US Alliance for Fair Sugar Policy welcomes reallocation of raw sugar cane supplies
Various types of sugar, brown sugar and white on wooden background
The American-based Alliance for Fair Sugar Policy coalition of family-owned businesses has welcomed news that the US Trade Representative is reallocating fiscal year 2024 raw cane sugar quantities from countries that do not intend to fill their allocations, writes Neill Barston.
As previously covered, the region has been hit hard by the comparatively high cost of sugar imports, leading to considerable concern from the confectionery sector, with manufacturers expressing concern about the additional costs that it has consequently endured in the past couple of years.
In response, the Alliance for Fair Sugar Policy (AFSP) has advocated to modernise the perceived outdated U.S. sugar programme established by Congress more than 80 years ago. It was formed by a sizeable group of small, family-owned businesses and manufacturers, retailers, food and beverage companies, trade associations, environmental advocates, taxpayer watchdog organisations, responsible government advocates, think tanks and other organisations, the group’s goal is to help level the playing field for American manufacturers and provide relief to family budgets by establishing a fairer, simpler US sugar market.
Grant Colvin Executive Director of the Alliance for Fair Sugar Policy, commented: ““The Alliance for Fair Sugar Policy commends the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) decision to reallocate the tariff-rate quota quantities of raw cane sugar for fiscal year 2024. This action is a productive step toward addressing the persistent supply chain challenges and inflated food prices resulting from outdated supply restrictions in the U.S. sugar program. Importantly, this timely action is in line with the recommendations in the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s recent report, which found the U.S. sugar program creates supply shortages for domestic food production and contributes to higher costs for manufacturers, workers, and American families. We look forward to working with USTR, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and leaders in Congress to bring down food costs and bolster American manufacturing jobs by pursuing a fairer, simpler U.S. sugar programme.”
