HS 0306.17Meat & seafood

HS Code for Shrimp / Prawns (HS 0306.17)

Frozen non-cold-water shrimp is HS 0306.17 (2017 revision moved it from 0306.13). Farmed vannamei (Litopenaeus vannamei) dominates the trade; wild-caught contributes a minority. Anti-dumping duties on multiple origins in the US, EU antibiotic residue enforcement, and cold-chain compliance are the main import risks.

Reviewed against WCO HS · WTO IDB · National customs schedules2 authoritative sourcesLast reviewed July 2026

Sample 6-digit codes

Code	Description
0306.16	Frozen cold-water shrimp and prawns
0306.17	Other frozen shrimp and prawns
0306.35	Live / fresh / chilled cold-water shrimp
0306.36	Other live / fresh / chilled shrimp
1605.21	Prepared or preserved shrimp / prawns

Need to check a specific code? Use the free HS code lookup tool.

Typical import duty by market

Market	Duty
European Union	12% GSP / EBA on qualifying origins may reduce; strict antibiotic residue enforcement.
United States	0% But AD duties on India, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Ecuador etc - annual review.
Japan	1-4.8%
China	5% Plus 9% VAT; GACC facility approval.
UAE	5%

Worked landed-cost example

20 MT HLSO 21/25 count vannamei, FOB Chennai USD 6.50/kg, CIF Rotterdam

FOB value (20,000 kg)USD 130,000

Reefer freight + insuranceUSD 12,000

CIF valueUSD 142,000

EU duty @ 12%USD 17,040

EU border health inspection feesFixed + per-kg (small)

Landed cost ≈ USD 159,040. HLSO 21/25 = Headless Shell-On, 21-25 pieces per pound - the standard sizing.

Run your own numbers in the import duty & tax calculator.

Regulatory checkpoints

· EU antibiotic MRLs / zero-tolerance for chloramphenicol, nitrofurans - RASFF rejections routine on Indian / Vietnamese origin.
· US FDA import alert - multiple facility-specific detention orders.
· US NOAA SIMP (Seafood Import Monitoring Program) - permit and traceability required for prawn imports.
· ASC / BAP / GlobalGAP certification - increasingly a buyer requirement.
· Cold-chain temperature -18degC continuous - HACCP requirement.

Top exporting countries

· India
· Ecuador
· Vietnam
· Indonesia
· Thailand
· China

Frequently asked questions

HLSO vs PDTO vs EZ Peel?

HLSO = Headless Shell-On. PD = Peeled and Deveined. PDTO = Peeled and Deveined Tail-On. EZ Peel = shell-on with dorsal cut, easy to peel. Each has separate market and price. Contract specifies size (count/lb) and processing.

Do farmed and wild share HS?

Yes. 0306.17 covers frozen shrimp regardless of source. Wild-caught receives premium pricing but same HS. Some sustainability certifications distinguish farmed (ASC, BAP) from wild (MSC).