Owing to the lockdowns, global supply chain disruptions and rising awareness about the harmful effects of sugar, the demand for sugar was badly affected during the covid-19 crisis. However, as the covid-19 cases have subsided and it feels like we are nearing the endemic stage of this pandemic, the demand for sugar has again picked up pace, in the global market in general and in the domestic market of USA in particular. US Increases Sugar Imports And Will Take 903 Extra Tons from Rio Grande Do Norte
Increase In Imports
With demand for food confectioneries and beverages on the rise, the United States with an objective of increasing short-term supplies in the domestic market, decided on 17th of August to raise its import quota of lower tariff sugar by 90,100 tonnes for the current fiscal year. With this, the total volume of agro commodities entering the US market will go up to 1.2 million tonnes, a little over than the volume of 1.11 million tonnes that the country agreed to within the rules of World Trade Organisation. Sugar Importers in India
This increase in import quotas by the US comes at a time when the sugar future for the domestic market of USA, nears the highest in last nine years.
Why This Increase?
Importing sugar on a low tariff is not something new for the United States. In 2020 as well, the US took measures to allow Brazil export additional 80 thousand tons of Sugar to itself. This way the United States imports products at competitive prices and meets domestic demand when its partner countries fail to provide the previously agreed amounts and the same has been the case this time as well.
THE IMPACT OF RISE IN QUOTAS OF SUGAR IMPORTS ON LOW TARIFFS
The recent decision taken by the United States to raise its import quota of low tariff sugar will be of most use for the Dominican Republic who will have a largest share with 19,000 tonnes of sugar export to the US, followed by Brazil and Australia.
While Brazil will export an additional quantity of 15.4 thousand tonnes to the US, most of it will be from North and North East regions. Of the 15.4 thousand tonnes that Brazil will export, Rio Grande Do Norte will export an extra quota of 903.45 tonnes of sugar to the United States. However, it is expected that the production of sugarcane for Rio Grande Do Norte will be 3 million tonnes for the harvest season of 2022-23. Keeping that in mind, the additional export of 903.45 tonnes is not of great significance for the country. US Increases Sugar Imports And Will Take 903 Extra Tons from Rio Grande Do Norte
CONCLUSION
The move by the US government to raise the import quota on low tariff sugar is a win win. While it allows the United States to meet domestic demand and increase short term supplies on one hand, on the other it provides Rio Grande Do Norte the opportunities of growth for this segment. This is a positive scenario for the sugar segment of Rio Grande Do Norte as it opens up the market for exports.
