What HS code does dried lotus root ship under, and why do the US and EU read it differently?

Dried lotus root belongs to heading 07.14, the roots and tubers with a high starch content, and that is how EU tariff guidance lists it: CN 0714 90. US entries are filed under 0714.90 or, where a broker treats the root as a dried vegetable, 0712.90. Both US lines carry the same 8.3% general duty, so the choice changes the paperwork, not the bill. Lotus root powder is a separate line, 1106.20.

The code matters less for the duty than for the clearance. A container whose invoice, packing list and certificate of origin all describe the goods the same way, under the same code, clears on the first pass. One that says “dried vegetable” on the invoice and “0714” on the certificate of origin waits while someone reconciles them. This guide sets out the code by form and market, why the two sides of the Atlantic read lotus root differently, the duty picture, and the file that travels with every FruitBuys shipment.

Which code applies to which form and market?

Start from the form you are buying, then the market.

“Lotus stem” and “kamal kakdi”, the names used in South Asian trade, are the same rhizome and take the same codes. The six-digit code is shared worldwide; the national eight- or ten-digit line is applied by the importing country at entry.

Why does the EU place lotus root under 0714?

Because heading 07.14 is defined by what the root is, not by how it is cooked. It covers cassava, arrowroot, salep, Jerusalem artichokes, sweet potatoes “and similar roots and tubers with high starch or inulin content, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not sliced”. Lotus root is a starchy rhizome eaten like those roots, and the EU’s own classification guidance lists it, as Nelumbium nuciferum, under 0714 90; see the EU guide to classifying edible roots. Heading 07.14 also covers the root whether it is fresh, frozen or dried, so the code does not change when the slice is freeze-dried.

For an EU importer, that gives a fixed reference point: the declaration, the certificate of origin and any binding tariff information all start from 0714 90.

Why do US entries often use 0712.90 instead?

Because the US has long treated fresh lotus root as an ordinary vegetable. In ruling NY C80145 of 14 October 1997, US Customs classified fresh lotus root from China as “other vegetables, fresh or chilled” under heading 07.09, not as a starchy root of 07.14; the ruling is on the CBP rulings database. Brokers who follow that logic file dried lotus root as an “other dried vegetable” under 0712.90.85. Others file it, as the EU does, under 0714.90.61.

The good news for an importer is in the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule: both lines carry a general duty of 8.3%. Use the line that best describes the goods, write it consistently on every document, and the duty is the same either way. On top of the general rate, add any additional US tariffs in force on the entry date; they change by date, not by which of the two lines you use.

Classification follows what the goods are, never which line looks cheaper. If you want certainty before your first container, a binding ruling settles it, and FruitBuys supplies the product description, process flow and specification your broker needs to request one.

What duty does dried lotus root pay in each market?

The US rates are fixed in the tariff schedule; for the EU, UK and UAE, the preference document is what unlocks the lower rate.

Your broker applies the national 8- to 12-digit line at entry. One point stands out for US buyers: the powder line carries no general duty, while the slices carry 8.3%. If your product uses lotus root as a milled ingredient anyway, compare the landed cost of freeze-dried lotus root powder against slices you would mill yourself.

Which documents travel with every shipment?

The same file, on every lot, so your broker never has to chase paper:

1. Commercial invoice, with a product description that matches the declared code.
2. Packing list, by carton and net weight per format.
3. Bill of lading.
4. Certificate of origin: Form EUR.1 for the EU and the UK, Form CEPA for the UAE.
5. Phytosanitary certificate, included with every shipment as part of FruitBuys’ standard export dossier.
6. Lot COA from an independent ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory: moisture, water activity, total plate count, yeasts and moulds, coliforms, E. coli and Salmonella.

The supplying partner facility holds HACCP, ISO 22000, US FDA Facility Registration and BRC (qualified processing facility); copies and registration details sit in the technical file shared before contract. Halal certification is available on request. For the US, your broker files prior notice with FDA before the container arrives.

Why does a dried product carry a phytosanitary certificate?

Because heading 07.14 is shared with fresh roots. Port systems read the code before they read the description, and a line that also covers fresh produce can be flagged for plant-health documents by default. With the phytosanitary certificate already in the file, your broker clears the container without having to explain that freeze-dried lotus root is a processed food rather than a fresh root. One document, and one fewer reason for a hold.

Is lotus root under increased EU border checks?

No. The EU’s list of foods under increased checks at the border, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, is revised every six months; lotus root does not appear on it for any country. A lotus root container into the EU goes through routine official controls, with no mandatory sampling quota attached to the product.

The list changes, so it is checked again before every first shipment to a new EU destination.

Which residue and metal panels should you run before clearance?

The ones your market and your retailer will ask about, completed before the container is stuffed so the results travel with the lot.

• Multi-residue pesticide screen for EU destinations and retailers with their own residue limits.
• Lead and cadmium per lot for retailers with limits on root and aquatic crops. Lotus root grows in pond sediment, so these are the first metals a QA team asks about. They are also covered by routine third-party surveillance at an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory.
• Sulfite result below 10 mg/kg for US labels and any “no sulfites” statement.

Read every dried result through the processing factor. EU residue limits and contaminant limits for vegetables are set on the fresh product, and both frameworks allow for the concentration that drying causes. For lotus root, from fresh flesh at 79–83% water to a slice at about 4% moisture, the factor is 4.6–5.6: divide the dried result by it before comparing with a fresh-weight limit. A buyer who skips that step can reject a compliant lot. These panels are run by an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory in Vietnam, and either paid by the buyer or shared according to volume. The full specification and arrival checks are in what a freeze-dried lotus root COA should prove.

Contact FruitBuys before you book the first container

Tell us the destination, the form and the code your broker intends to declare. You get a document set built around that code, the description your broker needs for a binding ruling if you want one, and the panels your market requires scheduled before stuffing. Packing and container planning for the same shipment are in how long freeze-dried lotus root lasts and how it is packed, and the product itself on the freeze-dried lotus root product page.

CONTACT FRUITBUYS →

FAQ

What is the HS code for dried lotus root?

Heading 07.14: CN 0714 90 in the EU. US entries use 0714.90.61 or 0712.90.85, both at 8.3% general duty.

What is the HS code for lotus root powder?

1106.20, flour and powder of roots and tubers of heading 07.14. In the US the line 1106.20.90 carries no general duty.

What is the HS code for lotus stem or kamal kakdi?

The same as lotus root. Lotus stem and kamal kakdi are South Asian trade names for the same rhizome.

Does freeze-dried lotus root get preferential duty into the EU?

It qualifies for the EU–Vietnam trade agreement preference when a Form EUR.1 travels with the shipment. Your broker applies the rate for the declared 8-digit line.

Which certificate of origin do I need for the UAE?

Form CEPA, under the Vietnam–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in force since 3 February 2026. FruitBuys issues it with every UAE shipment.

Is lotus root on the EU list of foods under increased border checks?

No. It does not appear on the Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 list for any country; the list is checked again before each first shipment to a new destination.

Is lotus root starch the same code as lotus root powder?

No. Starch is heading 11.08; whole-root powder is 1106.20.