U.S. imports of Vegetable Alkaloids (Not Elsewhere Specified), Their Salts, and Derivatives (SITC 54149) totaled $20.8M in August 2026, imported from 22 countries.
Importers of Vegetable Alkaloids (Not Elsewhere Specified), Their Salts, and Derivatives paid $40K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 0.19% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: August 2026 dataA residual catch-all for plant-derived alkaloids not captured by more specific SITC headings, this category encompasses a wide range of compounds — from colchicine (used in gout treatment) to vinblastine and vincristine (oncology APIs derived from Catharanthus roseus) — each with distinct pharmacological profiles and regulatory requirements. FDA cGMP rules apply to pharmaceutical-grade imports, and some compounds in this grouping may also be subject to DEA scheduling or CITES controls depending on the source plant species. Importers must identify the specific alkaloid to determine the correct HTS classification and applicable agency review.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
80 import shipments a month
The importer should check the DEA's list of scheduled substances and List I/II chemicals against the specific compound being imported. Many vegetable alkaloids are not DEA-controlled, but some — such as certain opium-adjacent compounds — may be. A DEA regulatory counsel or licensed customs broker with pharmaceutical experience can assist in making this determination before the shipment is arranged.
Yes. If the source plant is listed under CITES Appendix I or II, the extracted alkaloid may require CITES export permits from the country of origin and import permits from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, in addition to FDA drug substance requirements. This is particularly relevant for alkaloids sourced from rare or endangered botanical species.
Basic heading 172 of 465 in section 5
Basic heading 54149 · $20.8M of $27.5B
ImportsExports
Imports
$20.8MYoY · free account
Exports
$279KYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $252.3M of Vegetable Alkaloids (Not Elsewhere Specified), Their Salts, and Derivatives and exported $12.0M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Imports · August 2026
origin
China and Switzerland together supply 72% 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.
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