USDA REQUESTS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ADMINISTRATION OF FY 1998 SUGAR TARIFF-RATE

                                             Release No.0222.97
                                                               
                                   Tom Amontree  (202) 720-4623
                                             Tamontree@usda.gov
                             Eric Van Chantfort  (202) 720-9443
                                      vanchantfort@fas.usda.gov



USDA REQUESTS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ADMINISTRATION OF FY 1998 SUGAR TARIFF-RATE
QUOTA

   WASHINGTON, July 9, 1997--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today
invited public comments on the administration of the raw cane sugar
tariff-rate quota (TRQ) in fiscal year (FY) 1998, which begins October 1.  The
Secretary proposes to continue the current TRQ administrative approach next
year but will consider public comments before making a final decision.
   
   On September 13, 1996, USDA announced a new approach for administering
the raw cane sugar TRQ in FY 1997.  Under that approach, USDA initially set
the size of the TRQ based on the most current forecast of domestic sugar
supply and use, as published in USDA's World Agricultural Supply and Demand
Estimates (WASDE) report.  USDA then asked the U.S. Trade Representative to
allocate all but 600,000 metric tons of the total amount.  The 600,000 tons
were held in reserve to be allocated in 200,000-ton blocks if the
stocks-to-use ratio, as reported in the January, March, and May issues of
WASDE, was 15.5 percent or less.  

   In January 1997, the stocks-to-use ratio was 15.7 percent and the first
200,000-ton block was canceled.  In March and May, the blocks were
allocated.  USDA reserved its right to increase the size of the TRQ at any
time, but the initial supply-demand forecast resulted in an adequate TRQ for
the year.
   
   Public comments are invited on the proposal to extend the current
administrative plan for the raw sugar TRQ into FY 1998.  Comments should be
sent by August 8, 1997, to Stephen Hammond, Sugar Group Team Leader, Foreign
Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Stop 1021, Washington,
DC, 20250-1021 (tel. 202-720-1061; fax 202-720-0876).  A final announcement
of the raw, refined, and speciality sugar TRQs will be made on or before
September 17, 1997.      
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