U.S. imports of Chemical Preparations for Photographic Use (SITC 88210) totaled $51.7M in August 2026, imported from 22 countries.
Importers of Chemical Preparations for Photographic Use paid $4.4M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 11.61% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Chemical Preparations for Photographic Use imports of $51.7M in August 2026 ran 25% above the year-to-date monthly average of $41.4M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataPrepared photographic chemicals — including developers, fixers, stop baths, and toners — are traded as either ready-to-use retail packs or unmixed products measured into single-use portions, distinguishing them from bulk industrial chemicals classified elsewhere. The heading explicitly excludes varnishes, glues, and similar non-photographic preparations, so product labeling and intended use documentation are critical at entry. Demand is increasingly concentrated in specialty and professional film-processing segments as digital imaging has displaced mass-market analog consumption.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
600 import shipments a month
Product data sheets, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and commercial invoices that specify the photographic end-use — such as developer, fixer, or toner — and the retail or measured-portion packaging format are the primary supporting documents. These help establish that the preparation is purpose-formulated for photographic use rather than a general-purpose chemical.
Yes — the heading specifically covers unmixed products put up in measured portions or in retail packs ready for photographic use. Bulk chemical shipments not configured for direct photographic application may fall under a different chemical heading, so pack size and configuration should be confirmed before filing entry.
Basic heading 152 of 419 in section 8
Basic heading 88210 · $51.7M of $46.9B
Imports · August 2026
origin
Japan and South Korea together supply 93% of it.
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
$51.7MYoY · free account
Exports
$58.3MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $481.5M of Chemical Preparations for Photographic Use.
Through August 2026 · exports 11 of 12 months reported. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
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