US gives Zimbabwe 2 000 tonne sugar quota

The United States has allocated Zimbabwe a 2 131 tonne sugar quota for the current year, though Zimbabwe is still under US sanctions which were renewed for another year in March this year.

Zimbabwe is among 21 countries, with only four from Africa, which have been allocated 108 862 tonnes of cane sugar. The other African countries are South Africa with 4 085 tonnes, Mozambique with 2 309 tonnes and Malawi with 1 776 tonnes.

Some trading agencies have cited the US Patriot Act, the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act as US legislation that currently bars trade with Zimbabwe or Zimbabwean companies.

Below is the full statement released by the United States Trade Representative on the sugar quotas this week. 

USTR Updates Additional FY 2011 Tariff-Rate Quota Allocations for Raw Cane Sugar

Washington, D.C. – The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today announced adjusted country-specific allocations of additional Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 in-quota quantity of the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for imported raw cane sugar. 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 June 21, 2011, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture announced an additional in-quota quantity for the TRQ for raw cane sugar for the remainder of FY 2011 (ending September 30, 2011) in the amount of 108,862 metric tons* raw value (MTRV). This quantity is in addition to the minimum amount to which the United States is committed under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Uruguay Round Agreements.

Based on additional consultations with quota holding countries, USTR is adjusting the quantity of 108,862 MTRV allocated on June 21, 2011 to the following countries in the amounts specified below:

Additionally, based on follow-up country consultations, the Office of the United States Trade Representative is also today reallocating 16,807 MTRV of the minimum amount of the original TRQ for raw cane sugar to the Philippines. This results in an overall increased allocation of 19,648 MTRV for the Philippines.

These allocations are based on the countries’ historical shipments to the United States. The allocations of the raw cane sugar TRQ to countries that are net importers of sugar are conditioned on receipt of the appropriate verifications of origin, and certificates for quota eligibility must accompany imports from any country to which an allocation is provided.

*Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons.

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