US expands sugar import quotas, granting India additional trade allowance for FY 2027  

The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced country-specific in-quota allocations for the remaining portion of the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for imported raw cane sugar for Fiscal Year 2027.

The total in-quota quantity established by the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service stands at 1,117,195 metric tonnes raw value (MTRV), fulfilling the minimum commitment under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement.

Following an initial distribution of 1,061,202 MTRV across trading partners on July 24, 2026, USTR allocated the remaining 55,993 MTRV balance.

Under the tariff-rate quota framework, designated countries can export specified quantities of raw cane sugar into the US market at reduced tariff rates, while shipments exceeding these allocations face significantly higher duty thresholds. All allocations for net-importer nations remain conditioned on strict verifications of origin and accompanied certificates of quota eligibility.

India secures increased access to US raw sugar market  

As part of the final distribution, India received an additional allocation of 542 MTRV. This supplemental assignment comes on top of the initial 8,606 MTRV granted in July, bringing India’s total low-tariff raw cane sugar quota for FY 2027 to 9,148 MTRV.

The increased quota gives Indian sugar producers expanded low-tariff access to the US market as the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2026. With strict origin verification requirements in place, Indian exporters holding valid quota eligibility certificates can enter shipments into the US at the favorable tariff rate through September 30, 2027.

India’s baseline WTO TRQ allocation for raw cane sugar has remained at  8,606 MTRV (9,486 short tons) every year. This initial figure is based on historical trade share distributions agreed upon under WTO commitments.

General commercial sugar exports from India remain tightly regulated or restricted to manage domestic supplies, but the US quota allocation is handled separately via the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and APEDA. Total exports of sugars and confectionery from India to the US reached approximately $30.54 million.