Sorghum Hs Code

Sorghum harmonized system code

Product Overview Sorghum, classified under HS Code 100790, is a cereal grain derived from the Sorghum bicolor plant, primarily utilized in both food and industrial applications. This commodity is characterized by its small, round kernels, typically ranging from 2 to 4 millimeters in diameter, exhibiting a color spectrum from white and yellow to red and brown. The product is generally supplied in a cleaned, dried, and hulled form, meeting standardized moisture content levels below 13% to ensure optimal storage stability and minimize microbial contamination. Under HS Code 100790, sorghum is categorized within the cereals group, specifically encompassing varieties intended for human consumption and industrial processing. Subcategories include grain sorghum, milled sorghum products, and sorghum prepared or preserved otherwise than by vinegar or acetic acid. Commercially, sorghum serves as a staple ingredient in food service sectors for porridge, flatbreads, and gluten-free formulations, while industrially it is employed in biofuel production, animal feed, and brewing. Its competitive advantages lie in its drought resistance, nutritional profile, and versatility, positioning it as a cost-effective alternative to other staple grains in global markets. HS Code Classification & Trade Specifications The Harmonized System (HS) Code 100790 pertains explicitly to “Cereals, other than wheat, meslin, maize, rice, barley, oats, rye, and buckwheat, unmilled,” with the full classification structured as follows: Chapter 10 (Cereals), Heading 07 (Cereals, excluding wheat and maize), and Subheading 90 (Other cereals, principally sorghum). Sorghum is classified under this code due to its botanical and commercial distinctiveness from more common cereals, aligning with the World Customs Organization’s nomenclature for accurate tariff and trade control. Trade professionals recognize that sorghum is commonly packaged in woven polypropylene bags ranging from 25 to 50 kilograms, with preservation methods emphasizing low moisture content (<13%) and protection from pests via fumigation or controlled atmospheres. Shipping typically adheres to bulk or containerized transport with consideration for humidity and temperature control to maintain grain integrity. Quality standards conform to Codex Alimentarius guidelines and regional phytosanitary regulations, specifying maximum levels for foreign matter, broken kernels (<3%), and mycotoxins. Compliance with WTO agreements and international customs protocols ensures seamless cross-border transactions and accurate documentation for import/export operations.

Sorghum Chapter Note

1.- (A) The products specified in the headings of this Chapter are to be classified in those headings only if grains are present, whether or not in the ear or on the stalk. (B) The Chapter does not cover grains which have been hulled or otherwise worked. However, rice, husked, milled, polished, glazed, parboiled or broken remains classified in heading 10.06. Similarly, quinoa from which the pericarp has been wholly or partly removed in order to separate the saponin, but which has not undergone any other processes, remains classified in heading 10.08. 2.- Heading 10.05 does not cover sweet corn (Chapter 7). Subheading Note. 1.- The term “durum wheat” means wheat of the Triticum durum species and the hybrids derived from the inter-specific crossing of Triticum durum which have the same number (28) of chromosomes as that species