Beijing, Oct 13 - China's commerce ministry said it will issue low-tariff import quotas of 1.945 million tonnes of sugar and 287,000 tonnes of wool for 2010, unchanged from 2009, as part of China's commitment in joining the World Trade Organisation.
Of the total sugar quotas, 70 percent will be allocated to state-owned companies and 30 percent for private firms, the ministry said in a document posted on its web site (www.mofcom.gov.cn).
Sugar importers can apply from Oct 15 to Oct 30. The ministry will issue the quotas to qualified companies before Nov 30.
Wool buyers should have import contracts ready before applying for the quotas, it said. Buyers with sugar import quotas can enjoy low import tariffs, or 15 percent, as compared with 50 percent tariffs for imports without quotas. Wool imports within the quotas face a 1 percent tariff, compared with 38 percent for amounts in excess of quotas.