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U.S. exports of fresh, unripened, or uncured cheese, including whey cheese and curd (HS 040610) totaled $78.0M in July 2026.
Importers of Fresh, Unripened, or Uncured Cheese, Including Whey Cheese and Curd paid $1.2M in duties in July 2026 — an effective duty rate of 19% on $6.6M in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: July 2026 dataItaly leads US imports under this heading, supplying fresh mozzarella and ricotta that anchor the foodservice and specialty retail sectors, while Mexico is a major source of fresh Hispanic-style cheeses such as queso fresco and the specifically named Chongos variety, which has its own dedicated tariff lines (0406100400 and 0406100800). The US schedule is unusually granular, with separate lines for Cheddar-containing fresh cheese, Edam/Gouda types, Italian-type cow's-milk cheeses, and low-butterfat substitutes, each potentially subject to different Additional US Notes and TRQ treatment. All imported cheese must meet USDA and FDA dairy admissibility standards; importers should work with a licensed customs broker familiar with Chapter 4 additional notes to ensure correct classification and quota compliance.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
631 shipments/mo
Chongos is a traditional Mexican fresh cheese with a distinct curd texture and preparation method. CBP has assigned it dedicated 10-digit lines (0406100400 under Additional US Note 16, and 0406100800 for NESOI quantities) to allow differentiated duty treatment and quota tracking separate from other fresh cheeses. This level of specificity reflects the volume and commercial significance of Hispanic-style cheese imports from Mexico.
Fresh cheeses containing Cheddar are directed to line 0406102800 rather than the general fresh cheese lines, and they may be subject to different TRQ treatment under the applicable Additional US Notes. Misclassifying a Cheddar-containing product under a general fresh cheese line can result in underpayment of over-quota duties or incorrect quota attribution. A binding ruling from CBP is recommended when the Cheddar content is significant but the product is marketed primarily as a fresh or blended cheese.
HSChapter 04
Subheading 2 of 5 in heading 0406
Subheading 040610 · $8.3M of $151.1M
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ImportsExports
Imports
$8.3MYoY · Pro
Exports
$78.0MYoY · Pro
12-mo low · imports
YoY · ProThrough July 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Import Value | Effective Tariff % | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0406109500 | Fresh Cheese (Unripened)/Whey Cheese/Curd, NESOI | $6.0M | 12.19% | 74.51% | $731K |
| 0406108800 | Other Cheese and Substitutes for Cheese, NESOI | $908K | 29.24% | 98.63% | $265K |
| 0406108400 | Other Cheese/Substitutes,See Additional U S Nte 16 | $676K | 14.84% | 79.88% | $100K |
| 0406100800 | Chongos, Fresh (Unripened or Uncured) Cheese,NESOI | $487K | 14.18% | 100.00% | $69K |
| 0406107800 | Cheese/Substitutes Cont Lt 0.5% Butterfat, NESOI | $170K | 25.67% | 100.00% | $44K |
| 0406105800 | Italian-Type Cheeses (Cow's Milk), Or Etc, NESOI | $48K | 34.42% | 94.99% | $17K |
| 0406104800 | Edam/Gouda Cheese or Cheese Cntan Edam/Gouda NESOI | $7K | 25.98% | 67.88% | $2K |
| 0406106800 | Swiss/Emmentaler/Gruyere-Process Cheeses Etc,NESOI | $0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 0406102800 | Cheddar Cheese or Cheese Contain Cheddar, NESOI | $0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 0406104400 | Edam & Gouda Cheeses & Etc, See Addtl U.S. Note 20 | $0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 0406100400 | Chongos, Fresh Cheese, See Additional U.S. Note 16 | $0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 0406107400 | Cheese/Substitute Cont Lt 0.5% Butrfat,Addl Nte 23 | $0 | -- | -- | -- |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 0406100000 | Fresh Cheese (Inc Whey Cheese) Nt Frmntd, And Curd | $78.0M |
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.
Exports · July 2026
destination
Korea, South and Mexico together take 47% of it.
customs district
origin
entry
rate provision · imports
20.3% enters free of duty; the effective duty rate is 14.80%.