0909

Analysis

Heading 0909 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule covers seeds of anise, badian, fennel, coriander, cumin or caraway; juniper berries. It divides into 6 six-digit subheadings and 6 eight-digit tariff lines, with 6 ten-digit statistical suffixes below them.

Every one of its 6 tariff lines is duty-free at the general rate, so classification within the heading affects statistics and Chapter 99 measures rather than the base duty.

The largest subheadings are 0909.21 (unnamed, 1 line), 0909.22 (unnamed, 1 line), 0909.31 (unnamed, 1 line) and 0909.32 (unnamed, 1 line).

By Census's concordance, most of its statistical lines are made by Spice and Extract Manufacturing (311942). Those are the NAICS industries a US producer of these goods would report under.

Its median rate of duty-free sits at the 43rd percentile of the headings in chapter 09.

The heading text decides whether a product belongs here at all (General Rule of Interpretation 1); the subheadings and lines below it only apply once that is settled. Section and chapter notes can override the heading wording, so read them for borderline goods.