Heading · Chapter 12
1212: Locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar beet and sugar cane, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not ground; fruit stones and kernels and other vegetable products (including unroasted chicory roots of the variety Cichorium intybus sativum) of a kind used primarily for human consumption, not elsewhere specified or included
Heading 1212 is divided into 7 six-digit subheadings and sits in chapter 12, oil seeds and oleaginous fruits.
Duty rates compared
UK Free Third-country duty 13 tariff lines · 3× specific or compound duty 
EU Free – 5.8% Third-country duty 10 tariff lines · average 1.6% · 3× specific or compound duty 
Türkiye Free – 19.3% Third-country duty 18 tariff lines · average 11.8% 
USA Free General (MFN) 9 tariff lines · 3× specific or compound duty 
Canada Free General (MFN) 7 tariff lines 
Mexico Free – 36% General (MFN) 10 tariff lines · average 13.6% 
Brazil 5.4% – 7.2% General (MFN) 8 tariff lines · average 6.8% 
Argentina 5.4% – 7.2% General (MFN) 9 tariff lines · average 6.8% 
Peru Free – 6% General (MFN) 8 tariff lines · average 3% 
New Zealand Free General (MFN) 13 tariff lines 
Japan Free – 40% General (MFN) 20 tariff lines · average 8.8% · 2× specific or compound duty 
Taiwan 2.5% – 20% General (MFN) 38 tariff lines · average 11.2% · 1× specific or compound duty 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 18 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free General (MFN) 14 tariff lines 
Norway Free General (MFN) 12 tariff lines · 5× specific or compound duty 
North Macedonia Free – 5% General (MFN) 10 tariff lines · average 2.5% 
Nigeria 5% General (MFN) 7 tariff lines Subheadings 7
- 1212.21Fit for human consumption
- 1212.29Seaweeds and other algae: other
- 1212.91Locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar beet: other, sugar beet
- 1212.92Locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar beet: other, locust beans (carob)
- 1212.93Locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar beet: other, sugar cane
- 1212.94Locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar beet: other, chicory roots
- 1212.99Locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar beet: other, otherOther vegetable products of ch. 12 n.e.s.
EU: imports by month
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$969kUS$969k+US$6m+US$31m+> US$82m
Exports: 174
- China: US$1bn
- South Korea: US$501m
- Indonesia: US$321m
- Chile: US$116m
- Germany: US$87m
- Laos: US$82m
- Spain: US$56m
- Nigeria: US$49m
- Egypt: US$47m
- Morocco: US$43m
- Canada: US$43m
- Ireland: US$42m
- Türkiye: US$35m
- Netherlands: US$34m
- France: US$33m
- Japan: US$33m
- Philippines: US$31m
- Vietnam: US$26m
- Peru: US$25m
- United States: US$21m
- Poland: US$21m
- South Africa: US$20m
- United Kingdom: US$19m
- Belgium: US$18m
- Portugal: US$17m
- India: US$16m
- Tanzania: US$16m
- Hungary: US$15m
- Thailand: US$14m
- Austria: US$12m
- Iceland: US$12m
- Algeria: US$11m
- Denmark: US$11m
- Italy: US$11m
- Slovakia: US$9m
- Malaysia: US$9m
- Bulgaria: US$8m
- Ukraine: US$7m
- Taiwan: US$7m
- Myanmar (Burma): US$6m
- Brazil: US$6m
- Latvia: US$6m
- Lithuania: US$6m
- Norway: US$6m
- Madagascar: US$5m
- Tajikistan: US$5m
- Mexico: US$5m
- Cambodia: US$5m
- Sudan: US$5m
- Sweden: US$5m
- Cyprus: US$5m
- Uzbekistan: US$4m
- Israel: US$4m
- Czechia: US$4m
- Solomon Islands: US$4m
- Australia: US$4m
- Lebanon: US$4m
- Greece: US$3m
- New Zealand: US$3m
- Fiji: US$3m
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$484kUS$484k+US$8m+US$38m+> US$98m
Imports: 203
- China: US$590m
- Japan: US$326m
- United States: US$251m
- Germany: US$119m
- Thailand: US$117m
- Russia: US$100m
- Taiwan: US$98m
- Vietnam: US$71m
- Canada: US$67m
- Netherlands: US$65m
- Mexico: US$61m
- South Korea: US$60m
- Spain: US$60m
- Iran: US$58m
- Italy: US$56m
- United Kingdom: US$55m
- Saudi Arabia: US$55m
- France: US$53m
- Switzerland: US$51m
- Australia: US$46m
- Poland: US$38m
- Iraq: US$38m
- Indonesia: US$36m
- Brazil: US$36m
- Czechia: US$32m
- Türkiye: US$28m
- United Arab Emirates: US$27m
- Denmark: US$22m
- Austria: US$21m
- Chile: US$18m
- Belgium: US$16m
- Lithuania: US$16m
- New Zealand: US$16m
- Jordan: US$15m
- Philippines: US$14m
- Lebanon: US$14m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$14m
- Croatia: US$14m
- Egypt: US$13m
- Kazakhstan: US$13m
- Malaysia: US$11m
- Norway: US$11m
- Afghanistan: US$11m
- Portugal: US$11m
- Kyrgyzstan: US$10m
- India: US$10m
- Algeria: US$9m
- Israel: US$9m
- Morocco: US$9m
- Ukraine: US$9m
- Singapore: US$8m
- Sweden: US$8m
- Hungary: US$7m
- Serbia: US$7m
- Argentina: US$6m
- Ireland: US$6m
- Syria: US$5m
- Romania: US$5m
- South Africa: US$4m
- Greece: US$4m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | US$1bn | 33.4% |
| 2 |  South Korea | US$501m | 16.5% |
| 3 |  Indonesia | US$321m | 10.6% |
| 4 |  Chile | US$116m | 3.8% |
| 5 |  Germany | US$87m | 2.9% |
| 6 |  Laos | US$82m | 2.7% |
| 7 |  Spain | US$56m | 1.8% |
| 8 | Nigeria | US$49m | 1.6% |
| 9 |  Egypt | US$47m | 1.6% |
| 10 |  Morocco | US$43m | 1.4% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | US$590m | 19.4% |
| 2 | Japan | US$326m | 10.7% |
| 3 | United States | US$251m | 8.3% |
| 4 | Germany | US$119m | 3.9% |
| 5 |  Thailand | US$117m | 3.8% |
| 6 |  Russia | US$100m | 3.3% |
| 7 | Taiwan | US$98m | 3.2% |
| 8 |  Vietnam | US$71m | 2.3% |
| 9 | Canada | US$67m | 2.2% |
| 10 |  Netherlands | US$65m | 2.1% |
Recent rule changes mentioning this code
Acts whose text cites this code or its heading. Check the act itself: a code can be cited for reasons other than a change of its duty.
- Tariff change · Applies from:
CELEX 32026R2163 · Source: eur-lex.europa.eu
The UK Global Tariff divides heading 1212 into 13 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free. 10 of them are duty-free. 3 lines have a specific or compound duty.
In the EU Combined Nomenclature, heading 1212 covers 10 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 5.8%. 5 of them are duty-free. 3 lines have a specific or compound duty.
The Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule divides heading 1212 into 18 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 19.3% (average 11.8%). 7 of them are duty-free.
In the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, heading 1212 covers 9 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free. 6 of them are duty-free. 3 lines have a specific or compound duty.
The Customs Tariff of Canada divides heading 1212 into 7 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Mexican Tariff (TIGIE), heading 1212 covers 10 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 36%. 1 of them is duty-free.
The Brazilian Tariff (NCM/TEC) divides heading 1212 into 8 tariff lines; the duty is between 5.4% and 7.2% (average 6.8%).
In the Argentine Tariff (NCM-SIM), heading 1212 covers 9 tariff lines and the duty is between 5.4% and 7.2%.
The Customs Tariff of Peru divides heading 1212 into 8 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 6% (average 3%). 4 of them are duty-free.
In the Working Tariff Document of New Zealand, heading 1212 covers 13 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff Schedules of Japan divides heading 1212 into 20 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 40% (average 8.8%). 6 of them are duty-free. 2 lines have a specific or compound duty.
In the Customs Import Tariff of Taiwan, heading 1212 covers 38 tariff lines and the duty is between 2.5% and 20%. 1 line has a specific or compound duty.
The GCC Common Customs Tariff divides heading 1212 into 18 tariff lines; the duty is 5%.
In the Swiss Customs Tariff (Tares), heading 1212 covers 14 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff of Norway divides heading 1212 into 12 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free. 7 of them are duty-free. 5 lines have a specific or compound duty.
In the Customs Tariff of North Macedonia, heading 1212 covers 10 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 5%. 5 of them are duty-free.
The ECOWAS Common External Tariff (Nigeria) divides heading 1212 into 7 tariff lines; the duty is 5%.
In 2024, countries exported heading 1212 goods worth US$3bn (+5.3% year on year).
The largest exporter was China (US$1bn), followed by South Korea.
The biggest buyer was China, with imports of US$590m.
The United Kingdom ranked 23rd among 174 exporters with US$19m.
The United Kingdom imported US$55m.
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 locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar beet and sugar cane, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not ground; fruit stones and kernels and other vegetable products (including unroasted chicory roots of the variety Cichorium intybus sativum) of a kind used primarily for human consumption, not elsewhere specified or included?
Locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar beet and sugar cane, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not ground; fruit stones and kernels and other vegetable products (including unroasted chicory roots of the variety Cichorium intybus sativum) of a kind used primarily for human consumption, not elsewhere specified or included fall under HS heading 1212, part of chapter 12, in section II of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar… in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 1212 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 locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar… in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 1212 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 0% to 5.8%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar…?
China, with US$1bn in 2024 (33.4% of world exports).