HS Code 1209Seeds, fruit and spores; of a kind used for sowing
10 six-digit codes · Heading 9 of 14 in Chapter 12 · World Customs Organization Harmonized System
This page shows what fits here and how to pick the right six-digit code.
No heading in Chapter 12 is cut finer than 1209. Its 10 six-digit codes, 120910 to 120999, are the most any single heading in the chapter carries — “Seeds, fruit and spores; of a kind used for sowing” is where this chapter gets specific. The heading is number 9 of 14 in Chapter 12, Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit, industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder, which runs to 50 six-digit codes in all.
Six-digit codes under heading 1209
| HS Code | Import–export description |
|---|---|
| 120910 | Seed; sugar beet seeds, of a kind used for sowing |
| 120921 | Seeds of forage plants; lucerne (alfalfa) seeds, of a kind used for sowing |
| 120922 | Seeds of forage plants; clover (trifolium spp.) seeds, of a kind used for sowing |
| 120923 | Seeds of forage plants; fescue seeds, of a kind used for sowing |
| 120924 | Seeds of forage plants; kentucky blue grass (poa pratensis l.) seeds, of a kind used for sowing |
| 120925 | Seeds of forage plants; rye grass (lolium multiflorum lam., lolium perenne l.) seeds, of a kind used for sowing |
| 120929 | Seeds of forage plants; other than lucerne, clover, fescue, kentucky blue grass, and rye grass seeds, of a kind used for sowing |
| 120930 | Seeds of herbaceous plants; cultivated principally for their flowers, of a kind used for sowing |
| 120991 | Seeds; vegetable seeds, of a kind used for sowing |
| 120999 | Seeds; n.e.c. in heading 1209, of a kind used for sowing |
What HS code 1209 covers
Heading 1209 is for sowing seeds. Indian traders often write it as HSN code 1209. The goods must be sold to be planted and grown, not eaten or crushed.
Under the heading, the codes split by plant type: sugar beet, forage plants, flowers, vegetables and a catch-all group. Seed that is sold as food, pressed for oil or used as medicine usually sits in another heading. The sections below show where the lines fall.
1209 subheadings grouped by seed type
Buyers think about seed by crop, so here are the subheadings in that order.
- Sugar beet seeds: 120910.
- Vegetable seeds: 120991.
- Everything else: 120999, for planting seed not named elsewhere in the heading.
How to choose the right 1209 subheading
Start with the plant, then ask what the buyer will grow it for.
Step one: if the crop is feed or grass cover, go to the forage group and match the plant by name first. Use the "other forage" line only when the seed is none of the five named plants.
Step two: if the plant is grown for its blooms, use the flower line. If it is a vegetable, use the vegetable line. Sugar beet has a line of its own.
Step three: use the catch-all line last. It is for planting seed that fits no other line. If you are unsure, test your product description in the HS code classifier before you file.
1209 vs related headings in Chapter 12
Many seeds in this chapter look alike, so the test is the use of the goods. Seed bought for planting goes to 1209. Seed bought for crushing or processing goes elsewhere.
The same seed sold for planting belongs here.
Heading 1211 covers plants and parts of plants, including seeds and fruits, used mainly in perfumery, pharmacy or to kill pests and fungi. Heading 1214 covers forage products such as lucerne, clover and hay, also as pellets. That is animal feed, not seed. Heading 1212 lists sugar beet as a vegetable product, while sugar beet seed for planting stays with 1209.
Two more neighbours are worth a look: 1208 for flours and meals of oil seeds, and 1210 for hop cones.
Find importers and exporters of sowing seeds
Once you know your code, you can check who trades under it.
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.
Related
- Chapter 12 oil seeds and miscellaneous seeds
- HS 1207 oil seeds n.e.c.
- HS 1211 medicinal and perfumery plants
- HS 1214 forage products
- HS 1212 sugar beet and other vegetable products
- HS 1208
- HS 1210
- All HS code chapters
- Sowing seeds import data
- Sowing seeds export data
- Seed buyers
- Seed suppliers
- HS code classifier
- Book a free demo
Nearby headings in Chapter 12
- 1202Ground-nuts; not roasted or otherwise cooked, whether or not shelled or broken3 codes
- 1203Copra1 code
- 1204Oil seeds; linseed, whether or not broken1 code
- 1205Rape or colza seeds; whether or not broken2 codes
- 1206Sunflower seeds; whether or not broken1 code
- 1207Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, n.e.c. in chapter 12; whether or not broken10 codes
- 1208Flours and meals of oil seeds or oleaginous fruits; other than those of…2 codes
- 1210Hop cones, fresh or dried, whether or not ground, powdered or in the form of…2 codes
- 1211Plants and parts of plants (including seeds and fruits), of a kind used…6 codes
- 1212Locust beans, seaweeds and other algae, sugar beet, sugar cane, fresh…7 codes
- 1213Cereal straw and husks, unprepared; whether or not chopped, ground, pressed…1 code
- 1214Swedes, mangolds, fodder roots, hay, lucerne (alfalfa), clover, sainfoin…2 codes
Who ships under 1209?
EximDataX tracks the live import–export records filed under this heading and the 10 codes beneath it: named buyers, suppliers, quantities and values from official customs feeds.
Section II: Vegetable Products, chapters 06–14.
HS Code 1209: common questions
What is HS code 1209?
It is the customs heading for planting seed, fruit and spores. It is split into subheadings by plant type.
What is the HS code for vegetable seeds for sowing?
Vegetable seed for planting goes under 120991. Vegetables sold as food are classified in other chapters.
What is the HS code for alfalfa (lucerne) seeds?
Alfalfa seed for planting is 120921. Lucerne sold as feed, such as hay or pellets, belongs to heading 1214.
What HS code covers grass seeds like rye grass, fescue and Kentucky blue grass?
Any other forage seed goes to 120929.
What is the HS code for flower seeds?
Seeds of herbaceous plants grown mainly for their flowers go under 120930.
What is the difference between HS 1209 and 1207 oil seeds?
Heading 1209 is for seed bought to be planted.
Who imports sowing seeds under heading 1209?
Search the heading on EximDataX and open the live records. Pick the six-digit code that fits your seed to narrow the results.
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
Everything we show you comes from official customs filings — records, not claims. 30 minutes. Your shipment. Your HS code. Real platform. If you don’t see something new about your market by the end of the call, we walk away. No follow-ups.