The Office of the USTR (US Trade Representative) announced last week of September the country-specific in-quota allocations under the tariff-rate quotas on imported raw cane sugar for FY 2010 (Oct. 1, 2009 through Sept. 30, 2010). TRQs allow countries to export specified quantities of a product to the US at a relatively low tariff, but subject all imports of the product above a pre-determined threshold to a higher tariff.

        Sugar program provisions were also announced. The in-quota quantity for the TRQ on raw cane sugar for FY 2010 is 1,117,195 metric tons raw value, which is the minimum amount to which the US is committed under the WTO Uruguay Round Agreements. USTR is allocating 142,160 mtrv to the Philippines (about 13% of total US TRQ), the rest to 39 other countries. These allocations are based on the countries' historical shipments to the US.