Light Air-Cured Virginia Tobacco for Chewing from China
Unthreshed, partly stemmed light air-cured Virginia tobacco leaf without wrapper, designated for chewing tobacco production. Classified in HTS 2401.20.31.40 due to its flue-cured/light air-cured nature and explicit non-cigarette end-use in smokeless products. Imported in bulk for flavoring and processing into loose chew.
Duty Rate — China → United States
35%
Rate breakdown
9903.03.0110%Except for products described in headings 9903.03.02–9903.03.11, articles the product of any country, as provided for in subdivision (aa) of U.S. note 2 to this subchapter
9903.88.0325%Except as provided in headings 9903.88.13, 9903.88.18, 9903.88.33, 9903.88.34, 9903.88.35, 9903.88.36, 9903.88.37, 9903.88.38, 9903.88.40, 9903.88.41, 9903.88.43, 9903.88.45, 9903.88.46, 9903.88.48, 9903.88.56, 9903.88.64, 9903.88.66, 9903.88.67, 9903.88.68, or 9903.88.69, articles the product of China, as provided for in U.S. note 20(e) to this subchapter and as provided for in the subheadings enumerated in U.S. note 20(f)
Import Tips
• Label shipments clearly as 'for smokeless tobacco' to meet end-use declaration requirements
• Monitor aggregate annual quotas for origins like Malawi or Philippines to prevent duty escalation
• Avoid mixing with wrapper tobacco over 35% as it would require reclassification