CLA-2-20:RR:NC:2:231 I89583
Mr. Melchor Lazo II
Dominion International, Inc.
121 West Tazewell Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
RE: The tariff classification of peanut spread and crunchy peanut butter from Argentina.
Dear Mr. Lazo:
In your letter, dated December 18, 2002, you requested a tariff classification ruling on behalf of your client, Niza SA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The merchandise is described thus:
Peanut spread. The ingredients are 82 percent peanuts, 9.2 percent oil (soybean oil, corn oil or peanut oil), 7 percent sugar, and 1.8 percent salt.
Crunchy peanut butter. The ingredients are 90 percent peanut paste and 10 percent peanut granules.
The applicable subheading for peanut spread (item 1) and crunchy peanut butter (item 2), if entered under quota, will be 2008.11.0500, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for fruit, nuts and other edible parts of plants, otherwise prepared or preserved, whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or spirit, not elsewhere specified or included, nuts, peanuts (ground-nuts) and other seeds, whether or not mixed together, peanuts (ground-nuts), peanut butter and paste, described in additional U.S. note 5 to chapter 20 and entered pursuant to its provisions. The rate of duty will be free.
The applicable subheading for peanut spread (item 1) and crunchy peanut butter (item 2), if entered outside the quota, will be 2008.11.1500, HTS, which provides for fruit, nuts and other edible parts of plants, otherwise prepared or preserved, whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or spirit, not elsewhere specified or included, nuts, peanuts (ground-nuts) and other seeds, whether or not mixed together, peanuts (ground-nuts), peanut butter and paste, other. The rate of duty will be 131.8 percent ad valorem. In addition, products classified in subheading 2008.11.1500, HTS, will be subject to additional safeguard duties based on their value, as described in subheadings 9904.20.01 – 9904.20.10.
Additional requirements may be imposed on these products by the Food and Drug Administration. You may contact the FDA at:
Food and Drug Administration
Division of Import Operations and Policy
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 CFR 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 Thomas Brady at (646) 733-3030.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Swierupski
Director
National Commodity
Specialist Division