Chapter 09 covers coffee, tea, maté and spices, including these products whether natural or processed. This chapter mainly includes coffee (0901), tea (0902), maté (0903), pepper (0904), chili peppers (0904), vanilla (0905), cinnamon (0906), cloves (0907), nutmeg (0908), star anise (0909), ginger (0910), etc. These goods are generally used for food seasoning, beverage preparation or medicinal purposes, but this chapter does not include chemically pure compounds or pharmaceutical products. Heading 0904 covers pepper, chili peppers (including sweet peppers) and their products, including neither crushed nor ground and crushed or ground. It is specifically divided into pepper (0904.11 neither crushed nor ground, 0904.12 crushed or ground) and chili peppers (0904.21 neither crushed nor ground, 0904.22 crushed or ground). Chili peppers under this heading include the fruits of plants of the genus Capsicum of various varieties, whether or not dried, whether or not crushed, but chili pepper products that have undergone further processing (such as being made into seasoning sauce) should be classified under other headings. The first 2 digits 09 represent Chapter 9: Coffee, tea, maté and spices. The 3rd-4th digits 04 represent heading 0904: Pepper, chili peppers (including sweet peppers) and their products. The 5th-6th digits 21 represent subheading 0904.21: Chili peppers, neither crushed nor ground. Specifically, 0904.21 is further subdivided into dried chili peppers, neither crushed nor ground, including whole, sliced, broken but not ground into powder chili peppers. If the chili peppers have been ground into powder, they are classified under 0904.22. Therefore, 090421 completely represents dried chili peppers, neither crushed nor ground, that is, dried chili pepper fruits that have not been ground after drying. This product is dried chili peppers, neither crushed nor ground, belonging to the dried fruits of plants of the genus Capsicum, which have not undergone grinding processing. According to HS classification rules, chili peppers and their products are classified under 0904, and chili peppers neither crushed nor ground are classified under subheading 0904.21. If ground into powder, they should be classified under 0904.22; if fresh chili peppers, they are classified under 0709.60; if a chili powder mixture, it may be classified under 2103.90. Therefore, dried chili peppers, neither crushed nor ground, are correctly classified under 090421.

Product name: The specific name of the declared commodity should be stated as dried chili peppers, neither crushed nor ground, avoiding the use of common names such as dried chili. Variety: The botanical variety or trade name of the chili pepper, such as Chaotian chili, Erjingtiao, etc., helps determine the specific classification. Processing method: Explain the drying method (such as sun-drying, oven-drying) and whether grinding has been carried out, emphasizing the neither crushed nor ground state. State: Describe the physical state of the commodity, such as whole, sliced, broken, etc., but it must be clear that it has not been ground into powder. Packaging specifications: State the packaging form (such as bagged, boxed) and net weight, facilitating customs statistics and inspection. Origin: Indicate the country or region of origin of the chili peppers, involving tariff preferences and rules of origin. Brand: If there is a brand, the brand name must be declared; if there is no brand, state no brand. Product name: Dried chili peppers, neither crushed nor ground; Variety: Chaotian chili; Processing method: Sun-dried, neither crushed nor ground; State: Whole; Packaging specifications: 25 kg/bag; Origin: China; Brand: No brand. Misclassifying dried chili peppers, neither crushed nor ground, as ground chili powder (090422), resulting in differences in tax rates and regulatory conditions. Ignoring the declaration of variety and processing method, which may trigger customs questioning or inspection. Failure to distinguish fresh chili peppers (070960) from dried chili peppers, incorrectly using the code.

The core determining basis for classification is the degree of processing of the commodity: whether it has been ground. According to HS rules, 090421 applies only to dried chili peppers, neither crushed nor ground, including whole, sliced, broken but not ground into powder chili peppers. If ground into powder, they are classified under 090422. In addition, it is necessary to confirm that the commodity is the fruit of plants of the genus Capsicum, rather than other spices. If the chili peppers have undergone further processing (such as being made into chili sauce), they may be classified under 2103. Therefore, the key to judgment is the processing method and physical state. 090422 Chili peppers, crushed or ground: Crushed or ground chili peppers have been ground into powder, while dried chili peppers, neither crushed nor ground, are only dried or broken, not powdered. 070960 Fresh or chilled chili peppers: Fresh chili peppers are not dried and are classified under 0709; dried chili peppers are classified under 0904. 090411 Pepper, neither crushed nor ground: Pepper and chili peppers are different species; pepper is classified under 090411, chili peppers under 090421. 210390 Other seasonings: Products such as chili sauce are classified under 2103, rather than the primary chili pepper products of 0904. Confirm whether the commodity has been ground? Confirm whether the commodity is a plant of the genus Capsicum? Confirm whether the commodity is dried? Confirm whether the commodity is used for seasoning rather than medicinal purposes? Confirm whether the packaging and brand information are accurate?

How to distinguish dried chili peppers, neither crushed nor ground, from ground chili powder? Dried chili peppers, neither crushed nor ground, refer to chili peppers that have not been ground after drying, which may be whole, sliced or broken, but not powdered; ground chili powder has been ground into a powder form. According to HS codes, neither crushed nor ground is classified under 090421, and crushed or ground under 090422. A processing method description must be provided at the time of declaration. What is the difference in HS codes between dried chili peppers and fresh chili peppers? Fresh or chilled chili peppers are classified under 070960, while dried chili peppers are classified under 090421 (neither crushed nor ground) or 090422 (crushed or ground). The difference lies in whether they have undergone drying treatment. Dried chili peppers have low moisture content, making them suitable for long-term storage. If dried chili peppers are broken but not ground, under which code should they be declared? Broken but not ground dried chili peppers still fall within the scope of neither crushed nor ground and should be classified under 090421. However, if a large amount of powder is produced during the breaking process, it may be regarded as crushed or ground and must be classified under 090422. It is recommended to determine based on the actual processing state and customs interpretation. What declaration elements are required for imported dried chili peppers? Usually, product name, variety, processing method, state, packaging specifications, origin, brand, etc. are required. The specific requirements are subject to customs requirements, and reference may be made to the Customs Declaration Elements for Import and Export Commodities of the People's Republic of China. After dried chili peppers are classified under 090421, how can the tax rate be checked? The tax rate must be determined based on the country of origin, trade agreements, etc., and can be checked in the Import and Export Tariff issued by the General Administration of Customs or through a customs classification advance ruling. Specific tax rates may change, and it is recommended to consult a professional customs broker or use official query tools. Are the HS codes for dried chili peppers and pepper easily confused? Yes, both belong to heading 0904, but the subheadings are different: pepper is 090411 (neither crushed nor ground) and 090412 (crushed or ground), chili peppers are 090421 (neither crushed nor ground) and 090422 (crushed or ground). The main difference lies in the species; pepper is of the genus Piper, chili peppers of the genus Capsicum. If dried chili peppers are used for medicinal purposes, are they still classified under 090421? If dried chili peppers are imported as a seasoning spice, they are classified under 090421; if used as medicinal material, they must be judged according to their use and processing method and may be classified under 1211 or other chapters. It is recommended to declare according to the actual use. For cross-border e-commerce sales of dried chili peppers, how should the HS code be selected? For cross-border e-commerce retail export of dried chili peppers, if neither crushed nor ground, 090421 should be used. Attention must be paid to the customs requirements of the destination country, and certificates such as ingredients and processing methods may be required. It is recommended to use formal customs declaration channels to avoid underreporting or misreporting.