The US has expanded its low-duty special quota for raw cane sugar imports to 1.23 million metric tonnes for October 2005-September 2006, from 1.11 million metric tonnes the previous year.


Key beneficiaries of the new quota are exporters from the Dominican Republic – 204,649 tonnes; Brazil -168,603; Australia – 96,511; Guatemala – 55,813; and Argentina – 50,000 tonnes.


The US Trade Representative (USTR) office also announced that the current global low-duty cane sugar quota would be boosted by 76,609 metric tonnes. The USTR said the 2005-6 low-tariff quota for refined sugar would be 49,000 metric tons and for speciality sugars 28,656 metric tonnes.