CBP Issues Two Palm Oil WROs on Indonesian Plantations

Key Points

• CBP issued two Withhold Release Orders (WROs) effective immediately against palm oil and derivative products from Indonesian plantations Mitra Aneka Rezeki (MAR) and Hardaya Inti Plantation (HIP), citing forced-labor evidence.
• All U.S. ports of entry are now required to detain shipments of palm oil and derivatives produced by MAR or HIP.
• The 2027 raw sugar TRQ (HTS Chapter 17, AUSN 5) opened October 1, 2026, and runs through September 30, 2027, per QB 26-303.
• The 2027 AGOA apparel limits (HTS Chapters 61, 62, 64, 65, and 98) also opened October 1, 2026, per QB 26-407.
• The ACE Certification environment was offline for extended maintenance September 30, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.

On this page

1. What the two Indonesian palm oil WROs mean for importers
2. Affected products and supply-chain scope
3. 2027 raw sugar TRQ: opening date and quota period
4. 2027 AGOA apparel limits: opening date and covered goods
5. ACE Certification maintenance window
6. Required actions for importers, brokers, and compliance teams
7. Key references

CBP issued two new Withhold Release Orders against palm oil and derivative products from Indonesian plantations Mitra Aneka Rezeki and Hardaya Inti Plantation, effective immediately as of September 29, 2026. Separately, the 2027 quota periods for both raw cane sugar and AGOA apparel opened October 1, 2026. The links in this article go to the primary documents: the CBP quota bulletins and CSMS notices themselves. Read the source.

What the two Indonesian palm oil WROs mean for importers

CBP's CSMS #70061795 announced that CBP has issued WROs against palm oil and its derivative products produced by Mitra Aneka Rezeki (MAR) and Hardaya Inti Plantation (HIP), both palm oil plantations operating in Indonesia. The orders are grounded in evidence of forced labor at these facilities.

A WRO is a directive under 19 U.S.C. 1307, which prohibits importation of goods made wholly or in part with forced, convict, or indentured labor. Once CBP issues a WRO, it is not limited to the named entity's finished product: any merchandise produced by the named company, including intermediate or derivative products, is subject to detention at all U.S. ports of entry.

Affected products and supply-chain scope

The WROs cover palm oil and its derivative products produced by MAR and HIP. Palm oil derivatives appear across a wide range of HTS chapters, including food products, soaps and detergents, cosmetics, lubricants, and biodiesel. Importers and brokers should review their supply chains for any tier of sourcing that touches either plantation, not just direct purchases of crude palm oil.

Detained shipments will require the importer to either re-export the goods or provide CBP with clear and convincing evidence that the merchandise was not produced with forced labor. Failure to respond within CBP's prescribed timeframe can result in seizure and forfeiture.

2027 raw sugar TRQ: opening date and quota period

CBP published Quota Bulletin 26-303 (CSMS #70064688) establishing the 2027 raw cane sugar tariff-rate quota allocations. The commodity is raw sugar as defined under HTS Chapter 17 subheadings, Additional United States Note 5. The quota period runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, and the quota opened on Thursday, October 1, 2026. Entries submitted before the opening date are not eligible for the in-quota rate.

2027 AGOA apparel limits: opening date and covered goods

CBP published Quota Bulletin 26-407 (CSMS #70064651) setting the 2027 African Growth and Opportunity Act apparel limits. Covered goods are apparel articles classified under HTS Chapter 98 and Chapters 61, 62, 64, and 65, originating from designated sub-Saharan African countries that have satisfied AGOA eligibility requirements. The 2027 quota period likewise opened October 1, 2026. AGOA importers should confirm that their sourcing countries remain on the current eligibility list before filing entries under these provisions.

ACE Certification maintenance window

Per CSMS #70060922, CBP conducted an extended maintenance window for the ACE Certification environment on September 30, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET. The Certification environment is used for testing integrations and new filings; production ACE was not referenced as affected, but teams that were mid-certification testing on that date should verify that any test submissions completed successfully after the window closed.

Required actions for importers, brokers, and compliance teams

• Palm oil supply-chain audit: Screen all palm oil and derivative sourcing against the two new WRO entities (MAR and HIP) at every tier of the supply chain. Shipments already in transit should be flagged for potential CBP detention.
• Raw sugar quota: If filing entries under the HTS Chapter 17 AUSN 5 in-quota rate, confirm your allocation and ensure entries are properly dated on or after October 1, 2026.
• AGOA apparel quota: Verify that your sourcing country remains AGOA-eligible for the 2027 period before filing under HTS Chapters 61, 62, 64, 65, or 98 AGOA provisions.
• ACE Certification testing: Confirm that any integration tests submitted during the September 30 maintenance window were received and processed correctly before moving certifications to production.

Key references

• CSMS #70061795: CBP WROs on Mitra Aneka Rezeki and Hardaya Inti Plantation palm oil, Indonesia
• QB 26-303: 2027 Raw Sugar Cane TRQ Allocations, quota period October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027
• CSMS #70064688: Announcement of QB 26-303 raw sugar quota bulletin
• QB 26-407: 2027 AGOA Apparel Limits, HTS Chapters 61, 62, 64, 65, and 98
• CSMS #70064651: Announcement of QB 26-407 AGOA limits
• CSMS #70060922: ACE Certification maintenance window, September 30, 2026, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. ET
• 19 U.S.C. 1307: Statutory prohibition on importation of goods made with forced labor
• Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS): Official schedule for Chapter 17 (sugar) and Chapters 61, 62, 64, 65, 98 (AGOA apparel)