How to import Himalayan pink salt into the US
Short answer
Himalayan pink salt is classified under HTS 2501.00.00.00, and the general US duty rate for that line is listed as free. Because it's food, FDA must get prior notice before the shipment arrives, and the US importer needs a Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP). Most buyers use a licensed customs broker to file the entry and prior notice. SilkStone Trading ships Himalayan pink salt from Karachi, FOB Karachi or CIF your US port, with a lab report and export documents for each lot.
What HS code is Himalayan pink salt?
Salt, including table salt, falls under HS heading 2501. In the US tariff schedule, Himalayan pink salt in bags or retail packs is usually entered under HTS 2501.00.00.00, and the general (normal trade relations) duty rate for that line is listed as free. Additional duties can apply by country of origin and change often, so check the current schedule on the USITC site and confirm the classification with your customs broker before you book.
If you're bringing in anything other than grain salt, blocks or slabs, ask your broker to classify it separately.
Do I need to file FDA prior notice for salt?
Yes. Salt for eating is food, and FDA must receive prior notice of any food imported or offered for import into the US. Your broker usually files it through CBP's ACE system, or it can be filed in FDA's Prior Notice System Interface. For a shipment arriving by sea, prior notice has to be submitted at least 8 hours before arrival at the port. It can't be filed more than 30 days ahead in ACE or 15 days ahead in the FDA system.
What is FSVP and who has to do it?
The Foreign Supplier Verification Program rule requires US importers of food to have a program showing that the food they import meets US safety requirements. For FSVP, the importer is the US owner or consignee of the food when it's entered. If there's no US owner or consignee at entry, it's the US agent or representative of the foreign owner, who has to sign a statement agreeing to act as the FSVP importer.
In practice, a brand or distributor buying salt from Pakistan is usually the FSVP importer. Your FSVP file is where the lab report for each lot, your supplier review and your inspection records go. We send a lab report with every lot (sodium chloride, moisture and insoluble matter), and test for lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury on request.
Does the processor need FDA food facility registration?
Foreign facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food for consumption in the US have to register with FDA unless an exemption applies. Ask your supplier which facility packs your salt and for its registration details before the first order, since prior notice asks for them. If anything is unclear, your broker or FSVP adviser can check it.
What should a customs broker handle?
A licensed customs broker files the entry with CBP, files FDA prior notice, arranges the customs bond if you don't have one, and tells you what additional duties apply at entry. Send your broker the commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and bill of lading as soon as the container is loaded. With CIF shipments we book the freight to your port; with FOB Karachi your forwarder books it.
How should imported salt be labeled?
US customs rules require imported goods to be marked with their country of origin in English, so retail packs should say "Product of Pakistan" or similar. FDA food labels also need a statement of identity (for example "Himalayan pink salt"), the net quantity in both US and metric units, and the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer or distributor. If we pack it under your brand, these go on the label proof you approve before anything is printed. See private label Himalayan salt.
Do I need a Prop 65 warning for pink salt?
If you sell in California, Proposition 65 can require a warning on products that expose consumers to listed chemicals, and lead is on the list. Whether a warning is needed depends on the levels in your product and how much people eat, so get heavy-metal results for your lot and ask a Prop 65 adviser before you finalize the label. We test for lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury on request.
A simple order of steps
- Agree the grade, grain, packing and port, and approve samples.
- Line up a customs broker and set up your FSVP file before the first shipment.
- Get the lab report for your lot before loading, plus heavy-metal results if you need them.
- Receive the certificate of origin, analysis report and packing list with the shipment.
- Your broker files prior notice and the entry, and you pick up the container.
Sources
- USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule (search 2501.00.00.00)
- FDA: Prior Notice of Imported Foods
- 21 CFR 1.279: When must prior notice be submitted to FDA?
- FDA: Guidance on Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Importers of Food
- 21 CFR 1.500: FSVP definitions, including "importer"
- 21 CFR 1.225: Who must register a food facility with FDA
- 19 CFR Part 134: Country of origin marking (CBP)
- 21 CFR 101.3: Statement of identity
- 21 CFR 101.105: Net quantity of contents
- 21 CFR 101.5: Name and place of business
- OEHHA: Proposition 65
Rules change. Check the current version of each source and confirm with your customs broker before you ship.