[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 184 (Monday, September 22, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 54637]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-22095]



[[Page 54637]]

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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Fiscal Year 2009 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 FY 2009 in-
quota quantity of the tariff-rate quota for imported raw cane sugar, 
refined and specialty sugar, and sugar-containing products.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 22, 2008.

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 a tariff-rate quota 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 tariff-rate quota 
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 tariff-rate quota 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 September 9, 2008, the Secretary of Agriculture announced the 
sugar program provisions for fiscal year (FY) 2009 (Oct. 1, 2008, 
through Sept. 30, 2009). The Secretary of Agriculture announced an in-
quota quantity of the tariff-rate quota for raw cane sugar for FY 2009 
of 1,117,195 metric tons* raw value, 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 metric tons* raw value) to the following countries:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            FY 2009 Raw
                                                            Cane Sugar
                         Country                            Allocations
                                                           (metric tons
                                                            raw value)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 raw cane sugar tariff-rate 
quota 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 9, 2008, the Secretary of Agriculture established the 
FY 2009 refined sugar tariff-rate quota at 94,575 metric tons raw value 
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 Agreement (22,000 metric tons raw value of which 1,656 
metric tons raw value is specialty sugar) and an additional 72,575 
metric tons raw value for specialty sugars. USTR is allocating a total 
of 10,300 metric tons raw value of refined sugar to Canada, 2,954 
metric tons raw value of refined sugar to Mexico, and 7,090 metric tons 
raw value of refined sugar to be administered on a first-come, first-
served basis. The 74,231 metric tons raw value specialty sugar TRQ, 
which includes the additional 72,575 metric tons raw value of specialty 
sugar and the specialty sugar allocation of 1,656 metric tons raw value 
included in the 22,000 metric tons raw value WTO minimum, will be 
administered on a first-come, first-served basis in five tranches. The 
first tranche of 1,656 metric tons raw value will open October 23, 
2008. All types of specialty sugars are eligible for entry under this 
tranche. The second tranche of 25,682 metric tons raw value will open 
on November 10, 2008. The third, fourth, and fifth tranches of 15,631 
metric tons raw value each will open on January 14, 2009; May 19, 2009 
and August 24, 2009 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 tariff-rate quota of 64,709 metric tons for 
certain sugar-containing products maintained under Additional U.S. Note 
8 to Chapter 17 to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, 
USTR is allocating 59,250 metric tons to Canada. The remainder of the 
sugar-containing products tariff-rate quota is available for other 
countries on a first-come, first-served basis.
    *Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons.

Susan C. Schwab,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. E8-22095 Filed 9-19-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W8-P