USTR Lists Countries Eligible for 2024 Sugar 'Trade Surplus' TRQs

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced eligibility for “trade surplus” tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for sugar originating in certain free trade agreement countries for calendar year 2024. USTR found Colombia and five members of the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement -- Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua -- eligible for the TRQ. The agency found that Chile, the Dominican Republic, Morocco, Panama and Peru don't qualify.

Five CAFTA-DR Countries, Panama and Colombia Eligible for 2024 'Trade Surplus' TRQs

For Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua (all members of CAFTA-DR) and Colombia, exports of sugar and syrup goods and sugar-containing products each exceeded their imports of those goods in calendar year 2022. As a result, each of these countries has a trade surplus and is eligible to receive in calendar year 2024 the following “trade surplus” TRQ amounts to be entered duty-free under CAFTA-DR (HTS 9822.05.20), and the FTA for Colombia (HTS 9822.08.01).

Chile, Morocco, Dominican Republic, Panama and Peru Not Eligible for 2024 'Trade Surplus' TRQ

According to USTR, 2022 data indicates that for Chile, the Dominican Republic, Morocco, Panama and Peru, imports of sugar and syrup goods and sugar-containing products exceeded its exports of those goods, resulting in a trade deficit and ineligibility for the “trade surplus” TRQ. Therefore, subject goods from Chile are not eligible to enter the U.S. duty-free under HTS 9822.02.01 in CY 2024. Subject goods of the Dominican Republic are not eligible to enter duty-free under subheading 9822.05.20 in CY 2024. Subject goods from Morocco are not eligible to enter the U.S. duty-free under HTS 9822.03.01 in CY 2024. Subject goods from Panama re not eligible to enter duty-free under HTS 9822.09.17 in CY 2024. And subject goods from Peru are not eligible to enter the U.S. duty-free under HTS 9822.06.10 in CY 2024.