Congressional negotiators tentatively approved a sugar re-export...

Congressional negotiators tentatively approved a sugar re-export program for Caribbean countries and the Philippines that could soften the blow of a 25% cut in the sugar-import quota next year. The plan would allow the Caribbean countries to ship up to 290,000 tons and the Philippines up to 110,000 tons of raw sugar above the quota. The Reagan Administration said earlier that the import quota would be reduced to 750,000 short tons, the smallest quota in 113 years. The quota protects higher-priced domestic sugar but has become controversial because it has caused manufacturers to shift to lower-priced sweeteners.