Chapter 10 covers cereals, including wheat, rye, barley, oats, maize (corn), rice, sorghum, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, etc. Cereals in this chapter mainly refer to unprocessed grains, whether or not hulled, but after milling, refining, or other processing, they are generally classified under Chapter 11. This chapter is the basic classification chapter for grain commodities in international trade, involving sensitive areas such as tariff quotas, quarantine, and rules of origin. Heading 1008 covers cereals other than wheat, rye, barley, oats, maize (corn), rice, sorghum, millet, and quinoa, specifically including buckwheat, millet (foxtail millet), quinoa, triticale, etc. Cereals under this heading are usually unhulled or merely hulled grains, used for food, feed, or seed. Although buckwheat is not a grass, it is classified as a cereal in the HS. The first 2 digits '10' represent Chapter 10 (Cereals). The 3rd-4th digits '08' represent heading 1008 (Other cereals). The 5th-6th digits '10' represent subheading 1008.10, specifically buckwheat. The complete code 100810 means 'buckwheat', referring to unhulled or hulled buckwheat grains, whether or not for sowing. If milled or made into flour, it is classified under Chapter 11. Buckwheat is a non-grass cereal, but because its grains are traded as food, the HS classifies it under Chapter 10 as other cereals. It is listed alongside subheadings such as 1008.20 (millet) and 1008.30 (quinoa), distinguished by botanical variety. If buckwheat is hulled but not further processed, it remains under 100810; if made into buckwheat flour, it is classified under 1102.90.
Chapter
Chapter 10 covers cereals, including wheat, rye, barley, oats, maize (corn), rice, sorghum, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, etc. Cereals in this chapter mainly refer to unprocessed grains, whether or not hulled, but after milling, refining, or other processing, they are generally classified under Chapter 11. This chapter is the basic classification chapter for grain commodities in international trade, involving sensitive areas such as tariff quotas, quarantine, and rules of origin.
Heading
Heading 1008 covers cereals other than wheat, rye, barley, oats, maize (corn), rice, sorghum, millet, and quinoa, specifically including buckwheat, millet (foxtail millet), quinoa, triticale, etc. Cereals under this heading are usually unhulled or merely hulled grains, used for food, feed, or seed. Although buckwheat is not a grass, it is classified as a cereal in the HS.
Digit Breakdown
The first 2 digits '10' represent Chapter 10 (Cereals). The 3rd-4th digits '08' represent heading 1008 (Other cereals). The 5th-6th digits '10' represent subheading 1008.10, specifically buckwheat. The complete code 100810 means 'buckwheat', referring to unhulled or hulled buckwheat grains, whether or not for sowing. If milled or made into flour, it is classified under Chapter 11.
Classification Basis
Buckwheat is a non-grass cereal, but because its grains are traded as food, the HS classifies it under Chapter 10 as other cereals. It is listed alongside subheadings such as 1008.20 (millet) and 1008.30 (quinoa), distinguished by botanical variety. If buckwheat is hulled but not further processed, it remains under 100810; if made into buckwheat flour, it is classified under 1102.90.
📝 Declaration Elements
Product name: Declare the Chinese and foreign language names of the commodity, which should specifically be 'buckwheat' or 'buckwheat grains' Whether hulled: Indicate whether the buckwheat has been hulled; hulling affects the determination of processing degree Whether for sowing: Indicate whether it is for sowing; seed use and food use may have different regulatory conditions Origin: Fill in the country or region of origin of the buckwheat, which affects tariffs and trade agreement applicability Packaging specifications: Describe the packaging method and weight per package, such as '25 kg/bag' Use: Declare the final use of the buckwheat, such as food, feed, or processing raw material Brand: If there is a brand, declare the brand name; if no brand, fill in 'None' Product name: Buckwheat; Whether hulled: Unhulled; Whether for sowing: No; Origin: Russia; Packaging specifications: 50 kg/bag; Use: Food; Brand: None. Mistakenly classifying buckwheat flour under 100810, when it should actually be under 1102.90 Ignoring the 'whether for sowing' declaration, leading to omission of quarantine regulatory conditions Confusing buckwheat with quinoa, incorrectly using code 100850 Failing to declare brand, leading to customs intellectual property protection issues
Product name
Declare the Chinese and foreign language names of the commodity, which should specifically be 'buckwheat' or 'buckwheat grains'
⚠️ Misreporting as 'buckwheat rice' or 'buckwheat flour', leading to classification errors
Whether hulled
Indicate whether the buckwheat has been hulled; hulling affects the determination of processing degree
⚠️ Misreporting hulled buckwheat as unhulled, or vice versa
Whether for sowing
Indicate whether it is for sowing; seed use and food use may have different regulatory conditions
⚠️ Ignoring seed use and failing to provide seed quarantine certificate
Origin
Fill in the country or region of origin of the buckwheat, which affects tariffs and trade agreement applicability
⚠️ Unclear origin, such as only writing 'imported'
Packaging specifications
Describe the packaging method and weight per package, such as '25 kg/bag'
⚠️ Packaging specifications inconsistent with actual, causing inspection anomalies
Use
Declare the final use of the buckwheat, such as food, feed, or processing raw material
⚠️ Use declaration too general, such as 'for own use'
Brand
If there is a brand, declare the brand name; if no brand, fill in 'None'
⚠️ Brand inconsistent with trademark, or omitted brand
Mistakenly classifying buckwheat flour under 100810, when it should actually be under 1102.90
Ignoring the 'whether for sowing' declaration, leading to omission of quarantine regulatory conditions
Confusing buckwheat with quinoa, incorrectly using code 100850
Failing to declare brand, leading to customs intellectual property protection issues
🎯 Classification Logic
The core basis for classification is the notes to Chapter 10 of the HS and the subheading texts. Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), although belonging to the Polygonaceae family, is treated as a cereal under 1008.10 in the HS. When determining, it is necessary to confirm: 1) the commodity is buckwheat grains; 2) it has not undergone milling, refining, or other processing of Chapter 11; 3) whether or not hulled. If it is buckwheat flour, buckwheat flakes, etc., it is classified under Chapter 11. 100820 Millet (foxtail millet): Millet belongs to the grass family Setaria, while buckwheat belongs to Polygonaceae; botanically different. In appearance, millet grains are small, while buckwheat grains are triangular. 100830 Quinoa: Quinoa belongs to Amaranthaceae, with smaller, flat-round grains in various colors; buckwheat is darker with obvious edges. 110290 Other cereal flours: Buckwheat flour has been milled, exceeding the scope of Chapter 10, and is classified under Chapter 11; 100810 is only for grains. 100890 Other cereals not elsewhere specified: 100890 is a residual subheading; buckwheat has a specific subheading 100810, so it is not classified under 100890. 071333 Dried cowpeas: Cowpeas are leguminous vegetables classified under Chapter 7; buckwheat is a cereal classified under Chapter 10. Is it only buckwheat grains, not milled? Is it hulled? Hulling does not affect classification under 100810. Is it for sowing? Seed use requires quarantine certificate. Is it mixed with other cereals? Mixed cereals must be classified according to the main component. Is the brand declared? Brand may involve intellectual property.
Basis
The core basis for classification is the notes to Chapter 10 of the HS and the subheading texts. Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), although belonging to the Polygonaceae family, is treated as a cereal under 1008.10 in the HS. When determining, it is necessary to confirm: 1) the commodity is buckwheat grains; 2) it has not undergone milling, refining, or other processing of Chapter 11; 3) whether or not hulled. If it is buckwheat flour, buckwheat flakes, etc., it is classified under Chapter 11.
Confused Codes：
100820 - Millet (foxtail millet)
Millet belongs to the grass family Setaria, while buckwheat belongs to Polygonaceae; botanically different. In appearance, millet grains are small, while buckwheat grains are triangular.
100830 - Quinoa
Quinoa belongs to Amaranthaceae, with smaller, flat-round grains in various colors; buckwheat is darker with obvious edges.
110290 - Other cereal flours
Buckwheat flour has been milled, exceeding the scope of Chapter 10, and is classified under Chapter 11; 100810 is only for grains.
100890 - Other cereals not elsewhere specified
100890 is a residual subheading; buckwheat has a specific subheading 100810, so it is not classified under 100890.
071333 - Dried cowpeas
Cowpeas are leguminous vegetables classified under Chapter 7; buckwheat is a cereal classified under Chapter 10.
Self-Check：
✓ Is it only buckwheat grains, not milled?
✓ Is it hulled? Hulling does not affect classification under 100810.
✓ Is it for sowing? Seed use requires quarantine certificate.
✓ Is it mixed with other cereals? Mixed cereals must be classified according to the main component.
✓ Is the brand declared? Brand may involve intellectual property.
❓ FAQ
Is hulled buckwheat still classified under 100810? Yes. HS code 100810 covers unhulled or hulled buckwheat grains. Hulling only removes the outer shell and does not change the basic characteristics of the grain, so it remains under 100810. However, if milled or made into flour, it is classified under 1102.90. What is the difference between HS codes for buckwheat and quinoa? Buckwheat is classified under 100810, and quinoa under 100830. Although both are 'pseudo-cereals', their botanical classifications differ: buckwheat belongs to Polygonaceae, and quinoa belongs to Amaranthaceae. Accurate distinction of product names is required during declaration to avoid confusion. What regulatory documents are required for importing buckwheat? Generally, a certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, and customs clearance form for inbound goods are required. If for sowing, seed quarantine approval is also needed. Specific regulatory conditions can be found in the 'Import and Export Tariff' and 'Regulatory Document Code Table' issued by the General Administration of Customs. What is the HS code for buckwheat flour? Buckwheat flour is classified under 1102.90, belonging to Chapter 11 'Products of the milling industry'. Note that Chapter 10 only includes cereal grains; any milled product is classified under Chapter 11. How to determine if buckwheat is 'for sowing'? Seed buckwheat is typically used for agricultural sowing and requires a seed inspection certificate and quarantine approval. If these cannot be provided, it is declared as non-seed. Tariffs and regulatory conditions may differ between seed and non-seed use. How to check the tariff quota for buckwheat? Buckwheat is not subject to tariff quota management and is generally subject to the most-favored-nation rate or agreement rate. Specific rates can be found in the 'Import and Export Tariff' issued annually by the General Administration of Customs or queried through the 'Internet + Customs' platform. Can buckwheat enjoy RCEP agreement rates? If the buckwheat originates from an RCEP member country and meets the rules of origin, the RCEP agreement rate can be applied for. A certificate of origin or declaration of origin is required. Specific rates vary by country and can be found in the RCEP tariff commitment schedule. How to fill in the 'Brand' element when declaring buckwheat? If the buckwheat has a brand, declare the brand name (e.g., 'XX brand'); if no brand, fill in 'None'. Brand involves customs intellectual property protection; if not truthfully declared, it may be detained. It is recommended to check the intellectual property recordation system in advance.
Q: Is hulled buckwheat still classified under 100810?
A: Yes. HS code 100810 covers unhulled or hulled buckwheat grains. Hulling only removes the outer shell and does not change the basic characteristics of the grain, so it remains under 100810. However, if milled or made into flour, it is classified under 1102.90.
Q: What is the difference between HS codes for buckwheat and quinoa?
A: Buckwheat is classified under 100810, and quinoa under 100830. Although both are 'pseudo-cereals', their botanical classifications differ: buckwheat belongs to Polygonaceae, and quinoa belongs to Amaranthaceae. Accurate distinction of product names is required during declaration to avoid confusion.
Q: What regulatory documents are required for importing buckwheat?
A: Generally, a certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, and customs clearance form for inbound goods are required. If for sowing, seed quarantine approval is also needed. Specific regulatory conditions can be found in the 'Import and Export Tariff' and 'Regulatory Document Code Table' issued by the General Administration of Customs.
Q: What is the HS code for buckwheat flour?
A: Buckwheat flour is classified under 1102.90, belonging to Chapter 11 'Products of the milling industry'. Note that Chapter 10 only includes cereal grains; any milled product is classified under Chapter 11.
Q: How to determine if buckwheat is 'for sowing'?
A: Seed buckwheat is typically used for agricultural sowing and requires a seed inspection certificate and quarantine approval. If these cannot be provided, it is declared as non-seed. Tariffs and regulatory conditions may differ between seed and non-seed use.
Q: How to check the tariff quota for buckwheat?
A: Buckwheat is not subject to tariff quota management and is generally subject to the most-favored-nation rate or agreement rate. Specific rates can be found in the 'Import and Export Tariff' issued annually by the General Administration of Customs or queried through the 'Internet + Customs' platform.
Q: Can buckwheat enjoy RCEP agreement rates?
A: If the buckwheat originates from an RCEP member country and meets the rules of origin, the RCEP agreement rate can be applied for. A certificate of origin or declaration of origin is required. Specific rates vary by country and can be found in the RCEP tariff commitment schedule.
Q: How to fill in the 'Brand' element when declaring buckwheat?
A: If the buckwheat has a brand, declare the brand name (e.g., 'XX brand'); if no brand, fill in 'None'. Brand involves customs intellectual property protection; if not truthfully declared, it may be detained. It is recommended to check the intellectual property recordation system in advance.
⚠️ Disclaimer: HS code classification, declaration elements, tariff rates and regulatory conditions on this page are for reference only and do not constitute legal advice on customs classification. Tariff rates and regulations are subject to change; the latest announcements from the General Administration of Customs and on-site determinations shall prevail. Please consult professional customs brokers or customs authorities before import/export.