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HSChapter 18
U.S. imports of cocoa paste, not defatted (HS 180310) totaled $77.5M in July 2026, traded with 22 countries.
Cocoa Paste, Not Defatted imports of $77.5M in July 2026 ran 25% below the year-to-date monthly average of $103.7M.
Last updated: July 2026 dataCocoa paste (also called cocoa liquor or cocoa mass) in its non-defatted form retains the full natural fat content of the cocoa bean after grinding, making it the primary intermediate for both chocolate manufacturing and cocoa butter extraction. Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana together supply the majority of US imports under this heading, a concentration that reflects West Africa's dominance in primary cocoa processing capacity. Classified under a single US tariff line (1803100000), the product's duty exposure is straightforward, but importers should confirm FDA compliance for food-grade cocoa paste, including heavy-metal testing protocols increasingly required by buyers in the confectionery sector. As a processed food ingredient, FDA prior notice and labeling requirements apply.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
266 shipments/mo
Cocoa paste (180310) is the ground product of the whole cocoa nib and contains both cocoa solids and cocoa butter in their natural proportions — typically around 50–55% fat. Cocoa butter, classified under heading 1804, is the fat fraction separated from the paste by hydraulic pressing or solvent extraction. If a supplier labels a product as 'cocoa liquor' or 'cocoa mass,' it is the same commodity as cocoa paste and should be classified under 180310 provided it has not been defatted.
Beyond FDA's standard food-safety oversight, many US chocolate manufacturers contractually require suppliers to provide certificates of analysis covering cadmium and lead content, as regulatory limits on heavy metals in cocoa products are an active area of FDA and state-level scrutiny. Importers should request lot-specific heavy-metal test results from the exporting processor and retain them as part of the import record. Consulting a licensed customs broker or food-safety regulatory specialist is advisable for first-time importers.
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Subheading 1 of 2 in heading 1803
Subheading 180310 · $77.5M of $96.4M
Imports · July 2026
origin
Cote D'Ivoire and Ecuador together supply 65% of it.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
99.8% enters free of duty; the effective duty rate is 0.00%.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1803100000 | Cocoa Paste, Not Defatted | $77.5M | 0.00% | 0.00% |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1803100000 | Cocoa Paste, Not Defatted | $13.0M |
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.
ImportsExports
Imports
$77.5MYoY · Pro
Exports
$13.0MYoY · Pro
12-mo low · imports
YoY · ProThrough July 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.