Analysis
HTS 0708.20.90 covers beans (Vigna spp., Phaseolus spp.): other under heading 0708 (leguminous vegetables, shelled or unshelled, fresh or chilled). US Customs collects import statistics for it under 4 ten-digit suffixes, reported in kilograms.
The general rate is 4.9¢/kg, a specific or compound duty rather than a simple percentage, so the effective burden depends on the unit value of the goods: cheap goods pay proportionally more than expensive ones. Importers usually convert it to an ad valorem equivalent to compare it with other lines.
Goods that qualify under GSP, the Australia FTA, the Bahrain FTA, the Chile FTA, the Colombia TPA, and 12 others can enter duty-free instead of paying 4.9¢/kg. It is also eligible under GSP, the developing-country programme, which Congress has to renew; check whether GSP is in force on the entry date.
The other lines in the same group are 0708.20.10 (lima beans, if entered during the period from November 1 in…, 2.3¢/kg) and 0708.20.20 (cowpeas (other than black-eye peas), duty-free).
Census statistics map these goods to NAICS 111219 (Other Vegetable (except Potato) and Melon Farming), the industry a domestic producer of these goods reports under.
Statistical suffixes
| Code | Description | Units | NAICS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0708.20.90.05 | Other beans of the genusVigna | kg | 111219 |
| 0708.20.90.20 | French style | kg | |
| 0708.20.90.40 | Certified organic | kg | |
| 0708.20.90.60 | Other | kg |
Neighbouring lines
| Line | Description | General rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0708.20.10 | Lima beans, if entered during the period from November 1 in any year to the following May 31, inclusive | 2.3¢/kg |
| 0708.20.20 | Cowpeas (other than black-eye peas) | Free |