·
TRQ
Announcement:
The Office of the U.S.
Trade Representative (USTR) announced the country-specific and first-come,
first-served tariff-rate quota (TRQ) allocations for raw cane sugar, refined sugar and
sugar-containing products for FY2027 (1 October 2026–30 September 2027).
·
Purpose
of TRQs:
TRQs allow specified quantities of imports to enter the U.S. at lower tariff rates,
while imports above the quota attract higher
tariffs.
·
Raw
Cane Sugar TRQ:
o
Total
in-quota quantity fixed at 1,117,195
metric tons raw value (MTRV), the minimum U.S. WTO commitment.
o
1,061,202
MTRV has
been allocated among eligible exporting countries.
o
The
remaining 55,993 MTRV
will be allocated before 1
October 2026.
o
Allocations
to net sugar-importing countries are subject to verification of origin and quota
eligibility certificates.
·
Refined
Sugar TRQ:
o
Total
quota set at 22,000 MTRV
for sugar with a polarimeter
reading of 99.5° or more.
o
Allocation
includes:
§
20,344
MTRV for
sugars, syrups and molasses.
§
1,656
MTRV
reserved for specialty sugar.
o
Country
allocations:
§
Canada: 10,300 MTRV
§
Mexico: 2,954 MTRV
§
7,090
MTRV
available on a first-come,
first-served basis.
§
Specialty
sugar (1,656 MTRV)
also available on a first-come,
first-served basis.
·
Sugar-Containing
Products TRQ:
o
Total
quota of 64,709 metric tonnes (MT).
o
Canada receives 59,250 MT.
o
Remaining
5,459 MT
available to other countries on a first-come,
first-served basis.
·
Effective
Date:
Imports under the FY2027
TRQs may enter the United States from 1 October 2026.
·
WTO
Compliance:
The announced quota levels reflect the United States' market access commitments under the WTO
Agreements, including the Uruguay Round Agreement.
USTR Announces Fiscal Year
2027 WTO Tariff-Rate Quota Allocations for Raw Cane Sugar, Refined Sugar, and
Sugar-Containing Products
The
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on 23 July, 2026 announced the country-specific
and first-come, first-served in-quota allocations of the tariff-rate quotas (TRQs)
on imported raw cane sugar, refined sugar, and sugar-containing products for Fiscal
Year (FY) 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027).
TRQs
allow countries to export specified quantities of a product to the United States
at a relatively low tariff, but subject all imports of the product above a pre-determined
threshold to a higher tariff.
On
July 14 2026, the Administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (Administrator) announced the establishment of the in-quota
quantity for raw cane sugar for FY 2027. The in-quota quantity for the TRQ on raw
cane sugar for FY 2027 is 1,117,195 metric tons raw value (MTRV), which is the minimum
amount to which the United States is committed under the World Trade Organization
(WTO) Agreement. USTR is allocating 1,061,202 MTRV of this quantity to the below
countries in the quantities specified below. The U.S. Trade Representative will
allocate the remaining quantity of 55,993 MTRV prior to October 1, 2026.
The
allocations of the raw cane sugar WTO TRQ to countries that are net importers of
sugar are conditioned on receipt of the appropriate verifications of origin. Certificates
for quota eligibility must accompany imports from any country for which an allocation
has been provided.
On
July 14, 2026, the Administrator also announced the establishment of the in-quota
quantity of the FY 2027 refined sugar TRQ at 22,000 MTRV. This quantity, for which
the sucrose content, by weight in the dry state, must have a polarimeter reading
of 99.5 degrees or more, includes the minimum amount to which the United States
is committed under the WTO Uruguay Round Agreement, 22,000 MTRV, of which 20,344
MTRV is established for any sugars, syrups and molasses, and 1,656 MTRV is reserved
for specialty sugar. The U.S. Trade Representative is allocating the refined sugar
TRQ as follows: 10,300 MTRV to Canada, 2,954 MTRV to Mexico, and 7,090 MTRV to be
administered on a first-come, first-served basis. Additionally, the U.S. Trade Representative
is allocating the 1,656 MTRV of specialty sugar to be administered on a first-come,
first-served basis.
With
respect to the in-quota quantity of 64,709 metric tons (MT) of the TRQ for imports
of certain sugar-containing products maintained under Additional U.S. Note 8 to
chapter 17 of the HTSUS, USTR is allocating 59,250 MT to Canada. The remainder,
5,459 MT of the in-quota quantity is available for other countries on a first-come,
first-served basis.
Raw
cane sugar, refined sugar, including specialty sugar, and sugar-containing products
for FY 2027 TRQs may enter the United States as of October 1, 2026.
Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125
short tons.