THE Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) released a list of premix products with high sugar content which will be affected by changes to the tariff system and subject to import clearances.
Sugar Order (SO) No. 10, dated July 19 but released on Tuesday, outlines the amendments to rules governing the import of items for which importers must obtain a premix commodity release clearance (PCRC).
The tariff changes conform to the new Tariff Administration and Policy, including the ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature 2022, the SRA said. The rule changes expand coverage to products with added sugar or other sweetening matter and those consisting of natural milk constituents.
The SRA listed flavored or colored syrups, other flavoring preparations; sugar syrups; chocolate confectionery in tablets or pastilles; and other products that will require a PCRC as these may contain “a considerable amount of sucrose.”
Excluded were other food supplements, fortificant premixes, and food supplements based on ginseng, which are deemed to have minimal levels of sucrose.
SO 10 called for the monitoring of imports of the commodities listed. Such imports are subject to random sampling for laboratory testing. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
