At a glance
Agricultural inputs are the dry goods farms and growers buy that need no refrigeration: fertilizers, soil amendments, seeds, feed supplements, agro-textiles and farm supplies. The risks in transit are moisture, contamination, odor transfer and dust leaking from bags. Paperwork depends on the product: seeds and plant-based goods often need a phytosanitary certificate, chemical products need a Safety Data Sheet (SDS), purely synthetic supplies need neither, and labeling rules vary by destination.
What counts as an agricultural input
Seeds and farming supplies
Seeds for sowing (untreated; non-GMO unless declared) and general farm supplies
Soil nutrients (non-hazardous)
Natural soil enhancers such as bio-humus, compost and organic plant mixes, plus coco peat and mineral conditioners like perlite and vermiculite
Livestock feed supplements
Animal feed supplements that are not dangerous goods (non-DG) and not medicated
Bags, pots and grow bags
Jute bags, woven sacks, nursery pots and grow bags
Shipping agricultural inputs?
Get a quoteFour risks in transit and how to prevent them
Soil, seeds, coco peat and grain-based inputs absorb moisture. Damp organic material grows mold and loses quality.
- Line bags with moisture-proof inner liners
- Add desiccant inside the container where it applies
- Don’t load in rain or high humidity
- Palletize bags so they don’t sit on a damp container floor
- Seal coco peat blocks well: they expand when they absorb moisture
Powders, granules and mixes leak through weak bags, and one torn fertilizer bag can contaminate the entire container floor.
- Use double-lined bags or strong woven sacks
- Close bags with heat seals or stitching
- Stretch-wrap pallets so bags can’t shift
- Load in rows so stacks don’t collapse
- Don’t stack sharp items on bags
Farm inputs carry natural odor and fine dust. Organic inputs in particular can pass their odor to other cargo.
- Don’t co-load with food or other sensitive goods
- Use container liners for powder and soil products
- Clean the container floor before loading
- Ventilate natural inputs properly
Bulk bags and soil materials are heavy. Overloading one side can damage the container floor or unbalance the container.
- Stack pallets evenly
- Put the heaviest pallets along the center line of the container floor
- Tell your trucking provider the weight before pickup
- Keep the weight balanced from side to side
Documents you’ll need
| Document | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice and packing list | Shows the HS code, quantity, weight and what the product is |
| Certificate of origin (COO) | Confirms the country of manufacture; many customs authorities require it |
| Product composition sheet (if requested) | Helps customs classify organic or soil-based products |
| Safety Data Sheet (SDS), for chemical or industrial-grade products only | Needed when the product has chemical properties |
| Phytosanitary certificate, for seeds or plant material | Many destinations require it for seeds and plant-derived inputs |
Rules by destination
- Certificate of origin required
- Phytosanitary certificate for seeds and soil materials
- Natural plant products inspected for contamination risk
- Strict plant-health controls
- Certificate of origin required
- Certificate of origin required
- Agriculture ministry review for seeds and soil additives
Choosing FCL, LCL or bulk bags
| Mode | Best for |
|---|---|
| FCL | Soil, coco peat blocks, fertilizer bags and agricultural rolls |
| Palletized LCL | Seed packets and small farm goods |
| Bulk bags (jumbo bags) | Organic fertilizers and soil products |
Shipping agricultural inputs?
Get a quoteHS codes to start from
| HS Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 1209 | Seeds for sowing |
| 1404 | Vegetable products, including raw materials such as plant husks |
| 2508 | Natural mineral soil conditioners (perlite, vermiculite) |
| 3824 | Prepared soil improvers (non-hazardous) |
| 3923 | Plastic pots and grow bags |
These codes are indicative starting points, not a classification. Find the exact 10-digit line for your product in the HTS Code Finder. Getting the classification right is the importer of record’s legal responsibility.
Estimate the US import duty on these codes with our free tariff simulator.
Common questions
No. Only plant-based or seed-based goods need one. Non-organic supplies such as plastic nets, grow bags and farm tools don’t.
Avoid it. Dust and odor from farm inputs can contaminate food and other sensitive goods.
Only for chemical products. Organic soil mixes and coco peat don’t need an SDS unless they contain additives.
Yes, especially soil blends, seeds and organic enrichers. Use moisture-proof bag liners, add desiccant where it applies and keep bags on pallets, off the container floor.
Yes, for wooden pallets: they must follow the ISPM-15 heat-treatment rules for wood packaging.
Shipping terms in this guide:Phytosanitary CertificateDangerous Goods (IMDG Code)Commercial InvoicePacking ListHarmonized System Code (HS Code)Certificate of Origin (COO)
U.S. import duty on Agricultural Inputs (Non-Perishable) by country of origin
Total duty on the highest-value tariff lines in this category, by country of origin, calculated with our tariff engine and U.S. Census import values. Each page breaks down the duty components, how the rate has changed by entry date, and the landed-cost math.
Rates are our tariff engine's total for a commercial entry today. Open a page for the duty lines behind a rate and how it changed by entry date, browse all import duty pages, or price your own shipment.
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