Sweet potato Hs Code

Sweet potato harmonized system code

Product Overview Sweet potatoes classified under HS Code 071420 refer to fresh or chilled tuberous roots of the species Ipomoea batatas. These roots are characterized by their firm texture, varying flesh colors (orange, white, purple), and smooth to slightly rough skin. They are typically harvested at full maturity, exhibiting a moisture content of approximately 60-70%, with sizes ranging from 100 to 500 grams per tuber, depending on variety and cultivation practices. Processing levels for this classification are limited to fresh or chilled forms, excluding dried, frozen, or processed derivatives. The HS Code 071420 encompasses subcategories based on flesh color and size grading, facilitating precise classification for trade purposes. Commercially, sweet potatoes serve as staple food ingredients in retail fresh produce markets, raw materials for food processing sectors (including puree and snack production), and bulk supply for food service operations. Their nutritional profile, including high beta-carotene content in orange-fleshed varieties, supports diverse applications. The product’s value proposition lies in its year-round availability, adaptability to various culinary uses, and compliance with phytosanitary standards, positioning it competitively in global fresh produce trade. HS Code Classification & Trade Specifications The HS Code 071420 is structured within Chapter 07 (Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers), Heading 0714 (Roots and tubers, fresh or chilled, excluding potatoes), with Subheading 071420 specifically designating sweet potatoes. This classification is justified by the botanical origin, physical state (fresh or chilled), and exclusion of other root vegetables or processed forms. Trade considerations for sweet potatoes under this code include packaging in ventilated crates or fiberboard cartons with protective cushioning to prevent mechanical damage and moisture loss. Preservation methods typically involve temperature-controlled storage between 8°C and 12°C and relative humidity of 85-90% to maintain freshness during transit. Shipping requirements emphasize timely delivery to minimize deterioration, with adherence to International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) phytosanitary measures and treatment certifications as mandated by importing countries. Quality standards conform to UNECE standards for sweet potatoes, encompassing parameters such as absence of pests, minimum diameter of 30 mm, uniformity in size and color, and freedom from visible defects or decay. Compliance with WTO agreements and consistent use of this HS classification ensures streamlined customs clearance and accurate trade documentation.

Sweet potato Chapter Note

1.- This Chapter does not cover forage products of heading 12.14. 2.- In headings 07.09, 07.10, 07.11 and 07.12 the word “vegetables” includes edible mushrooms, truffles, olives, capers, marrows, pumpkins, aubergines, sweet corn (Zea mays var. saccharata), fruits of the genus Capsicum or of the genus Pimenta, fennel, parsley, chervil, tarragon, cress and sweet marjoram (Majorana hortensis or Origanum majorana). 3.- Heading 07.12 covers all dried vegetables of the kinds falling in headings 07.01 to 07.11, other than : (a) dried leguminous vegetables, shelled (heading 07.13); (b) sweet corn in the forms specified in headings 11.02 to 11.04; (c) flour, meal, powder, flakes, granules and pellets of potatoes (heading 11.05); (d) flour, meal and powder of the dried leguminous vegetables of heading 07.13 (heading 11.06). 4.- However, dried or crushed or ground fruits of the genus Capsicum or of the genus Pimenta are excluded from this Chapter (heading 09.04). 5.- Heading 07.11 applies to vegetables which have been treated solely to ensure their provisional preservation during transport or storage prior to use (for example, by sulphur dioxide gas, in brine, in sulphur water or in other preservative solutions), provided they remain unsuitable for immediate consumption in that state.