WASHINGTON – The US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement will take effect May 15, which will provide the US an immediate duty-free 27,040 metric ton tariff rate quota (TRQ) that will increase 4 percent annually, according to the National Chicken Council’s Washington Report. Colombia currently has a 20-cent import duty on US chicken leg quarters.

Duties on poultry products such as breast meat and wings will phase out immediately. Tariffs set to phase out over 18 years — with no reduction for the first six year of the agreement — are the 164.4 percent over-quota tariff for fresh, chilled and frozen leg quarters and the 70 percent over quota tariff for processed leg quarters, according to the report.

A 412 ton spent fowl TRQ will increase 3 percent annually, and the 45 percent over-quota tariff will phase out over 18 years, according to the report. Chicken leg quarters and spent fowl will have access to an annual import surge safeguard during the phase-out period.

Duties on eggs for consumption will phase out over 10 years, tariffs on turkey products over five years, according to the report.