USDA Announces Extension of Fiscal Year 2011 Raw Sugar Tariff-Rate Quota Entry Period

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26, 2011 – 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 until Oct. 31, 2011, a month later than the usual last entry date.  

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 action is expected to reduce the TRQ shortfall and provide additional flexibility for U.S. refiners.

The Department previously announced, on Aug. 1, 2011, that sugar entering under the FY 2012 raw sugar TRQ will be permitted to enter U.S. Customs territory beginning Sept. 1, 2011, a month earlier than the usual first entry date of Oct. 1. This announcement does not change the level of any U.S. sugar import TRQs, and applies 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 at Angel.F.Gonzalez@fas.usda.gov or 202-720-2916.

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