Dried herbs Hs Code

Dried herbs harmonized system code

Product Overview Dried herbs classified under HS Code 121190 encompass a diverse range of dehydrated aromatic leaves and flowering parts used primarily as flavoring agents in culinary applications. This product category includes herbs such as basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage, and dill, which have undergone mechanical drying processes—commonly air-drying, freeze-drying, or oven-drying—to reduce moisture content typically below 12%, ensuring extended shelf life and preservation of essential oils. These herbs are characterized by their intact leaf structure or finely crushed form, exhibiting uniform particle size and consistent color indicative of minimal degradation. Subcategories within 121190 include dried herbs, whether whole, crushed, or ground, excluding those specifically prepared or preserved by other means. Commercially, dried herbs serve key roles in food service establishments, retail packaging for consumer use, and ingredient supply for food processing industries, contributing to flavor enhancement, aroma, and visual appeal. Their value proposition lies in their concentrated flavor profiles, ease of storage and transport, and compliance with international phytosanitary and quality standards, positioning them competitively in global spice and seasoning markets. HS Code Classification & Trade Specifications The HS Code 121190 falls under Chapter 12 (Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder), Heading 1211 (Plants and parts of plants, used primarily in perfumery, pharmacy or for insecticidal purposes, fresh or dried, whether or not cut, crushed or powdered), and Subheading 121190, which specifically covers dried herbs not elsewhere specified. The classification rationale rests on the product’s botanical origin, dehydration process, and intended use as culinary herbs rather than medicinal or perfumery products. Trade considerations emphasize packaging in moisture-resistant materials such as vacuum-sealed polyethylene or laminated foil pouches, typically in quantities ranging from 25 kg bulk sacks to retail units of 10-50 grams, to maintain optimal dryness and prevent contamination. Preservation methods must comply with international phytosanitary regulations and quality standards such as ISO 6571 for dried culinary herbs, ensuring microbial limits, pesticide residues, and aflatoxin levels meet importing country requirements. Shipping protocols mandate controlled humidity and temperature environments to prevent rehydration and spoilage during transit. This coding and specification framework supports accurate customs classification, tariff application, and facilitates seamless international trade documentation in accordance with WTO agreements and the Harmonized System Convention.

Dried herbs Chapter Note

1.- Heading 12.07 applies, inter alia, to palm nuts and kernels, cotton seeds, castor oil seeds, sesamum seeds, mustard seeds, safflower seeds, poppy seeds and shea nuts (karite nuts). It does not apply to products of heading 08.01 or 08.02 or to olives (Chapter 7 or Chapter 20). 2.- Heading 12.08 applies not only to non-defatted flours and meals but also to flours and meals which have been partially defatted or defatted and wholly or partially refatted with their original oils. It does not, however, apply to residues of headings 23.04 to 23.06. 3.- For the purposes of heading 12.09, beet seeds, grass and other herbage seeds, seeds of ornamental flowers, vegetable seeds, seeds of forest trees, seeds of fruit trees, seeds of vetches (other than those of the species Vicia faba) or of lupines are to be regarded as “seeds of a kind used for sowing”. Heading 12.09 does not, however, apply to the following even if for sowing : (a) Leguminous vegetables or sweet corn (Chapter 7); (b) Spices or other products of Chapter 9; (c) Cereals (Chapter 10); or (d) Products of headings 12.01 to 12.07 or 12.11. 4.- Heading 12.11 applies, inter alia, to the following plants or parts thereof : basil, borage, ginseng, hyssop, liquorice, all species of mint, rosemary, rue, sage and wormwood. Heading 12.11 does not, however, apply to : (a) Medicaments of Chapter 30; (b) Perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations of Chapter 33; or (c) Insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, disinfectants or similar products of heading 38.08. 5.- For the purposes of heading 12.12, the term “seaweeds and other algae” does not include : (a) Dead single-cell micro-organisms of heading 21.02; (b) Cultures of micro-organisms of heading 30.02; or (c) Fertilisers of heading 31.01 or 31.05.