There is no single import duty on Indian spices in the USA, the UK or the EU. The duty you pay is set by the tariff line (the HS code) of the exact product, the country it comes from and whether a preferential scheme or trade agreement applies. Cumin seed, dried chilli and turmeric each sit under different lines.
Rates are changed by governments, so this article does not quote them. It shows you where to read the current figure and what moves it. For the country-by-country basics, see what import duties apply to Indian spices in my country.
What decides the duty on a spice shipment
Customs authorities apply the same chain of questions in all three markets:
- The HS code. Spices sit in chapter 09 of the Harmonised System, and cumin, chilli, turmeric and ginger each have their own subheadings. Crushed or ground product can fall under a different line from whole product.
- The origin. Duty depends on where the goods were wholly obtained or sufficiently processed, which is why a certificate of origin matters.
- The scheme. A trade agreement or preference programme may cut the rate, but only if the origin paperwork and the exporter's status meet its rules.
- The value basis. Most systems charge percentage duty on customs value, so the invoice, freight and insurance terms you agree change the base.
Where to look up the figure for each market
Each market publishes its tariff free of charge, and your customs broker should confirm the line before you order.
For the USA, use the Harmonized Tariff Schedule published by the US International Trade Commission. For the UK, use the UK Global Tariff on GOV.UK, where you enter the commodity code and country of origin. For the EU, use TARIC, the Commission's integrated tariff database, which shows the conventional duty, preferences and any measures for India.
Search for the product by its eight or ten digit code, not by name. If you search for "cumin" and take the first result, you may read the line for a different form of the product.
Why the USA, UK and EU differ for the same spice
The tariff base rate is only part of the picture. Other factors add to or reduce what you actually pay:
- In the USA, additional tariffs or trade measures on goods from India have changed more than once in recent years. Ask your broker for the position on the day you place the order and again at shipment.
- In the UK, preferences for developing countries are now given under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme. Whether a spice line gets a reduced rate depends on India's status under that scheme and on the product, so read the commodity page rather than assuming.
- In the EU, India no longer enjoys generalised preferences on many product groups, so many spice lines fall back to the standard rate. Check TARIC for your code. The effect of newer agreements is covered in how the India-UK and India-EU trade agreements affect duty.
- VAT or sales tax is separate from duty. The UK and EU charge import VAT, and the USA has no federal equivalent, so your landed cost comparison must treat them separately.
What it means for your costing
Duty is one line in a landed cost, alongside freight, insurance, clearance and testing. Because the rate depends on the code and the origin papers, a small mistake in either can change the duty, hold the shipment or trigger an audit later.
Ask your broker to confirm the HS code before the purchase order is signed, and ask your supplier to use that same code on the invoice and packing list. Our guide to preferential duty schemes for Indian agri products explains when a lower rate is worth chasing.
Next step
We cannot give you a duty figure for your product from a general article, and nobody should. What we can do is check the code, the origin papers and the supplier's documents before you commit. To see how that fits your first order, book a free sourcing review.