HS Code for Black Pepper (HS 0904.11)
Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is the world's most traded spice by value. Vietnam alone supplies ~40% of global exports. EU market entry gates on Salmonella (Reg 2073/2005) and mycotoxins - aflatoxin B1 max 5 μg/kg, total 10 μg/kg (Reg 2023/915).
Sample 6-digit codes
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 0904.11 | Pepper of genus Piper, neither crushed nor ground |
| 0904.12 | Pepper of genus Piper, crushed or ground |
| 0904.21 | Fruits of genus Capsicum/Pimenta, dried, whole |
Typical import duty by market
| Market | Duty |
|---|---|
| European Union | 0% MFN zero; sanitary controls. |
| United States | 0% |
| India (BCD) | 70% Highest to protect Kerala growers; SAARC preference limited. |
| UAE | 0% GCC food-security zero rate. |
Numerical Example: 18 MT ASTA-clean 550 g/l, FOB Ho Chi Minh USD 6.20/kg, CIF Rotterdam
18 MT ASTA-clean 550 g/l, FOB Ho Chi Minh USD 6.20/kg, CIF Rotterdam. Run your own numbers in the Import Duty & Tax calculator.
- · EU Reg 2023/915 - aflatoxin B1 5 μg/kg, total 10 μg/kg.
- · EU Reg 2073/2005 - Salmonella absence in 25 g.
- · ESA (European Spice Association) cleanliness specifications.
- · Vietnam
- · Indonesia
- · Brazil
- · India
- · Sri Lanka
Frequently asked questions
ASTA (American Spice Trade Assoc.) is the cleaner-grade spec: max 1% extraneous matter, 550+ g/l bulk density. FAQ (Fair Average Quality) allows up to 2% and is discounted USD 200-400/MT.
Import duty and tax by destination market
Typical MFN duty, consumption tax and the tax base applied to agriculture (HS 0904.11) in each market we cover. Rates are indicative at the 6-digit line | confirm the national 8/10-digit code with your broker.
| Market | Duty | Consumption tax | Tax base | Tax as % of CIF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 100% | IGST 18% | Assessable value + duty | 137.4% |
| United Arab Emirates | 0% | VAT 5% | CIF + duty | 5.0% |
| Saudi Arabia | 0% | VAT 15% | CIF + duty | 15.0% |
| Singapore | 0% | GST 9% | CIF + duty | 9.0% |
| China | 0% | VAT 13% | CIF + duty | 13.0% |
| United States | 0% | Federal VAT 0% | CIF | 0.3% |
| United Kingdom | 0% | VAT 20% | CIF + duty | 20.0% |
| Germany | 0% | USt 19% | CIF + duty | 19.0% |
| Netherlands | 0% | BTW 21% | CIF + duty | 21.0% |
| Vietnam | 0% | VAT 10% | CIF + duty | 10.0% |
| Türkiye | 0% | KDV 20% | CIF + duty | 20.0% |
| Japan | 0% | JCT 10% | CIF + duty | 10.0% |
| South Korea | 0% | VAT 10% | CIF + duty | 10.0% |
| Brazil | 0% | IPI+PIS/COFINS+ICMS 32% | CIF + duty | 32.0% |
| Indonesia | 0% | PPN 11% | CIF + duty | 13.5% |
| Mexico | 0% | IVA 16% | CIF + duty | 16.9% |
| Egypt | 0% | VAT 14% | CIF + duty | 14.0% |
| Nigeria | 0% | VAT 7.5% | CIF + duty | 9.1% |
| South Africa | 0% | VAT 15% | Assessable value + duty | 16.5% |
| Australia | 0% | GST 10% | CIF + duty | 10.0% |
Run your own numbers with the landed cost calculator or check documentation requirements in the LC document checklist.