PANAMA EXPORTS FULL ALLOTMENT OF 2006 SUGAR QUOTA

UNCLAS PANAMA 001318 SIPDIS SIPDIS USTR FOR DARCI VETTER, USDA FOR RON LORD, EB/TPP/ABT/ATP FOR PATRICK HUDAK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON FAS SUBJECT: PANAMA EXPORTS FULL ALLOTMENT OF 2006 SUGAR QUOTA REF: STATE 92458 ¶1. The GoP's Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MICI) informed Post that as of June 28, 2006, Panama had exported to the United States 49,882.41 metric tons of raw sugar. Panama's sugar export allocation is 52,104 metric tons. The GoP believes the remaining 2,222 metric tons will be used up when the exported raw sugar is adjusted for the refining process by US Customs. ¶2. Set forth below is an unofficial translation of the letter received from MICI. BEGIN TEXT: It is my pleasure to respond to your letter of June 21 of the present year in which you solicit information regarding the level of sugar exports from Panama provided for by the sugar quota authorized by the United States Government for the 2006 fiscal year, along with information regarding whether there are plans to ship the totality of the quota before September 30, 2006. With respect to the foregoing, we are pleased to inform you that as of now, 49,882.41 metric tons of the 52,104 metric tons authorized by the United States Government have been exported, with 2,222 metric tons remaining, which we believe will be eliminated when United States Customs adjusts for the refining process. We thank you for your attention to this matter, and we take this opportunity to send our gratitude. END TEXT EATON