, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250–

1000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Stephen Hammond (Division Director,

Import Policies and Programs Division),

202–720–2916.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Paragraph

(a)(i) of additional U.S. note 5 to chapter

17 of the HTS provides, in pertinent

part, as follows:

The aggregate quantity of raw cane

sugar entered, or withdrawn from

warehouse for consumption, under

subheading 1701.11.10, during any

fiscal year, shall not exceed in the

aggregate an amount (expressed in terms

of raw value), not less than 1,117,195

metric tons, as shall be established by

the Secretary of Agriculture * * *, and

the aggregate quantity of sugars, syrups

and molasses entered, or withdrawn

from warehouse for consumption, under

subheadings 1701.12.10, 1701.91.10,

1701.99.10, 1702.90.10 and 2106.90.44,

during any fiscal year, shall not exceed

in the aggregate an amount (expressed

in terms of raw value), not less than

22,000 metric tons, as shall be

established by the Secretary. With either

the aggregate quantity for raw cane

sugar or the aggregate quantity for

sugars, syrups and molasses other than

raw cane sugar, the Secretary may

reserve a quota quantity for the

importation of specialty sugars as

defined by the United States Trade

Representative.

These provisions of paragraph (a)(i) of

additional U.S. note 5 to chapter 17 of

the HTS authorize the Secretary of

Agriculture to establish the total

amounts (expressed in terms of raw

value) for imports of raw cane sugar and

certain other sugars, syrups, and

molasses that may be entered under the

subheadings of the HTS subject to the

lower tier of duties of the tariff-rate

quotas for entry during the fiscal year

beginning October 1.

The Secretary originally established

the FY 1998 raw sugar TRQ at 1,800,000

metric tons raw value. Of that quantity,

the U.S. Trade Representative allocated

1,200,000 metric tons on September 17,

1997, and the remaining 600,000 metric

tons was held in reserve for the

allocation or cancellation of 200,000

metric tons in January, March, and May.

The stocks-to-use ratio published in the

January 1998 World Agricultural Supply

and Demand Estimates report was 15.7

percent. Because this stocks-to-use ratio

is greater than 15.5 percent, 200,000

metric tons of the reserved quantity for

raw cane sugar has been canceled. The

size of the raw cane TRQ is now being

established at 1,600,000 metric tons. Of

that quantity, 400,000 metric tons is

being held in reserve for the allocation

or cancellation of 200,000 metric tons in

March and May.

Notice

Notice is hereby given that I have

determined, in accordance with

paragraph (a) of additional U.S. note 5

to chapter 17 of the HTS, that an

aggregate quantity of up to 1,600,000

metric tons, raw value, of raw cane

sugar described in subheading

1701.11.10 of the HTS may be entered

or withdrawn from warehouse for

consumption during the period from

October 1, 1997, through September 30,

1998. Of this quantity, 1,200,000 metric

tons was allocated by the United States

Trade Representative, and the remaining

400,000 metric tons will be held in

reserve.

If the stocks-to-use ratio published in

the March 1998 World Agricultural

Supply and Demand Estimates

(WASDE) is equal to, or less than, 15.5

percent (rounded to the nearest tenth),

an additional 200,000 metric tons of the

reserved quantity for raw cane sugar

will be available for allocation. If the

stocks-to-use ratio published in the

March 1998 WASDE is greater than 15.5

percent, 200,000 metric tons of the

reserved quantity for raw cane sugar

will automatically be canceled without

further notice.

If the stocks-to-use ratio published in

the May 1998 WASDE is equal to, or

less than, 15.5 percent, an additional

200,000 metric tons of the reserved

quantity for raw cane sugar will be

available for allocation. If the stocks-touse ratio published in the May 1998

WASDE is greater than 15.5 percent,

200,000 metric tons of the reserved

quantity for raw cane sugar will

automatically be canceled without

further notice.

I will issue Certificates of Quota

Eligibility (CQEs) to allow the

Philippines, Brazil, and the Dominican

Republic to ship up to 25 percent of

each country’s allocation at the low-tier

tariff during each quarter of FY 1998.

Australia, Guatemala, Argentina, Peru,

Panama, El Salvador, Colombia, South

Africa, and Nicaragua will be allowed to

ship up to 50 percent of their initial

allocations in the first six months of FY

1998. Unentered allocations, during any

quarter or six month period, may be

entered in any subsequent period. For

all other countries, CQEs corresponding

to each country’s allocation may be

entered at the low-tier tariff at any time

during the fiscal year. Should country

allocations result from the March, and

May blocks, they may be entered

subsequent to their allocation by the

United States Trade Representative.

Signed at Washington, DC, on April 29,

1998.

Dan Glickman,

Secretary of Agriculture.

[FR Doc. 98–11994 Filed 5–5–98; 8:45 am]

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