U.S. imports of Benzoic Acid, Its Salts and Esters (HS 291631) totaled $5.9M in August 2026, imported from 20 countries.
Importers of Benzoic Acid, Its Salts and Esters paid $1.1M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 18.16% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: August 2026 dataSodium benzoate — the most commercially significant salt in this heading — is a widely used food and beverage preservative, and its imports are subject to FDA admissibility review when intended for food applications. The US schedule is unusually granular here, with separate lines for benzoic acid (2916311105), sodium benzoate (2916311170), odoriferous or flavoring ester compounds (2916312000), esters covered by US Note 3 to Section VI (2916313000), and other esters (2916315000). Estonia leads US supply under this heading — a reflection of specialized European chemical production — followed by China and the Netherlands. Imports from China are subject to Section 301 tariffs, which has reinforced European sourcing for sodium benzoate and benzoic acid.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
188 import shipments a month
The granularity reflects distinct end-use categories: free acid, the dominant salt (sodium benzoate), odoriferous/flavoring esters used in fragrance and flavor applications, esters subject to special US note provisions, and general-purpose esters. Each line may carry different duty rates and regulatory treatment, so correct identification of the specific compound form is essential at entry.
Sodium benzoate imported as a food additive is subject to FDA prior notice requirements and port-of-entry admissibility review. The product must conform to food-grade specifications (typically USP or FCC grade), and the foreign facility should be registered with FDA. Classification and admissibility are complex; consult a licensed customs broker or FDA before importing.
Subheading 5 of 12 in heading 2916
Subheading 291631 · $5.9M of $75.8M
ImportsExports
Imports
$5.9MYoY · free account
Exports
$5.0MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $66.0M of Benzoic Acid, Its Salts and Esters and exported $58.4M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
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HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Imports for consumption | Average duty rate | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2916311105 | Benzoic Acid | $3.3M | 18.42% | 100.00% | $611K |
| 2916311170 | Sodium Benzoate | $1.1M | 22.28% | 70.63% | $245K |
| 2916311190 | Benzoic Acid, Its Salts and Esters NESOI | $475K | 12.52% | 99.23% | $59K |
| 2916312000 | Odiferous or Flavorng Cmpds of Benzoic Acid Esters | $351K | 14.30% | 100.00% | $50K |
| 2916315000 | Other Benzoic Acid Esters | $350K | 21.45% | 100.00% | $75K |
| 2916313000 | Benzoic Acid Estrs of Prod in U.S. Note 3 Sect 6 | $338K | 10.69% | 100.00% | $36K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 2916310002 | Benzoic Acid, Its Salts and Esters | $5.0M |
Import lines come from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and export lines from Schedule B. The two are numbered by different agencies, so the same 10-digit code can appear in both tables describing a different product.
Imports · August 2026
origin
Netherlands and China together supply 52% of it. China pays 41.9% duty; Italy 8.9%.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
5.5% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 18.16% of imports for consumption.