HS Code 04.09 – Honey; natural

HS code 0409 is a 4-digit heading in the Harmonized System that covers: Honey; natural. HS Heading 0409 specifically covers "Honey; natural." This classification is dedicated exclusively to natural honey, which is defined as the sweet natural substance produced by honey bees from the nectar of plants or from secretions of living parts of plants or excretions of plant-sucking insects on the living parts of plants, which the bees collect, transform by combining with specific substances of their own, deposit, dehydrate, store and leave in honeycombs to ripen and mature. This heading includes honey in the comb, strained honey, comb honey, and pressed honey, regardless of its floral source (e.g., clover, acacia, wildflower, manuka). The crucial boundary of this classification is the term "natural" – it explicitly excludes artificial honey or honey preparations that contain added sugar, other sweeteners, or flavorings; such products would typically fall under Chapter 17 (sugars and sugar confectionery) or Chapter 21 (miscellaneous edible preparations). For importers and exporters, accurate classification under 0409 is paramount due to specific quality standards, purity tests (e.g., to detect adulteration with sugar syrups), labeling requirements for origin and floral source, and potential anti-dumping duties. This heading is part of Chapter 4, which groups dairy products, birds' eggs, natural honey, and other edible products of animal origin, signifying honey's role as a direct animal-derived food product.

Raw honey, comb honey, liquid honey, creamed honey, wildflower honey, clover honey, acacia honey, manuka honey, eucalyptus honey, buckwheat honey, orange blossom honey, multifloral honey, single-origin honey, organic honey, chunk honey, set honey, granulated honey, filtered honey, unfiltered honey, forest honey, lime honey, blossom honey, heather honey, honeycomb sections, cut comb honey

The most common misclassification for honey is confusing natural honey (0409) with artificial honey or honey mixed with other sugars. If honey has added sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or other sweetening agents, it typically falls under Chapter 17 (Sugars and sugar confectionery). Another error involves classifying honey-based preparations, such as honey cough drops, honey-nut cereals, or honey-mustard sauces, under 0409; these would generally fall under Chapter 21 (Miscellaneous edible preparations) or Chapter 19 (Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or milk) as they are no longer pure natural honey.

In 2025, the top exporters of HS code 0409 in UN Comtrade data were New Zealand ($281M, 12% of world exports), China ($260M) and India ($229M). World exports came to about $2.4B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

In 2025, the top importers of HS code 0409 in UN Comtrade data were the United States ($691M, 28% of world imports), Germany ($256M) and Japan ($151M). World imports came to about $2.4B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

HS code 0409 is a 4-digit heading under Chapter 04 of the Harmonized System. The first 2 digits (04) identify the chapter, and digits 3-4 (09) specify the heading. This code contains multiple 6-digit subheadings for precise product classification.