At a glance
Grains, pulses, oilseeds and other dry bulk crops ship without refrigeration, but they are sensitive to moisture, insects, contamination and torn bags. A clean shipment needs dry, well-packed cargo, fumigation that meets the destination’s rules, correct documents and protection from humidity for the whole transit.
What this guide covers
These products are generally non-hazardous but need clean, moisture-controlled handling.
Grains and cereals
Wheat, maize, barley, sorghum, millet, oats and rye
Pulses and legumes
Lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, peas and pigeon peas
Oilseeds
Soybeans, sesame, sunflower seeds, groundnuts (peanuts) and mustard seeds
Other dry produce
Dry coconut, copra, feed ingredients and agricultural by-products such as meal and hulls
Shipping agricultural products?
Get a quoteFive risks in transit and how to prevent them
Dry agricultural goods absorb humidity easily. Moisture causes mold, discoloration, sprouting and weight variation, and it is one of the most common reasons agricultural cargo is rejected.
- Make sure cargo is fully dry before packing
- Use poly-lined or moisture-barrier bags
- Add desiccants on high-moisture routes
- Don’t stuff the container in rain or high humidity
- Leave airflow around bags where possible
- Keep bags off the container floor on pallets
Insects, mites and microbial activity can attack agricultural goods in storage or transit. Most countries require fumigation for grains, pulses and seeds.
- Fumigate before shipment
- Use intact, clean bags with strong stitching
- Keep cargo away from contaminated surfaces
- Clean the container floor before stuffing
- Keep the fumigation certificate with your shipping documents
Bags of 25–50 kg can tear or burst during handling. A bag that fails in transit spills cargo and causes contamination, losses and delays.
- Use strong polypropylene (PP) woven or jute bags with double stitching
- Add inner liners for fine grains or seeds
- Palletize so bags can’t shift
- Shrink-wrap pallets for extra stability
- Don’t over-stack heavy bags
- Check that every bag is dry and intact before loading
Agricultural cargo picks up odors and contaminants from other products, and clean handling is essential to keep it food-grade.
- Use odor-free, cleaned containers
- Don’t co-load with chemicals, fertilizers, rubber or pungent cargo
- Keep cargo away from dust, oil and residues
- Use container liners when needed
- Inspect the container for cleanliness and odor before stuffing
Bagged crops are dense. Stacked unevenly, they can overload one side of the container, unbalance it and create handling risks.
- Spread the weight evenly across the floor
- Don’t concentrate weight in one section
- Keep bags aligned so stacks don’t tilt
- Confirm axle weights are within limits for the trucking legs
- Check the balance before the container is sealed
Documents and compliance
Besides the commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin, many agricultural shipments also need a phytosanitary certificate and a fumigation certificate. The exact set depends on the destination, so check the rules by destination below.
Documents to prepare
| Document | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice and packing list | Shows the product type (grain, pulse or seed), grade, weight, packing and HS code |
| Certificate of origin (COO) | Confirms where the crop was grown or processed; used for duty assessment and food import programs |
| Fumigation certificate | Mandatory for many agricultural shipments |
| Phytosanitary certificate | Confirms the cargo is pest-free and meets the destination’s plant-health rules |
| Quality or grading certificate (if required) | Shows moisture %, purity and grain quality |
| Packing declaration | Describes the bag type, stitching, inner liners and packaging materials |
Choosing FCL, LCL, bulk or air
| Mode | Best for |
|---|---|
| FCL | Bulk grains, pulses and oilseeds, or large bag loads |
| Bulk container with liner | High-volume agricultural loads |
| Palletized LCL | Small or mixed lots |
| Air | Rarely used: only for high-value seeds or urgent samples |
Shipping agricultural products?
Get a quoteRules by destination
- Phytosanitary certificate required
- Fumigation certificate required
- Certificate of origin needed for customs classification
- Certificate of origin required
- Strict pesticide and contaminant checks
- Phytosanitary certificate mandatory
- Certificate of origin mandatory
- Fumigation certificate often required
- Weight and label checks at destination are common
HS codes to start from
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 1001–1008 | Cereals (wheat, maize, barley, oats and others) |
| 0713 | Dried pulses and legumes |
| 1201–1207 | Oilseeds (soybean, sunflower, sesame, mustard) |
| 2302–2308 | Agricultural by-products and residues |
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.
The final code depends on the crop and how it is processed. Estimate the US import duty on these codes with our free tariff simulator.
Common questions
Usually, especially for grains, pulses and seeds, but requirements vary by destination.
No. Chemicals can pass odor to agricultural cargo and contaminate it.
Pack fully dry cargo in moisture-barrier bags or liners, add desiccants and avoid loading in high humidity.
No. They ship at ambient temperature but need protection from moisture.
Moisture damage, torn bags, infestation and contamination.
Shipping terms in this guide:Commercial InvoicePacking ListCertificate of Origin (COO)Phytosanitary CertificateHarmonized System Code (HS Code)Full Container Load (FCL)
U.S. import duty on Agriculture (General) Logistics Guide 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.
- Vegetable saps and extracts from India
- Psyllium seed husks from India
- Guar gum from India
- Vegetable saps and extracts from China
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.
Shipping grains, pulses or oilseeds?
We help with moisture protection, fumigation compliance and the right documents for agricultural exports.
Get a quote to ship agricultural products
Tell us the product, where it ships from and to, and the container size or weight. We reply with the freight rate, the destination charges and the services included. The guide you were reading is already in the notes.