Hearing on Trade Policies Affecting Produce
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will hold virtual public hearings Aug. 13 and 20 to hear from interested persons on trade-distorting policies that may be causing harm to U.S. seasonal and perishable producers of fruits and vegetables and contributing to unfair pricing in the U.S. market. Requests to provide testimony during these hearings are due by July 27 and hearing statements and written comments are due by Aug. 3.
Sugar Tariff-Rate Quota Allocations for FY 2021 Announced
USTR has announced the country-specific in-quota allocations under the fiscal year 2021 tariff-rate quotas for imported raw cane sugar, refined sugar, specialty sugar, and sugar-containing products.
Raw Cane Sugar. The in-quota quantity of the TRQ for raw cane sugar will be 1,117,195 metric tons raw value, the minimum amount to which the U.S. is committed under the World Trade Organization Uruguay Round agreements and the same as in FY 2020, which is being allocated as follows (in 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
Allocations to countries that are net importers of sugar are conditioned on receipt of the appropriate verifications of origin. Certificates for quota eligibility must accompany imports from any country to which an allocation is provided.
Refined Sugar. The FY 2021 refined sugar TRQ is 162,000 MTRV. USTR is allocating a total of 10,300 MTRV to Canada and 2,954 MTRV to Mexico, with 7,090 MTRV to be administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Specialty Sugar. Imports of all specialty sugar will be administered on a first come, first served basis in five tranches. The total in-quota quantity of specialty sugar will be the 1,656 MTRV included in the WTO minimum plus an additional 140,000 MTRV. The first tranche of 1,656 MTRV will open Oct. 1, and all types of specialty sugars will be eligible for entry under this tranche. The second and third tranches of 40,000 MTRV each will open Oct. 8 and Jan. 21, respectively. The fourth and fifth tranches of 30,000 MTRV each will open April 15 and July 15 respectively. The second through fifth tranches will be reserved for organic sugar and other specialty sugars not currently produced commercially in the U.S. or reasonably available from domestic sources.
Sugar-Containing Products. With respect to the 64,709 MTRV in-quota quantity of the TRQ for certain sugar-containing products, USTR is allocating 59,250 MTRV to Canada and the remainder is available for other countries on a first come, first served basis.
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