Heading · Chapter 12
1201: Soya beans, whether or not broken
Heading 1201 is divided into 2 six-digit subheadings and sits in chapter 12, oil seeds and oleaginous fruits.
Duty rates compared
UK Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
EU Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Türkiye Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
USA Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
Canada Free Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
Mexico Free – 15% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines · average 5% 
Brazil Free – 7.2% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines · average 3.6% 
Argentina Free – 7.2% Third-country duty 7 tariff lines · average 6.2% 
Peru Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
New Zealand Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Japan Free Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
Taiwan Free Third-country duty 7 tariff lines 
GCC Free Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free Third-country duty 9 tariff lines · 7× specific or compound duty 
Norway Free Third-country duty 3 tariff lines · 1× specific or compound duty 
North Macedonia Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Nigeria 5% – 10% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines · average 7.5% Subheadings 2
EU: imports by month
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$2mUS$2m+US$27m+US$139m+> US$2bn
Exports: 137
- Brazil: US$43bn
- United States: US$25bn
- Paraguay: US$3bn
- Canada: US$2bn
- Argentina: US$2bn
- Ukraine: US$1bn
- Uruguay: US$459m
- Russia: US$358m
- Benin: US$301m
- Netherlands: US$277m
- Togo: US$249m
- Nigeria: US$216m
- China: US$139m
- Niger: US$134m
- Romania: US$125m
- Croatia: US$109m
- Austria: US$102m
- Poland: US$99m
- Bolivia: US$87m
- South Africa: US$86m
- Hungary: US$76m
- Slovakia: US$73m
- Ethiopia: US$65m
- Switzerland: US$61m
- France: US$60m
- Ghana: US$55m
- Slovenia: US$54m
- Germany: US$44m
- Belgium: US$43m
- Türkiye: US$37m
- Burkina Faso: US$30m
- Mozambique: US$27m
- Italy: US$27m
- Czechia: US$25m
- Kazakhstan: US$16m
- Denmark: US$10m
- Chile: US$10m
- Ireland: US$9m
- United Arab Emirates: US$9m
- Malaysia: US$8m
- Zambia: US$8m
- India: US$8m
- Tanzania: US$8m
- Malawi: US$8m
- Mexico: US$7m
- Cambodia: US$7m
- Portugal: US$6m
- Uganda: US$6m
- Serbia: US$6m
- Spain: US$6m
- Australia: US$5m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$5m
- Bosnia & Herzegovina: US$4m
- Sudan: US$4m
- Bulgaria: US$4m
- Lithuania: US$3m
- Nicaragua: US$3m
- Taiwan: US$2m
- Syria: US$2m
- Azerbaijan: US$2m
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$3mUS$3m+US$46m+US$530m+> US$2bn
Imports: 195
- China: US$47bn
- Mexico: US$3bn
- Argentina: US$3bn
- Spain: US$2bn
- Japan: US$2bn
- Thailand: US$2bn
- Egypt: US$2bn
- Germany: US$2bn
- Türkiye: US$2bn
- Indonesia: US$1bn
- Taiwan: US$1bn
- Italy: US$1bn
- Iran: US$1bn
- Netherlands: US$1bn
- Vietnam: US$1bn
- Bangladesh: US$896m
- Algeria: US$705m
- South Korea: US$667m
- Russia: US$604m
- Pakistan: US$530m
- United Kingdom: US$463m
- India: US$406m
- Malaysia: US$394m
- United States: US$380m
- Portugal: US$335m
- Iraq: US$326m
- Brazil: US$313m
- Israel: US$228m
- Tunisia: US$223m
- Colombia: US$212m
- Norway: US$201m
- Saudi Arabia: US$176m
- Canada: US$162m
- Belgium: US$162m
- France: US$143m
- Costa Rica: US$126m
- Greece: US$112m
- Serbia: US$106m
- Peru: US$98m
- Hungary: US$95m
- Lebanon: US$86m
- Austria: US$81m
- Romania: US$70m
- Poland: US$69m
- Philippines: US$66m
- Zimbabwe: US$64m
- Venezuela: US$48m
- South Africa: US$46m
- Nepal: US$45m
- Chile: US$41m
- Denmark: US$39m
- United Arab Emirates: US$39m
- Slovakia: US$32m
- Mozambique: US$31m
- Nigeria: US$30m
- Kazakhstan: US$29m
- Ireland: US$22m
- Czechia: US$21m
- Angola: US$18m
- Panama: US$17m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | US$43bn | 53.7% |
| 2 | United States | US$25bn | 30.6% |
| 3 |  Paraguay | US$3bn | 3.9% |
| 4 | Canada | US$2bn | 3% |
| 5 | Argentina | US$2bn | 2.6% |
| 6 |  Ukraine | US$1bn | 1.7% |
| 7 |  Uruguay | US$459m | 0.6% |
| 8 |  Russia | US$358m | 0.4% |
| 9 |  Benin | US$301m | 0.4% |
| 10 |  Netherlands | US$277m | 0.3% |
The UK Global Tariff divides heading 1201 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the EU Combined Nomenclature, heading 1201 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule divides heading 1201 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, heading 1201 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff of Canada divides heading 1201 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Mexican Tariff (TIGIE), heading 1201 covers 3 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 15%. 2 of them are duty-free.
The Brazilian Tariff (NCM/TEC) divides heading 1201 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 7.2% (average 3.6%). 1 of them is duty-free.
In the Argentine Tariff (NCM-SIM), heading 1201 covers 7 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 7.2%. 1 of them is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff of Peru divides heading 1201 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Working Tariff Document of New Zealand, heading 1201 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff Schedules of Japan divides heading 1201 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Customs Import Tariff of Taiwan, heading 1201 covers 7 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The GCC Common Customs Tariff divides heading 1201 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Swiss Customs Tariff (Tares), heading 1201 covers 9 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free. 2 of them are duty-free. 7 lines have a specific or compound duty.
The Customs Tariff of Norway divides heading 1201 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free. 2 of them are duty-free. 1 line has a specific or compound duty.
In the Customs Tariff of North Macedonia, heading 1201 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The ECOWAS Common External Tariff (Nigeria) divides heading 1201 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is between 5% and 10% (average 7.5%).
In 2024, countries exported heading 1201 goods worth US$81bn (−16.1% year on year).
The largest exporter was Brazil (US$43bn), followed by the United States.
The biggest buyer was China, with imports of US$47bn.
The United Kingdom ranked 64th among 137 exporters with US$2m.
The United Kingdom imported US$463m.
Legal notes
Notes
1. Heading 1207 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 0801 or 0802 or to olives (Chapter 7 or 20).
2. Heading 1208 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 2304 to 2306.
3. For the purposes of heading 1209, 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 1209 does not, however, apply to the following, even if for sowing:
(a) leguminous vegetables or sweetcorn (Chapter 7);
(b) spices or other products of Chapter 9;
(c) cereals (Chapter 10); or
4. Heading 1211 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 1211 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 3808.
5. For the purposes of heading 1212, the term ‘seaweeds and other algae’ does not include:
Products classified here
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for soya beans, whether or not broken?
Soya beans, whether or not broken fall under HS heading 1201, part of chapter 12, in section II of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on soya beans, whether or not broken in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 1201 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on soya beans, whether or not broken in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 1201 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most soya beans, whether or not broken?
Brazil, with US$43bn in 2024 (53.7% of world exports).