HS Code 1108Starches; inulin

What HS code 1108 covers

Starch is the white powder that plants store as energy. Food makers use it to thicken sauces and bind mixtures. Factories use it in paper, glue and textiles. In the Harmonized System, heading 1108 holds these starches and inulin.

The heading names four starch sources: wheat, maize (corn), potato and manioc (cassava). It also has a catch-all line for other starches. Inulin is a plant carbohydrate that is close to starch in use. Customs gives it its own line, 110820.

Traders search for these goods under many names. Corn starch, tapioca starch and cassava starch are common ones. Tapioca starch is made from cassava, so it sits with manioc. Buyers also look for HSN code 1108 or HTS code 1108. The first six digits are the same in every country that uses the Harmonized System. Each country then adds its own extra digits.

HS 1108 subheadings: wheat, corn, potato and cassava starch

The table on this page shows the official wording. Here are the same lines in plain names, with the dotted form that many tariff lists use.

• 110811 (1108.11): wheat starch
• 110812 (1108.12): maize starch, also called corn starch
• 110813 (1108.13): potato starch
• 110814 (1108.14): manioc starch, also called cassava or tapioca starch
• 110819 (1108.19): other starches not named in 1108.11 to 1108.14
• 110820 (1108.20): inulin

How to choose the right code, and how 1108 differs from 1105, 1106 and 1109

Start with the plant the starch comes from. Wheat starch goes to 110811. Corn starch goes to 110812. Potato starch goes to 110813. Cassava starch goes to 110814. If the starch comes from another plant, such as rice or sago, it falls under 110819. Inulin always goes to 110820.

The most common mix-up is starch versus flour. Starch is the starchy part of the plant on its own. Flour is the ground plant. Potato flour, flakes and granules belong in heading 1105, while potato starch stays in 110813. Flour made from roots or tubers, such as cassava root, belongs in heading 1106, while cassava starch stays in 110814.

Wheat is another case. Wheat flour is in heading 1101, and flours from other cereals are in heading 1102. Wheat gluten, the protein of the grain, is in heading 1109. None of these are starch. Wheat starch is only 110811.

If your product label does not settle the question, run it through the HS code classifier before you file.

Who imports corn starch? Starch import and export data under HS 1108

Buyers, sellers and analysts search by HS code to learn who trades starch. EximDataX shows shipment-level import and export records from official customs sources.

Coverage: 43 direct customs feeds plus 184 mirror-derived countries. Named buyers and named suppliers are available in 38 of the 43 direct markets. Most markets refresh weekly and some refresh daily.

You can search by HS code to see who imports and exports a product, and book a free demo. Try 110812 for corn starch or 110814 for cassava starch, and see the live records for yourself.