Humic acid Hs Code

Humic acid harmonized system code

Product Overview Humic acid, classified under HS Code 382499, is a complex mixture of organic acids derived primarily from the decomposition of plant and microbial matter in soil and peat. It is characterized by its dark brown to black color, water solubility in alkaline solutions, and a molecular weight range typically between 5,000 to 10,000 Daltons. The product is available in various processing grades, including technical, agricultural, and food-grade purities, each conforming to specified ash content (usually below 10%) and moisture levels (commonly under 12%). Within HS Code 382499, humic acid is categorized alongside other chemical products not elsewhere specified or included, specifically under subheadings that differentiate organic compounds by their origin and processing method. Commercially, humic acid is widely utilized in the agricultural sector as a soil conditioner and plant growth stimulant, in food service and processing as a natural additive or supplement, and in retail markets targeting organic and sustainable product lines. Its value proposition lies in enhancing soil fertility and product stability, offering a competitive advantage due to its natural origin, biodegradability, and multifunctional applications across diverse industries. HS Code Classification & Trade Specifications The full HS Code for humic acid is 3824.99, where Chapter 38 covers “Miscellaneous Chemical Products,” Heading 3824 refers to “Prepared binders for foundry molds or cores; chemical products and preparations of the chemical or allied industries (including those consisting of mixtures of natural products), not elsewhere specified or included,” and Subheading 99 specifies “Other” products under this heading, which includes humic acid. This classification is justified by humic acid’s chemical nature and its exclusion from other more specific HS codes related to chemicals or fertilizers. Trade considerations for humic acid include packaging in moisture-proof, anti-static bags or drums with net weights typically ranging from 25 kg to 1,000 kg to maintain product integrity during shipment. Preservation involves controlling humidity and temperature to prevent degradation or microbial contamination. Compliance with international quality standards such as ISO 9001 and adherence to WTO trade facilitation agreements are essential to ensure smooth customs clearance and acceptance in global markets. Analytical parameters such as carbon content (minimum 45%), pH value (usually between 8 and 10 in 1% solution), and absence of heavy metals are critical for classification and import/export documentation accuracy.

Humic acid Chapter Note

1.- This Chapter does not cover : (a) Separate chemically defined elements or compounds with the exception of the following : (1) Artificial graphite (heading 38.01); (2) Insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides, anti-sprouting products and plant-growth regulators, disinfectants and similar products, put up as described in heading 38.08; (3) Products put up as charges for fire-extinguishers or put up in fire-extinguishing grenades (heading 38.13); (4) Certified reference materials specified in Note 2 below; (5) Products specified in Note 3 (a) or 3 (c) below; (b) Mixtures of chemicals with foodstuffs or other substances with nutritive value, of a kind used in the preparation of human foodstuffs (generally heading 21.06); (c) Products of heading 24.04; (d) Slag, ash and residues (including sludges, other than sewage sludge), containing metals, arsenic or their mixtures and meeting the requirements of Note 3 (a) or 3 (b) to Chapter 26 (heading 26.20); (e) Medicaments (heading 30.03 or 30.04); or (f) Spent catalysts of a kind used for the extraction of base metals or for the manufacture of chemical compounds of base metals (heading 26.20), spent catalysts of a kind used principally for the recovery of precious metal (heading 71.12) or catalysts consisting of metals or metal alloys in the form of, for example, finely divided powder or woven gauze (Section XIV or XV). 2.- (A) For the purpose of heading 38.22, the expression “certified reference materials” means reference materials which are accompanied by a certificate which indicates the values of the certified properties, the methods used to determine these values and the degree of certainty associated with each value and which are suitable for analytical, calibrating or referencing purposes. (B) With the exception of the products of Chapter 28 or 29, for the classification of certified reference materials, heading 38.22 shall take precedence over any other heading in the Nomenclature. 3.- Heading 38.24 includes the following goods which are not to be classified in any other heading of the Nomenclature : (a) Cultured crystals (other than optical elements) weighing not less than 2.5 g each, of magnesium oxide or of the halides of the alkali or alkaline-earth metals; (b) Fusel oil; Dippel's oil; (c) Ink removers put up in packings for retail sale; (d) Stencil correctors, other correcting fluids and correction tapes (other than those of heading 96.12), put up in packings for retail sale; and (e) Ceramic firing testers, fusible (for example, Seger cones). 4.- Throughout the Nomenclature, “municipal waste” means waste of a kind collected from households, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, shops, offices, etc., road and pavement sweepings, as well as construction and demolition waste. Municipal waste generally contains a large variety of materials such as plastics, rubber, wood, paper, textiles, glass, metals, food materials, broken furniture and other damaged or discarded articles. The term “municipal waste”, however, does not cover : (a) Individual materials or articles segregated from the waste, for example wastes of plastics, rubber, wood, paper, textiles, glass or metals, electrical and electronic waste and scrap (including spent batteries) which fall in their appropriate headings of the Nomenclature; (b) Industrial waste;(c) Waste pharmaceuticals, as defined in Note 4 (k) to Chapter 30; or (d) Clinical waste, as defined in Note 6 (a) below. 5.- For the purposes of heading 38.25, “sewage sludge” means sludge arising from urban effluent treatment plant and includes pre-treatment waste, scourings and unstabilised sludge. Stabilised sludge when suitable for use as fertiliser is excluded (Chapter 31). 6.- For the purposes of heading 38.25, the expression “other wastes” applies to : (a) Clinical waste, that is, contaminated waste arising from medical research, diagnosis, treatment or other medical, surgical, dental or veterinary procedures, which often contain pathogens and pharmaceutical substances and require special disposal procedures (for example, soiled dressings, used gloves and used syringes); (b) Waste organic solvents; (c) Wastes of metal pickling liquors, hydraulic fluids, brake fluids and anti-freezing fluids; and (d) Other wastes from chemical or allied industries. The expression “other wastes” does not, however, cover wastes which contain mainly petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals (heading 27.10). 7.- For the purposes of heading 38.26, the term “biodiesel” means mono-alkyl esters of fatty acids of a kind used as a fuel, derived from animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils whether or not used.