USDA Announces Extension of Fiscal Year 2010 and 2011 Raw Sugar Tariff-Rate Quota Entry Periods

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 2010 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that sugar entering the United States under the fiscal year 2011 raw sugar import tariff-rate quota (TRQ) will be permitted to enter U.S. Customs territory beginning September 1, 2010, a month earlier than the usual first entry date of October 1.  

In addition, the Department announced that sugar entering the United States under the U.S. fiscal year 2010 raw sugar TRQ will be permitted to enter U.S. Customs territory until October 31, 2010, a month later than the usual last entry date. These actions are in response to increased tightness in the U.S. raw sugar market. Additional U.S. Note 5(a) (iv) of Chapter 17 of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to permit sugar allocated under a given quota period to be entered in a previous or subsequent quota year period.  

This announcement does not change the level of any U.S. sugar import TRQs, and will apply only to raw cane sugar (not refined sugar). For more information contact Angel Gonzalez of the Import Policies and Export Reporting Division of the Foreign Agricultural Service by email Angel.F.Gonzalez@fas.usda.gov or 202-720-2916.

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