Chapter 09 covers coffee, tea, maté and spices. It includes coffee, whether or not roasted; various teas; maté; pepper, chili, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, star anise, fennel, coriander, cumin and other spices; and mixed spices. Goods of this chapter are mainly used for food seasoning, beverage ingredients or spices, and some have medicinal value, but classification is primarily based on their seasoning use. Heading 0907 specifically covers cloves (whole fruit), clove stems and clove powder. It includes unground and ground cloves. Cloves are the dried flower buds of the clove tree of the Myrtaceae family, with a strong aroma, widely used in food seasoning, cigarette additives, medicine and the spice industry. This heading does not include essential oils made from cloves (classified under 3301) or medicinal products (classified under Chapter 30). First 2 digits 09: belongs to Chapter 9 'Coffee, tea, maté and spices'. Digits 3-4 07: represent the heading 'Cloves', specifically including cloves (whole fruit), clove stems and clove powder. Digits 5-6 20: represent the subheading 'Ground cloves', i.e., cloves ground into powder. Unground cloves are classified under 0907.10, ground cloves under 0907.20. Therefore 090720 fully represents 'ground cloves', i.e., clove powder. The product is powder made by grinding cloves, not mixed with other substances, and still retains the basic characteristics of cloves, so it is classified under 0907.20. If clove powder is mixed with other spices, it should be classified under 0910 (mixed spices); if further processed into essential oil, under 3301; if made into medicinal products, under Chapter 30.

Product name: The specific name of the declared goods, which should accurately reflect the product attributes, such as 'ground cloves' or 'clove powder'. Brand type: Fill in the product brand; if no brand, fill 'no brand', or select 'domestic independent brand', 'foreign brand', etc. Processing method: Indicate whether the cloves have been ground, such as 'ground', 'unground'; ground cloves should be noted as 'ground into powder'. Ingredient content: Declare the ingredients of cloves, such as eugenol content, moisture, ash, etc., or note 'pure clove powder'. Packaging specifications: Fill in the packaging form and specifications, such as '25 kg/bag', '1 kg/can', etc., which affect classification and regulatory conditions. Use: Explain the use of cloves, such as 'food seasoning', 'cigarette additive', 'medicinal', etc., but for medicinal use, note whether it is classified under Chapter 30. Origin: Fill in the country or region of origin of cloves, such as 'Indonesia', 'Madagascar', etc., which affects tariffs and trade policies. Customs declaration form example: Product name: Ground cloves (clove powder) Brand type: No brand Processing method: Ground (ground into powder) Ingredient content: Eugenol ≥85%, moisture ≤10% Packaging specifications: 25 kg/paper bag Use: Food seasoning Origin: Indonesia HS code: 0907200000 Remarks: Pure clove grinding, not mixed with other substances. Not indicating 'ground', leading to classification under 090710 (unground cloves), possibly different tariff rates. Clove powder mixed with other spices still declared as 090720, but actually should be classified under 0910. Medicinal cloves mistakenly classified under 090720; if they meet the definition of medicinal products, they should be classified under Chapter 30. Ignoring brand type declaration, leading to customs valuation or intellectual property issues.

Core classification basis: The product is powder made by grinding cloves, not mixed with other substances, and still retains the basic characteristics of cloves. According to HS General Interpretative Rule 1 and subheading notes, ground cloves should be classified under 0907.20. If clove powder undergoes further processing (such as extracting essential oil, making medicinal products) or is mixed with other spices, it exceeds the scope of 0907. 090710 Unground cloves: Unground cloves are whole fruit or clove stems, not ground; ground cloves are in powder form. The processing states differ, so subheadings differ. 091091 Mixed spices (ground): Mixed spices are made by mixing multiple spices, while 090720 is only pure clove powder, not mixed with other spices. 330129 Clove essential oil: Clove essential oil is a volatile oil extracted by distillation, etc., belonging to essential oils, while 090720 is directly ground clove powder. 300390 Other medicinal products: If clove powder is made into medicinal products and meets the definition of medicinal products, it should be classified under Chapter 30, while 090720 is only used as a spice or food ingredient. Has it been ground? Is it mixed with other substances? Is it used for food seasoning? Is essential oil extracted or medicinal products made? Do packaging specifications affect classification?

How to query the HS code for ground cloves? You can check the customs tariff, HS code query websites, or consult a customs broker. First determine the product is cloves, then choose 090710 (unground) or 090720 (ground) based on whether it is ground. Pay attention to subheading notes and classification decisions. Are the tariff rates for ground cloves and unground cloves the same? Tariff rates may differ; check the current year's customs tariff. Generally, the MFN rates may be the same, but ordinary rates or agreement rates may differ. It is recommended to refer to the latest customs publication. How to classify clove powder mixed with other spices? If clove powder is mixed with other spices and used for seasoning, it should be classified under 0910 (mixed spices). If the mixture is still mainly cloves and does not change the basic characteristics, it may remain under 090720, but caution is needed. What regulatory conditions are required for importing ground cloves? Need to provide certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, health certificate, etc., depending on use and customs requirements. For food use, it must also comply with food safety standards. It is recommended to consult customs in advance. Can ground cloves enjoy agreement tariff rates? If the country of origin has a free trade agreement with China and a valid certificate of origin is provided, agreement tariff rates can be applied. Need to confirm whether the code is in the agreement tariff reduction list. How to fill in the ingredient content when declaring ground cloves? Fill in the main ingredients and content, such as eugenol content, moisture, ash, etc. If it is pure clove powder, you can note 'pure clove powder, eugenol ≥85%'. If ground cloves are used for medicinal purposes, which code should they be classified under? If ground cloves are used as medicinal raw materials or preparations and meet the definition of medicinal products, they should be classified under Chapter 30. If only used as a spice or food additive, then 090720. How to distinguish ground cloves from clove essential oil? Ground cloves are physically ground powder, retaining all components of cloves; clove essential oil is a volatile oil extracted by distillation, classified under 3301. They differ in appearance, composition and processing method.