[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 88 (Friday, May 6, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27390-27391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10701]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of the Secretary
Increase in Fiscal Year 2016 Specialty Sugar Tariff-Rate Quota,
and Determination of Total Amounts of Fiscal Year 2017 WTO Tariff-Rate
Quotas for Raw Cane Sugar and Certain Sugars, Syrups and Molasses
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Office of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture
(the Secretary) is providing notice of an increase in the fiscal year
(FY) 2016 specialty sugar tariff-rate quota (TRQ) of 20,000 metric tons
raw value (MTRV). The Secretary also announces the establishment of the
Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 (October 1, 2016-September 30, 2017) in-quota
aggregate quantity of raw cane sugar at 1,117,195 metric tons raw value
(MTRV), and the establishment of the FY 2017 in-quota aggregate
quantity of certain sugars, syrups, and molasses (also referred to as
refined sugar) at 162,000 MTRV.
DATES: Effective Date: May 6, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Souleymane Diaby, Import Policies and
Export Reporting Division, Foreign Agricultural Service, Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., AgStop 1021, Washington, DC
20250-1021; by telephone (202) 720-
[[Page 27391]]
2916; by fax (202) 720-0876; or by email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 15, 2015, USDA announced the
establishment of the in-quota quantity of the FY 2016 refined sugar TRQ
at 132,000 MTRV for which the sucrose content, by weight in the dry
state, must have a polarimeter reading of 99.5 degrees or more (FR 80,
No. 114, June 15, 2015, page 34129). 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 110,000 MTRV reserved for specialty
sugars.
Pursuant to Additional U.S. Note 5 to Chapter 17 of the U.S.
Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) and Section 359k of the Agricultural
Adjustment Act of 1938, as amended, the Secretary today increases the
overall FY 2016 refined sugar TRQ by 20,000 MTRV to 152,000 MTRV. The
increased amount is reserved for specialty sugar. Entry of this sugar
will be permitted beginning May 9, 2016. The sugar entered under this
tariff-rate quota is reserved for organic sugar and other specialty
sugars not currently produced commercially in the United States or
reasonably available from domestic sources.
The provisions of paragraph (a)(i) of the Additional U.S. Note 5,
Chapter 17 in the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) authorize the
Secretary to establish the in-quota tariff-rate quota (TRQ) amounts
(expressed in terms of raw value) for imports of raw cane sugar and
certain sugars, syrups, and molasses that may be entered under the
subheadings of the HTS subject to the lower tier of duties during each
fiscal year. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is
responsible for the allocation of these quantities among supplying
countries and areas.
Section 359(k) of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, as
amended, requires that at the beginning of the quota year the Secretary
of Agriculture establish the TRQs for raw cane sugar and refined sugars
at the minimum levels necessary to comply with obligations under
international trade agreements, with the exception of specialty sugar.
Notice is hereby given that the Secretary has determined, in
accordance with paragraph (a)(i) of the Additional U.S. Note 5, Chapter
17 in the HTS and section 359(k) of the 1938 Act, that an aggregate
quantity of up to 1,117,195 MTRV of raw cane sugar may be entered or
withdrawn from warehouse for consumption during FY 2017. This is the
minimum amount to which the United States is committed under the WTO
Uruguay Round Agreements. The Secretary has further determined that an
aggregate quantity of 162,000 MTRV of sugars, syrups, and molasses may
be entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption during FY 2017.
This quantity includes the minimum amount to which the United States is
committed under the WTO Uruguay Round Agreements, 22,000 MTRV, of which
20,344 MTRV is established for any sugars, syrups and molasses, and
1,656 MTRV is reserved for specialty sugar. An additional amount of
140,000 MTRV is added to the specialty sugar TRQ for a total of 141,656
MTRV.
Because the specialty sugar TRQ is first-come, first-served,
tranches are needed to allow for orderly marketing throughout the year.
The FY 2017 specialty sugar TRQ will be opened in five tranches. The
first tranche, totaling 1,656 MTRV, will open October 3, 2016. All
specialty sugars are eligible for entry under this tranche. The second
tranche will open on October 26, 2016, and be equal to 40,000 MTRV. The
third tranche of 38,344 MTRV will open on January 6, 2017. The fourth
and fifth tranches of 30,000 MTRV each will open on April 7, 2017, and
July 7, 2017, 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.
* Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons.
Dated: April 29, 2016.
Alexis M. Taylor,
Deputy Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services.
[FR Doc. 2016-10701 Filed 5-5-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P