2401.20.31.10 - Flue-cured

This classification specifically covers flue-cured unmanufactured tobacco that has been stemmed or stripped but not threshed or similarly processed. It represents a specific type of light air-cured leaf tobacco, characterized by its drying process in specially constructed barns with flues to control temperature and humidity. This curing method imparts a distinct chemical composition and leaf color, typically golden to reddish-brown.

The distinction from its siblings lies in the specific type of tobacco leaf. While 2401.20.31.20 covers Burley tobacco and 2401.20.31.30 denotes Maryland tobacco, this subcategory is exclusively for flue-cured leaf. The residual category, 2401.20.31.40, encompasses other types of light air-cured leaf not fitting the specific descriptions of flue-cured, Burley, or Maryland. The primary defining characteristic here is the curing method.

As this is a leaf node, there are no further subcategories branching from this specific HTS code. Therefore, the focus remains on the precise identification of flue-cured, stemmed/stripped, unthreshed tobacco intended for use in products other than cigarettes, differentiating it from other stemmed/stripped tobacco types based on its curing process and end-use.