The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) issued a final rule adding frozen mango to the Mango Assessment Fee paid by importers of fresh mangoes under the Mango Promotion, Research and Information Order.
‘Frozen mangoes’ are defined as mangoes which are uncooked or cooked by steaming or boiling in water, and then frozen, whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening agents, and classified in Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) 0811.90.5200.
Imports of fresh mango of HTS 0804.50.4045, 0804.50.4055, 0804.50.6045, and 0804.50.6055 currently remit a Mango Assessment Fee of $0.0165345 per kilogram, which is collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Frozen mangoes will be assessed a rate of $0.022 per kilogram.
The effective date is March 25, 2019, but collection and remittance for frozen mango assessment and reporting will not begin until July 22, 2019.
There is currently an exemption from assessment for importers who import less than 500,000 pounds of fresh mangoes, that will be amended to include 200,000 pounds of frozen mangoes annually, and for those importing mangoes which are certified ‘organic’ under the National Organic Program. All exemptions require the filing of a request for exemption with the Council.
A referendum will be conducted from March 25, 2019 through April 12, 2019 to determine whether importers favor the inclusion of frozen mangoes as a covered commodity under the Mango Promotion, Research and Information Order (Order).
Revenue generated by these assessments is used to finance research and promotion programs designed to increase consumer demand for mangoes in the U.S. and international markets.
If you have any questions regarding the addition of frozen mangoes to the Importers Mango Assessment Fee, Livingston can help! Please contact either your Livingston account manager or our regulatory affairs group at usregaffairs@livingstonintl.com