HS code

An HS code is a numeric product classification from the Harmonized System, maintained by the World Customs Organization, used by customs authorities and trade statisticians worldwide.

Every commodity crossing a border is recorded under an HS code. The first six digits are shared by all member countries; nations may add further digits for their own tariff lines. Chapter numbers group broad categories, so coffee, tea, and spices share a chapter, while copper and its articles share another.

HS codes are what make trade statistics comparable. When this site says a country exported a certain tonnage of green coffee, it is summing customs records under the codes for unroasted coffee. The choice of codes changes the answer: including roasted coffee and extracts would give a different number and a different ranking of exporters.

The codes also draw the line between raw and processed forms. Cocoa beans, cocoa paste, cocoa butter, and chocolate all have separate codes, which is how trade data can show whether a country ships beans or finished product. Tariff schedules attach duties to these codes, so a change in classification can change the tax on a shipment. See HS codes and producing vs exporting vs processing.