Section II · Vegetable Products · Chapter 12
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit, industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder
About chapter 12
Chapter 12 covers oil seeds and oleaginous fruits (soybeans, sunflower seed, rapeseed, groundnuts), plus miscellaneous grains, seeds, industrial or medicinal plants, straw and animal fodder. It's an agricultural-input chapter feeding into vegetable oil (chapter 15) and animal feed supply chains.
Classification tip: Whether seed is intended for sowing versus crushing for oil can change both the applicable code and any phytosanitary/GMO documentation required, so confirm end-use before filing.
50 six-digit codes
Soya beans, whether or not broken
2 codes1201.10Soya beans; seed, whether or not broken1201.90Soya beans; other than seed, whether or not broken
Ground-nuts; not roasted or otherwise cooked, whether or not shelled or broken
3 codes1202.30Ground-nuts; seed, not roasted or otherwise cooked, whether or not shelled or broken1202.41Ground-nuts; other than seed, not roasted or otherwise cooked, in shell1202.42Ground-nuts; other than seed, not roasted or otherwise cooked, shelled, whether or not broken,
Copra
1 code1203.00Copra
Oil seeds; linseed, whether or not broken
1 code1204.00Oil seeds; linseed, whether or not broken
Rape or colza seeds; whether or not broken
2 codes1205.10Oil seeds; low erucic acid rape or colza seeds, whether or not broken1205.90Oil seeds; rape or colza seeds, other than low erucic, whether or not broken
Sunflower seeds; whether or not broken
1 code1206.00Oil seeds; sunflower seeds, whether or not broken
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, n.e.c. in chapter 12; whether or not broken
10 codes1207.10Oil seeds; palm nuts and kernels, whether or not broken1207.21Oil seeds; cotton seeds, seed, whether or not broken1207.29Oil seeds; cotton seeds, other than seed, whether or not broken1207.30Oil seeds; castor oil seeds, whether or not broken1207.40Oil seeds; sesamum seeds, whether or not broken1207.50Oil seeds; mustard seeds, whether or not broken1207.60Oil seeds; safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) seeds, whether or not broken1207.70Oil seeds; melon seeds, whether or not broken1207.91Oil seeds; poppy seeds, whether or not broken1207.99Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; n.e.c. in heading no. 1207, whether or not broken
Flours and meals of oil seeds or oleaginous fruits; other than those of mustard
2 codes1208.10Flours and meals; of soya beans1208.90Flours and meals of oil seeds or oleaginous fruits; excluding soya beans and mustard seeds
Seeds, fruit and spores; of a kind used for sowing
10 codes1209.10Seed; sugar beet seeds, of a kind used for sowing1209.21Seeds of forage plants; lucerne (alfalfa) seeds, of a kind used for sowing1209.22Seeds of forage plants; clover (Trifolium spp.) seeds, of a kind used for sowing1209.23Seeds of forage plants; fescue seeds, of a kind used for sowing1209.24Seeds of forage plants; Kentucky blue grass (Poa pratensis L.) seeds, of a kind used for sowing1209.25Seeds of forage plants; rye grass (Lolium multiflorum Lam., Lolium perenne L.) seeds, of a kind used for sowing1209.29Seeds of forage plants; other than lucerne, clover, fescue, Kentucky blue grass, and rye grass seeds, of a kind used for sowing1209.30Seeds of herbaceous plants; cultivated principally for their flowers, of a kind used for sowing1209.91Seeds; vegetable seeds, of a kind used for sowing1209.99Seeds; n.e.c. in heading 1209, of a kind used for sowing
Hop cones, fresh or dried, whether or not ground, powdered or in the form of pellets; lupulin
2 codes1210.10Hop cones; neither ground nor powdered nor in the form of pellets1210.20Hop cones; ground, powdered or in the form of pellets; lupulin
Plants and parts of plants (including seeds and fruits), of a kind used primarily in perfumery, in pharmacy or for insecticidal, fungicidal or similar purposes, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not cut, crushed or powdered
6 codes1211.20Ginseng roots, of a kind used primarily in perfumery, in pharmacy or for insecticidal, fungicidal or similar purposes, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not cut, crushed or powdered1211.30Coca leaf; of a kind used primarily in perfumery, in pharmacy or for insecticidal, fungicidal or similar purposes, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not cut, crushed or powdered1211.40Poppy straw; of a kind used primarily in perfumery, in pharmacy or for insecticidal, fungicidal or similar purposes, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not cut, crushed or powdered1211.50Ephedra, of a kind used primarily in perfumery, in pharmacy or for insecticidal, fungicidal or similar purposes, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not cut, crushed or powdered1211.60Bark of African cherry (Prunus africana); of a kind used primarily in perfumery, in pharmacy or for insecticidal, fungicidal or similar purposes, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not cut, crushed or powdered1211.90Plants and parts (including seeds and fruits) n.e.c. in heading no. 1211, of a kind used primarily in perfumery, in pharmacy or for insecticidal, fungicidal or similar purposes, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not cut, crushed or powdered
Locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar beet, sugar cane, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not ground; fruit stones, kernels and other vegetable products (including unroasted chicory roots) used primarily for human consumption, n.e.c.
7 codes1212.21Seaweeds and other algae; fit for human consumption, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not ground1212.29Seaweeds and other algae; not fit for human consumption, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not ground1212.91Sugar beet; fit for human consumption, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not ground1212.92Locust beans (carob); fit for human consumption, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not ground1212.93Sugar cane; fit for human consumption, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not ground1212.94Chicory roots (Chicorium intybus sativum); fit for human consumption, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not ground1212.99Vegetable products; fit for human consumption, n.e.c. in heading no. 1212, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not ground
Cereal straw and husks, unprepared; whether or not chopped, ground, pressed or in the form of pellets
1 code1213.00Cereal straw and husks; unprepared, whether or not chopped, ground, pressed or in the form of pellets
Swedes, mangolds, fodder roots, hay, lucerne (alfalfa), clover, sainfoin, forage kale, lupines, vetches and similar forage products, whether or not in the form of pellets
2 codes1214.10Lucerne (alfalfa) meal and pellets1214.90Forage products including swedes, mangolds, fodder roots, hay, sainfoin, clover, forage kale, lupines, vetches etc., pelletised or otherwise
More chapters in section II: Vegetable Products
Codes and descriptions follow the WCO six-digit Harmonized System nomenclature. National tariff schedules extend these to 8–13 digits and set the actual duty rate, so confirm the full code for your destination country with your customs broker before filing. To copy a code, hover a row and use the copy button; every code has 1201-style dot notation ready for your commercial invoice.
Chapter 12 FAQ
What does HS code chapter 12 cover?
Chapter 12 of the Harmonized System covers: oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit, industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder. It belongs to section II (Vegetable Products) and contains 14 four-digit headings, 1201–1214.
How many HS codes are in chapter 12?
Chapter 12 contains 14 four-digit headings and 50 six-digit subheadings. Countries subdivide these further (8–13 digits) in their national tariff schedules, so the full national count is larger.
Is HS code 1201 the same in every country?
Yes. The six-digit level of every code in this chapter is harmonised by the World Customs Organization and identical in all member countries. Digits beyond the sixth (for example the US 10-digit HTS or the EU 8-digit CN) are national and set the actual duty rate.
How do I choose the right code within chapter 12?
Work from the four-digit heading down: pick the heading that best matches your product, then the six-digit subheading that matches its material, form or processing. If two codes seem to fit, customs rules (the General Rules of Interpretation) decide, and when in doubt, confirm with your customs broker before filing.