HS Code 1214Swedes, mangolds, fodder roots, hay, lucerne (alfalfa), clover, sainfoin, forage kale, lupines, vetches and similar forage products, whether or not in the form of pellets

What HS code 1214 covers

Heading 1214 is for plants that people grow or cut to feed animals. Think of a farmer buying bales of hay, a feed mill buying alfalfa pellets, or a dairy buying dried clover. All of these are forage.

The list in the heading is long, but the idea is simple. The words "and similar forage products" mean other fodder plants of the same kind can fit here too. The heading applies whether the goods are loose, baled or pressed into pellets.

The Harmonized System is a worldwide naming scheme for traded goods. Customs offices use it to sort goods for tariff classification. The first six digits are the same in almost every country. That is why a code like 121490 means the same thing on an invoice in one country as in another.

121410 or 121490: choosing the right code

The choice between the two six-digit codes depends on one thing: is the product alfalfa meal or pellets, or is it any other forage?

Use 121410 when the goods are lucerne (alfalfa) meal or pellets. Lucerne is another name for alfalfa, so both words point to this code. Use 121490 for everything else in the heading. Code 121490 covers these goods whether they are pelletised or not.

So the answer to "what is the HS code for hay?" is 121490. Be careful with one case. Loose alfalfa hay is not meal or pellets, so it follows the general forage code, 121490.

Most countries add more digits after the first six. These longer national codes split each subheading into finer groups, and they differ from one country to the next. Always check your destination's own tariff list before you file. The HS code classifier can help you confirm the right six-digit start.

Headings often confused with 1214

Some goods look close to forage but belong elsewhere. A few quick checks will save you from a wrong filing.

• Straw is what is left after a grain crop is harvested. Forage plants are grown to be eaten.
• Seeds used for planting go to 1209. If you sell lucerne or clover seed for sowing, it is not forage under 1214.
• Flours and meals made from oil seeds go to 1208. Alfalfa meal is different, because it comes from a forage plant and belongs at 121410.
• Locust beans, seaweed, sugar beet and sugar cane go to 1212, even though some are used as feed.

Find importers and exporters of hay and alfalfa

Once you know your code, the next step is finding who trades it. Customs records show which companies bring in or ship out goods under heading 1214, so you can build a list of real buyers or suppliers.

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.

Use 121410 to look for alfalfa meal and pellet trade. Use 121490 to look for hay and other forage trade.