CLA-2-46:RR:NC:2:230
Mr. Pascal Benoist
Mauna Kai Hawaii, Inc.
P.O. Box 791259
Paia, Maui, HI 96779
RE: The tariff classification of a coil of raffia strips from the Philippines
Dear Mr. Benoist:
In your letter dated July 30, 2007 you requested a tariff classification ruling.
The ruling was requested on a coil of natural raffia strips. A sample and descriptive literature were submitted. The sample consists of dried folded raffia strips tied together at the ends and wound into a 5-1/2” high x 5” round ball with an opening in the middle. The literature describes the product as “a 550gr bundle of raffia material.” The raffia material will be pulled from the center of the coil and cut to desired lengths for various uses.
The applicable subheading for the natural raffia strips, described above, will be 1401.90.4000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for: Vegetable materials of a kind used primarily for plaiting (for example, bamboos, rattans, reeds, rushes, osier, raffia, cleaned, bleached or dyed cereal straw, and lime bark): Other (than bamboos, rattans or osier). The duty rate will be 3.2 percent ad valorem.
Duty rates are provided for your convenience and are subject to change. The text of the most recent HTSUS and the accompanying duty rates are provided on World Wide Web at http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/.
Articles classifiable under subheading 1401.90.4000, HTSUS, which are products of the Philippines may be entitled to duty free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) upon compliance with all applicable regulations. The GSP is subject to modification and periodic suspension, which may affect the status of your transaction at the time of entry for consumption or withdrawal from warehouse. To obtain current information on GSP, check our Web site at www.cbp.gov and search for the term "GSP".
This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 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 Paul Garretto at 646-733-3035.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Swierupski
Director,
National Commodity
Specialist Division