[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 174 (Tuesday, September 9, 2014)] [Notices] [Pages 53505-53506] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2014-21321] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE Fiscal Year 2015 WTO 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice of country-by-country allocations of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 (Oct. 1, 2014, through Sept. 30, 2015) in-quota quantity of the tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for imported raw cane sugar, refined sugar (syrups and molasses), specialty sugar, and sugar-containing products. DATES: Effective Date: October 1, 2014. ADDRESSES: Inquiries may be delivered to Ann Heilman-Dahl, 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: Ann Heilman-Dahl, 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. The President delegated this authority to the United States Trade Representative under Presidential Proclamation 6763 (60 FR 1007). On September 2, 2014, the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) announced the sugar program provisions for fiscal year (FY) 2015. The Secretary announced an in-quota quantity of the TRQ for raw cane sugar for FY 2015 of 1,117,195 metric ton * 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 2015 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 2, 2014, the Secretary also announced the establishment of the in-quota quantity of the FY 2015 refined sugar TRQ at 127,000 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 Uruguay Round Agreements (22,000 MTRV of which 1,656 MTRV is reserved for specialty sugar) and an additional 105,000 MTRV for specialty sugars. USTR is allocating [[Page 53506]] 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 105,000 MTRV. The first tranche of 1,656 MTRV will open October 10, 2014. All types of specialty sugars are eligible for entry under this tranche. The second tranche of 38,850 MTRV will open on October 24, 2014. The third, fourth, and fifth tranches of 22,050 MTRV each will open on January 9, 2015, April 10, 2015 and July 10, 2015, 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 of the in-quota quantity, 5,459 MT, 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 2015 TRQs may enter the United States as of October 1, 2014. * Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons. Michael Froman, United States Trade Representative. [FR Doc. 2014-21321 Filed 9-8-14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3290-F4-P