The tariff classification of green peppercorns from Indonesia.
Issued November 28, 2012 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Tariff classification
HTS codes: 0904.11.0020
Headings: 0904
Product description
The goods in question are identified as “green peppercorns,” which are the immature fruits of the flowering vine plant Piper nigrum. (Goods commonly known as “black peppercorns” are the fermented, sun-dried, shriveled versions of the same green fruits; “white peppercorns” are the hulled, dried versions of the ripened (red) fruits.) In the manufacturing process, the green peppercorns will be boiled and then canned in a brine solution consisting of water, salt and citric acid. The brine is said to preserve the peppercorns and maintain/enhance their flavor. The green peppercorns can be employed by the end user, directly from the can, “as a flavoring to spice meats and generally in cooking to add spice to sauces, vegetables or other foods.”
CBP rationale
The applicable subheading for the above-described canned “green peppercorns” in brine will be 0904.11.0020, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for pepper of the genus Piper: neither crushed nor ground: black.
Full text
N235076 November 28, 2012 CLA-2-09:OT:RR:NC:N2:231 CATEGORY: Classification TARIFF NO.: 0904.11.0020 Mr. James Sawyer Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP 191 North Wacker Drive (Suite 3700) Chicago, IL 60606-1698 RE: The tariff classification of green peppercorns from Indonesia. Dear Mr. Sawyer: In your letter dated November 2, 2012, you requested a tariff classification ruling on behalf of Mitsui Foods, Inc. The goods in question are identified as “green peppercorns,” which are the immature fruits of the flowering vine plant Piper nigrum. (Goods commonly known as “black peppercorns” are the fermented, sun-dried, shriveled versions of the same green fruits; “white peppercorns” are the hulled, dried versions of the ripened (red) fruits.) In the manufacturing process, the green peppercorns will be boiled and then canned in a brine solution consisting of water, salt and citric acid. The brine is said to preserve the peppercorns and maintain/enhance their flavor. The green peppercorns can be employed by the end user, directly from the can, “as a flavoring to spice meats and generally in cooking to add spice to sauces, vegetables or other foods.” The applicable subheading for the above-described canned “green peppercorns” in brine will be 0904.11.0020, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for pepper of the genus Piper: neither crushed nor ground: black. The rate of duty will be free. Duty rates are provided for your convenience and are subject to change. The text of the most recent HTSUS and the accompanying duty rates are provided on World Wide Web at http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/. This merchandise is subject to The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (The Bioterrorism Act), which is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Information on the Bioterrorism Act can be obtained by calling FDA at 301-575-0156, or at the Web site www.fda.gov/oc/bioterrorism/bioact.html. This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177). A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Nathan Rosenstein at (646) 733-3030. Sincerely, Thomas J. Russo Director National Commodity Specialist Division
More rulings on the same tariff codes
The tariff classification of Black Pepper Grinder from Italy
The tariff classification of spices, a mixed seasoning, a sauce and smoked sea salt from South Africa
The tariff classification of dried vegetables, spices, plant parts and salt, packed in steel racks from China
The tariff classification of salt and pepper grinders from Italy and India.
The tariff classification of pepper and salt from China.
The tariff classification of spices and seasonings from China
The tariff classification of spices and rock salt, packed in a metal stand, from China.
The tariff classification of pepper mills with ceramic grinders from China and Taiwan containing peppercorns and salt from other countries
The tariff classification and country of origin marking for spices and a spice rack, from China
The tariff classification of pepper mills, salt mills, salt shakers and salt shaker/pepper mills from China and Taiwan containing salt and peppercorns from other countries
Searching CBP rulings the smart way
TariffLens semantically searches all 200,000+ CBP rulings, surfaces the ones that actually match your product, and builds defensible classifications backed by ruling citations.
Book a demo →