Harmonized System
U.S. imports of Tapioca and Starch-Based Substitutes (Flakes, Pearls, and Similar Forms) (HS 190300) totaled $2.7M in September 2026, imported from 24 countries.
Importers of Tapioca and Starch-Based Substitutes (Flakes, Pearls, and Similar Forms) paid $84K in duties in September 2026, an average duty rate of 3.12% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: September 2026 dataTapioca pearls, flakes, and granules — along with analogous products made from arrowroot, cassava, or sago starch — are classified here based on their physical form rather than end use, covering both food-grade and industrial-grade starch preparations. The US schedule separates arrowroot-, cassava-, and sago-derived products (1903002000) from other starch-based substitutes (1903004000), a distinction that matters when the source starch is ambiguous. Taiwan and Thailand are the leading suppliers, with China, India, and Brazil also significant — a supply base concentrated in tropical starch-producing regions. The surge in bubble-tea consumption has made tapioca pearls a commercially prominent subset of this heading.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
268 import shipments a month
The classification turns on the botanical source of the starch. Products derived from cassava (manioc), arrowroot, or sago fall under 1903002000, while tapioca-style products made from potato, corn, or other non-listed starches go to 1903004000. Importers should obtain supplier documentation identifying the starch source to support the correct line.
Tapioca pearls are regulated as a food product under FDA jurisdiction and are subject to standard food-safety admissibility review, including compliance with FDA's food-facility registration requirements and applicable food-additive standards. No special permit is required beyond standard FDA food-import procedures, but shipments from facilities with prior FDA import alerts may face automatic detention.
Trade Directory
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Subheading 1 of 1 in heading 1903
Subheading 190300 · $2.7M of $2.9M
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1903002000 | Tapioca/Substitutes, Arrowroot/Cassava/Sago Starch | $2.0M | 2.70% | 25.79% | $54K |
| 1903004000 | Tapioca and Substitutes Prepared From Starch NESOI | $863K | 3.87% | 100.00% | $33K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1903000000 | Tapioca and Substitutes From Starch in Flakes, Etc | $286K |
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 · September 2026
origin
Taiwan and Thailand together supply 75% of it.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
48.2% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 3.12% of imports for consumption.
ImportsExports
Imports
$2.7MYoY · free account
Exports
$216KYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to September 2026, the U.S. imported $33.7M of Tapioca and Starch-Based Substitutes (Flakes, Pearls, and Similar Forms) and exported $5.5M.
Through September 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.