1604.20.50

Analysis

HTS 1604.20.50 covers fish sticks and similar products of any size or shape, if breaded, coated with batter or similarly prepared: other under heading 1604 (prepared or preserved fish; caviar and caviar substitutes prepared from fish eggs). US Customs collects import statistics for it under 2 ten-digit suffixes, reported in kilograms.

Within this group the rate runs from duty-free to 10%. Compared with 1604.20.60 (other: other), which pays duty-free, a misclassification either way moves the duty by 7.5 percentage points.

The general duty rate is 7.5% of the customs value, which is above most the rates in chapter 16 (88th percentile of 108 lines with an ad valorem rate). On a shipment valued at $10,000 that is $750 in duty before any Chapter 99 additions or preference claims.

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 7.5%. 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.

For statistics it divides in two: 1604.20.50.10 for pre-cooked and frozen and 1604.20.50.90 for other. Both pay the same duty; the suffix records which kind was imported.

The column 2 rate, for countries without normal trade relations, is 30%, 4.0 times the general rate.