World SeedSeed import HS codes
The Harmonised System groups seed for sowing under heading 12.09, cereals sown as seed under chapter 10, oilseeds under 12.07, spices under chapter 9 and some legumes under 07.13. The six-digit code is international; importing countries add two to four digits for tariff and statistical purposes. The table lists every code used for the products in this knowledge base, with the heading text and the products declared under it.
HS code table
Codes as declared on Pakistani export documents. Where a product can fall under more than one heading depending on use (sowing vs food) or on national practice, the note in the description column says so; the importer's customs broker has the final say on the national tariff line.
| HS code | Heading description | Products under this code | Chapter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0603.90 | Cut flowers and flower buds, dried, dyed or otherwise prepared (rose petals and buds) | Dried Rose Petals & Buds | 06 — Live trees and plants |
| 0713.40 | Lentils — note: guar seed is entered by most customs under 0713.90 or 1209.99; Pakistani export practice uses 0713.40 as declared here | Guar Seed | 07 — Edible vegetables and legumes |
| 0802.90 | Other nuts, fresh or dried (pine nuts, chilgoza) | Pine Nuts | 08 — Edible fruit and nuts |
| 0813.40 | Other dried fruit (sea buckthorn berries) | Dried Sea Buckthorn Berries | 08 — Edible fruit and nuts |
| 0904.21 | Fruits of genus Capsicum or Pimenta, dried, neither crushed nor ground (dried chillies) | Dried Red Chillies | 09 — Coffee, tea, spices |
| 0909.31 | Cumin seeds, neither crushed nor ground | Cumin Seed | 09 — Coffee, tea, spices |
| 0909.61 | Seeds of anise, badian, caraway or fennel; juniper berries, neither crushed nor ground (fennel) | Fennel Seed | 09 — Coffee, tea, spices |
| 0910.99 | Other spices (fenugreek as exported from Pakistan) | Fenugreek Seed | 09 — Coffee, tea, spices |
| 1007.10 | Grain sorghum seed for sowing (includes forage, sweet and sudan grass types) | Sorghum & Sudan Grass Seed | 10 — Cereals |
| 1008.21 | Millet seed for sowing | Hybrid Pearl Millet (Baymisaal) | 10 — Cereals |
| 1207.30 | Castor oil seeds, whether or not broken | Castor Seed | 12 — Oil seeds, seeds for sowing, industrial plants |
| 1207.40 | Sesamum (sesame) seeds, whether or not broken | Sesame Seed | 12 — Oil seeds, seeds for sowing, industrial plants |
| 1207.99 | Other oil seeds and oleaginous fruits (nigella / kalonji) | Nigella (Kalonji) Seed | 12 — Oil seeds, seeds for sowing, industrial plants |
| 1209.22 | Clover (Trifolium spp.) seed for sowing | Berseem Clover Seed; Persian Clover Seed | 12 — Oil seeds, seeds for sowing, industrial plants |
| 1209.25 | Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum, L. perenne) seed for sowing | Ryegrass Seed | 12 — Oil seeds, seeds for sowing, industrial plants |
| 1209.29 | Other seeds of forage plants for sowing (Rhodes grass, Panicum, Brachiaria, Johnson grass) | Rhodes Grass Seed; Panicum (Guinea / Mombasa Grass) Seed; Brachiaria (Signal / Ruzi / Mulato type) Seed; Johnson Grass (Sorghum halepense) Seed | 12 — Oil seeds, seeds for sowing, industrial plants |
| 1209.91 | Vegetable seeds for sowing (basil seed and garden cress as exported) | Basil (Tukhm‑e‑Balanga) Seed; Cress (Garden Cress / Halim) Seed | 12 — Oil seeds, seeds for sowing, industrial plants |
| 1209.99 | Other seeds, fruit and spores for sowing (e.g. sesbania) | Sesbania Seed | 12 — Oil seeds, seeds for sowing, industrial plants |
| 1211.20 | Ginseng roots — note: licorice root is more commonly entered under 1211.90; declared as listed | Licorice Root | 12 — Oil seeds, seeds for sowing, industrial plants |
| 1211.90 | Other plants and parts of plants used in perfumery, pharmacy or for insecticidal purposes (ephedra herb, licorice root) | Ephedra (Ma Huang) Herb | 12 — Oil seeds, seeds for sowing, industrial plants |
| 1214.10 | Lucerne (alfalfa) seed | Alfalfa (Lucerne) Seed; Sprouting Alfalfa Seed (food grade) | 12 — Oil seeds, seeds for sowing, industrial plants |
| 2501.00 | Salt (including table salt) and pure sodium chloride (Himalayan pink salt) | Himalayan Pink Salt | 25 — Salt, sulphur, earths |
Sowing seed vs food or feed
The same seed can carry different codes depending on declared use. Sorghum for sowing is 1007.10 and sorghum grain is 1007.90; millet for sowing is 1008.21 and millet grain 1008.29; fenugreek is a spice under 0910.99 in Pakistani practice but sowing-grade fenugreek is accepted under 1209.91 or 1209.99 by some destinations. Seed for sowing usually attracts a lower or zero duty and stricter phytosanitary control; food and feed grades attract food-safety controls (residues, microbiology) instead. Declare the use consistently across invoice, phytosanitary certificate and packing list, since customs and plant-quarantine officers compare them.
Related headings
| HS code | Description | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| 1007.90 | Sorghum grain, other than seed | Feed grain sorghum |
| 1008.29 | Millet, other than seed | Feed millet |
| 1209.10 | Sugar beet seed | Not exported; listed for contrast |
| 1209.21 | Lucerne (alfalfa) seed — used by some tariffs instead of 1214.10 | Check destination tariff |
| 1209.23 | Fescue seed | Forage grass, not in range |
| 1209.24 | Kentucky blue grass seed | Forage grass, not in range |
| 1302.32 | Mucilages and thickeners from locust beans or guar seeds (guar gum) | Guar gum, product of guar seed |
| 1515.30 | Castor oil and its fractions | Product of castor seed (1207.30) |
| 1211.90 | Other plants and parts used in pharmacy (licorice, basil seed in some tariffs) | Alternative for basil seed, licorice |
| 1214.90 | Other forage products (hay, lucerne meal) | Hay, not seed |
| 2306.90 | Oil-cake and residues (sesame cake, guar meal) | By-products |
Using the codes
Quote the six-digit code on the request for quotation so that the export desk can prepare the certificate of origin and the phytosanitary certificate with matching descriptions. Duty rates by country can be checked on the WTO Tariff Analysis Online or the destination customs tariff using the code. The phytosanitary table covers the plant-health side; the container table gives the weight per container for the invoice; each variety profile repeats its code in the buying notes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HS code for alfalfa seed?
1214.10 (lucerne seed) in Pakistani export practice and most importing tariffs. A few tariffs place lucerne seed under 1209.21; the importer's broker confirms the national line.
What is the HS code for sorghum seed?
1007.10 for seed for sowing, covering grain, forage, sweet and sudan grass types. Sorghum grain for consumption is 1007.90.
What is the HS code for Rhodes grass seed?
1209.29, other seeds of forage plants, since Rhodes grass has no dedicated subheading. Panicum (Megathyrsus maximus), Brachiaria (Urochloa spp.) and Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense) seed use the same heading. The phytosanitary certificate names the species.
What are the HS codes for fennel, castor and cress seed?
Fennel seed is 0909.61 (with anise, badian, caraway and juniper); castor seed is 1207.30; garden cress seed is declared under 1209.91 (vegetable seeds) as basil is. Castor oil is 1515.30.
Is guar seed 0713.40?
Pakistani export documents declare guar seed under 0713.40 as listed here. Many importing countries classify it under 0713.90 (other dried leguminous vegetables) or 1209.99 (other seeds for sowing). Guar gum is 1302.32.
Do the codes affect duty?
Yes. Seed for sowing under chapter 12 is duty-free or low-duty in most countries; food-grade sesame and spices carry normal agricultural duties. Declaring the correct use with a consistent code across all documents avoids reclassification at the border.
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