Sugar Users Want U.S. to Ease Import Curbs

NEW YORK—U.S. sugar users are pressing for more low-tariff imports of the sweetener as an annual window opens for the federal government to relax trade restrictions.

The U.S. imports about a quarter of the 11 million tons of sugar it consumes each http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifyear, but the government limits how much of that can be brought in duty-free or at low tariffs. The quota is designed to protect domestic producers but can also inflate prices for sugar users.

With U.S. supplies down 2.8% from the previous season, the pressure is on the government to allow more duty-free or low-tariff sugar in.

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