HS code · 6-digit subheading
HS Code 1517.10 – Margarine; excluding liquid margarine
HS code 1517.10 is the 6-digit subheading for margarine, excluding liquid margarine. It is used for block margarine, soft tub margarine, baking margarine, table margarine and industrial margarine.
What HS 1517.10 covers
This category specifically covers solid or semi-solid margarine, a widely consumed butter substitute primarily formulated from vegetable oils, water, and often milk solids or plant-based alternatives. It is a staple in global trade, serving both the retail consumer market as a spread and the industrial sector as a crucial ingredient in baking, confectionery, and other food manufacturing processes. Countries with robust vegetable oil processing capabilities and advanced food industries are typically major exporters, while virtually all nations act as importers, driven by consumer demand for affordable and versatile spreads, as well as industrial needs for functional fats. Key considerations for international trade include maintaining consistent fat content, ensuring emulsification stability, developing appealing flavor profiles, and strict compliance with diverse national and international food safety, quality, and labeling regulations. The explicit exclusion of liquid margarine is a critical distinction for accurate classification under this code.
- Covers
- Block margarine
- Soft tub margarine
- Baking margarine
- Table margarine
- Industrial margarine
- Vegan margarine
- Low-fat margarine
- Examples
- I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!
- Country Crock
- Blue Bonnet
- Flora Plant Butter
- Becel/Flora
Codes often confused with 1517.10
Common mistake. This code is specifically for solid margarine, differentiating it from 151790 which covers other edible fat mixtures, including liquid margarine or other fat preparations.
Top exporters and importers of HS code 151710, 2025
In 2025, the largest exporter of HS code 151710 in UN Comtrade data was Poland, with 14% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was the United Kingdom, with 7.9% of world imports. Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.
Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports
- 1 Poland $315M 14% of world exports
- 2 Belgium $247M 11% of world exports
- 3 Germany $160M 7.2% of world exports
World total: $2.2B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗
Top importers 2025 · share of world imports
- 1 United Kingdom $177M 7.9% of world imports
- 2 France $136M 6.1% of world imports
- 3 Hungary $100M 4.5% of world imports
World total: $2.2B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗
How these figures are built
109 countries reported 2025 trade to UN Comtrade in HS 2022, and their own totals are used. Countries that did not report are estimated from what other countries recorded trading with them. Those estimates miss trade with other non-reporting countries, so they can be low, and a non-reporting country can rank higher than shown or be missing from the list. World totals add both and leave out trade between two non-reporting countries. Figures are in current US dollars; reported imports are mostly valued CIF and exports FOB, and exports include re-exports. The UN Comtrade links show the underlying records; they can also list a few reporters left out here (regional groups and older HS editions).
Source: UN Comtrade (United Nations Statistics Division), 2025 annual data.
Brazil NCM code for 1517.10
Brazil does not split HS 1517.10: its NCM code is 1517.10.00.
All Brazil NCM codes in heading 15.17 →
Source: Siscomex NCM table, updated Oct 2026. The Portuguese text is official; the English is our translation.
Questions about HS 1517.10
What is HS code 151710?
HS code 151710 is a 6-digit subheading in the Harmonized System that covers: Margarine; excluding liquid margarine. This category specifically covers solid or semi-solid margarine, a widely consumed butter substitute primarily formulated from vegetable oils, water, and often milk solids or plant-based alternatives. It is a staple in global trade, serving both the retail consumer market as a spread and the industrial sector as a crucial ingredient in baking, confectionery, and other food manufacturing processes. Countries with robust vegetable oil processing capabilities and advanced food industries are typically major exporters, while virtually all nations act as importers, driven by consumer demand for affordable and versatile spreads, as well as industrial needs for functional fats. Key considerations for international trade include maintaining consistent fat content, ensuring emulsification stability, developing appealing flavor profiles, and strict compliance with diverse national and international food safety, quality, and labeling regulations. The explicit exclusion of liquid margarine is a critical distinction for accurate classification under this code.
What products fall under HS code 151710?
Block margarine, Soft tub margarine, Baking margarine, Table margarine, Industrial margarine, Vegan margarine, Low-fat margarine
What are common misclassifications for HS code 151710?
This code is specifically for solid margarine, differentiating it from 151790 which covers other edible fat mixtures, including liquid margarine or other fat preparations.
Which countries are the top exporters of goods under HS code 151710?
In 2025, the top exporters of HS code 151710 in UN Comtrade data were Poland ($315M, 14% of world exports), Belgium ($247M) and Germany ($160M). World exports came to about $2.2B, 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.
Which countries are the top importers of goods under HS code 151710?
In 2025, the top importers of HS code 151710 in UN Comtrade data were the United Kingdom ($177M, 7.9% of world imports), France ($136M) and Hungary ($100M). World imports came to about $2.2B, 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.
How is HS code 151710 structured?
HS code 151710 is a 6-digit subheading under the Harmonized System. The first 2 digits (15) identify the chapter, digits 3-4 (17) identify the heading, and digits 5-6 (10) specify the subheading. This code is standardized globally by the World Customs Organization.
What is the Brazil NCM code for HS code 151710?
In Brazil, HS code 151710 is NCM 1517.10.00. The last two digits are 00 because Brazil does not split this HS code further.