U.S. imports of Ambergris, Castoreum, Civet, Musk & Other Animal Products for Pharmaceutical Use (SITC 29198) totaled $3.1M in August 2026, imported from 13 countries.
Importers of Ambergris, Castoreum, Civet, Musk & Other Animal Products for Pharmaceutical Use paid $131K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 4.18% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Ambergris, Castoreum, Civet, Musk & Other Animal Products for Pharmaceutical Use imports of $3.1M in August 2026 ran 86% above the year-to-date monthly average of $1.7M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataGlandular secretions and animal-derived substances such as ambergris, castoreum, civet, musk, cantharides, and bile are traded as inputs for pharmaceutical and fragrance manufacturing, where they serve as active ingredients or fixatives. FDA oversight applies to animal-derived pharmaceutical ingredients entering US commerce, and CITES controls are relevant for secretions from listed species — notably musk deer and civet cats. Importers should verify both the species origin and the intended end-use, as the regulatory pathway differs between pharmaceutical-grade and fragrance-grade material.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
22 import shipments a month
Yes. Musk deer (Moschus spp.) are listed on CITES Appendix II, and several civet species are also CITES-listed. Importing musk or civet from these species requires a valid CITES export permit from the country of origin and may require a US import permit depending on the species. Synthetic substitutes are widely used in fragrance manufacturing precisely to avoid these regulatory burdens. Consult US Fish & Wildlife Service and a licensed customs broker before importing.
Animal-derived active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are subject to FDA review as part of the drug import process. They must be manufactured in facilities registered with FDA and may require prior notice or an import alert clearance. The degree of FDA scrutiny depends on whether the material is a finished drug, an API, or a raw biological extract. Working with a regulatory affairs specialist alongside a licensed customs broker is advisable for these shipments.
Basic heading 101 of 239 in section 2
Basic heading 29198 · $3.1M of $3.8B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
Denmark and Spain together supply 73% of it. New Zealand pays 12.5% duty; Denmark 0.0%.
customs district
Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.
destination
Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.
entry
Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.
ImportsExports
Imports
$3.1MYoY · free account
Exports
$2.7MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $19.8M of Ambergris, Castoreum, Civet, Musk & Other Animal Products for Pharmaceutical Use and exported $22.5M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.