[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 182 (Friday, September 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49202-49203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25071]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 182 / Friday, September 19, 1997 /
Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of the Secretary
Determination of Total Amounts and Quota Period for Tariff-Rate
Quotas for Raw Cane Sugar and Certain Imported Sugars, Syrups, and
Molasses
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice establishes the aggregate quantity of 1,800,000
metric tons, raw value, or raw cane sugar that may be entered under
subheading 1701.11.10 during fiscal year (FY) 1998, with 600,000 metric
tons subject to possible cancellation. This notice in addition
establishes the 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: September 17, 1997.
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 Policy 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The aggregate quantity of raw cane sugar entered, or withdrawn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), 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 syrups,
sugars 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.
USDA issued a press release on July 9, 1997, soliciting comment
regarding the FY 1998 TRQ administrative approach. Approximately 40
comments were received. All but three of the comments were either
neutral or supportive of the current administrative approach, although
many suggested changes that would lead to higher or lower prices in the
U.S. domestic market. Some suggested a change in the trigger level.
Those suggestions ranged from a level of 13.5 percent to 17 percent,
with the producers supporting a lower trigger level and the refiners
and manufacturers supporting the higher end of the trigger level
suggestions. One of the comments suggested abolishment of he TRQ, and
two other comments suggested that USDA return to an ad hoc method of
determining the TRQ.
After carefully considering those comments, USDA will use a 15.5
percent trigger for the allocation or cancellation of 600,000 metric
tons, 200,000 tons in January, March, and May.
Allocaitons of the quota amounts among supplying countries and
areas will be made by the United States Trade Representative.
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 1,800,000 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 will be immediately available, to be allocated by
the United States Trade Representative, and the remaining 600,000
metric tons will be held in reserve.
If the stocks-to-use ratio published in the January 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
January 1998 WASDE is greater than 15.5 percent, 200,000 metric tons of
the reserved quantity for raw cane sugar will be automatically canceled
without further notice.
If the stocks-to-use ratio published in the March 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-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 be automatically 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-to-use 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 be automatically canceled without
further notice.
I have further determined that an aggregate quantity of up to
50,000 metric tons, raw value, of certain sugars, syrups, and molasses
described in subheadings 1701.12.10, 1701.91.10, 1701.99.10,
1702.90.10, and 2106.90.44 of the HTS may be entered or withdrawn from
warehouse for consumption during the period from October 1, 1997
through September 30, 1998. I have further determined that out of this
quantity of 50,000 metric tons,
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the quantity of 4,656 metric tons, raw value, is reserved for the
importation of specialty sugars. These quota amounts may be allocated
among supplying countries and areas by the United States Trade
Representative.
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, Columbia, 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 January, March, and May
blocks, they may be entered subsequent to their allocation by USTR.
Mexico's North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) access to the
U.S. market is established at 25,000 metric tons raw value (27,558
short tons raw value). That access will be for either raw or refined
sugar, but total access under the refined sugar allocation and the raw-
sugar allocation is not to exceed 25,000 metric tons. Mexico's NAFTA
access for either raw or refined sugar is established in Annex 703.2.
Signed at Washington, DC on September 16, 1997.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 97-25071 Filed 9-17-97; 12:46 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M
