Dear Acting Under Secretary Hafemeister and Deputy Under Secretary Montaño Greene:

The August 12 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates continue to show the need for additional raw sugar supplies in the U.S. market. Compared to last month’s forecasts, the supply of new-crop beet sugar in August and September was reduced by 50,000 short tons, raw value (STRV).

The Sweetener Users Association (SUA) reiterates its previous requests for an increase in the raw sugar tariff-rate quota (TRQ). However, at this point in the fiscal year, a TRQ increase alone is unlikely to supply the market adequately because of the delay between the announcement of an increase, the allocation of the increase among quota-holding countries, the execution of contracts and the actual arrival of raw sugar at U.S. ports.

SUA Letter to AUS Hafemeister & DUS Greene – Early Entry Sugar Supply Issue (8-13-21)