The specialty sugar TRQ
established by USDA is part of the refined sugar
TRQ. There is no specialty sugar TRQ for raw sugar.
Therefore, specialty sugars, which otherwise
meet the definition in the regulation but are below 99.5
degrees polarity, do not qualify for the
specialty sugar TRQ.
To be eligible for the specialty
sugar TRQ, the sugar must be classified in the
U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) under subheadings
1701.91.10.00, 1701.99.10.10, 1702.90.10.00, or
2106.90.44.00. Most common specialty sugars are
classified in HTS 1701.99.10.10.
Fiscal Year 2013 Specialty Sugar
TRQ
On September 7, 2012, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the
Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 specialty sugar TRQ at 106,825
short tons (96,910 metric tons).
View
USDA press release.
USDA will administer the FY 2013
specialty sugar TRQ (metric tons) in five
tranches, which will open as follows:
-
Tranche 1 – Opens
Oct. 12, 2012 – 1,656
-
Tranche 2 – Opens
Oct. 26, 2012 – 35,245
-
Tranche 3 – Opens
Jan. 11, 2013 – 20,003
-
Tranche 4 – Opens
April 11, 2013 – 20,003
-
Tranche 5 – Opens
July 11, 2013 – 20,003
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.
Specialty Sugar Certificate
This link shows a sample
specialty sugar certificate.
This link provides lists of
recent recipients of specialty sugar
certificates.
A specialty sugar certificate
valid for that fiscal year must accompany sugar
imported (entered) into U.S. Customs territory under the
specialty sugar TRQ.
To benefit from the lower
tariff, an importer or the importer's agent must
present a specialty sugar certificate, valid for that
tranche, to the appropriate Customs official
when the specialty sugar enters the Customs territory of the United
States.
Entry of specialty sugar within
the TRQ shall be allowed only in conformity with
the conditions and limitations stated in the
certificate.
Issuance of a certificate does
not guarantee entry of any specific shipment of
specialty sugar at a zero or nominal rate of duty. A
certificate only permits entry of such sugar
until the TRQ fills, or the fiscal year ends.
This website of U.S. Customs and
Border Protection contains a weekly report on
the status of U.S. tariff rate quotas:
Commodity Status Report for Tariff Rate Quotas
How to Apply for a Specialty
Sugar Certificate
To apply for a specialty sugar
certificate, fax, email, or courier the
following information:
-
The name and street address
on the company’s letterhead of the applicant, an
importer with a U.S. place of business
-
A statement of the
anticipated country of origin and quantity of
specialty sugar(s) to be imported
-
The appropriate eight-digit
HTS subheading number
-
A description of the
specialty sugar and its intended use that the
importer will compete to enter during the period of the
certificate, including the manufacturer's or
exporter's usual trade name or designation
-
Sufficient evidence to permit
the Certifying Authority to make a reasonable
determination that such sugars are specialty sugars
within the definition of specialty sugar
-
The name of the anticipated
consumer of the specialty sugars, if known at
time of application
-
The anticipated date of
entry, if known at time of application
-
Importers of organic sugar
must provide a copy of USDA-accredited
certification(s)
-
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service publishes
a list of accredited foreign organic certifiers
Applications may be submitted
three ways:
-
Faxed: 202-720-0876
-
Email:
sugars@fas.usda.gov
-
Mailed to:
Import Policies and Export
Reporting Division
Office of Trade Programs
FAS/USDA Room 5526, Stop 1021
Washington, DC 20250
For more information on the
federal regulations governing specialty sugar
imports into the United States, call 202-720-2194.
