Product classification

HS code for Tartaric acid esters: 2918.13

Acids, carboxylic acids, (with alcohol function but without other oxygen function), salts and esters of tartaric acid.

Classification of tartaric acid esters under HS 2918.13

Tartaric acid esters are classified under HS code 291813. This classification is part of Chapter 29, which covers organic chemicals. Specifically, Heading 2918 includes carboxylic acids with additional oxygen functions (such as alcohol, phenol, aldehyde, or ketone functions) and their derivatives. Tartaric acid is a dicarboxylic acid that also contains two hydroxyl (alcohol) groups, placing it and its derivatives firmly within this heading. Subheading 291813 is specifically reserved for the salts and esters of tartaric acid. These chemical compounds are formed through the esterification process, where the acid reacts with an alcohol. They are widely utilized in the food industry as emulsifiers (such as DATEM) and in the pharmaceutical industry as chiral building blocks or resolving agents.

Covers
  • Diethyl tartrate
  • Dimethyl tartrate
  • Dibutyl tartrate
  • Diisopropyl tartrate
  • Potassium antimonyl tartrate (as a salt)
  • Monobutyl tartrate
Also under 2918.13
  • Jungbunzlauer Cream of Tartar
  • Danisco DATEM
  • Corbion DATEM
  • Merck Rochelle Salt
  • American Tartaric Products Potassium Bitartrate

Codes often confused with 2918.13

Common mistake. The most common misclassification is with HS code 291812, which is the specific code for tartaric acid itself. Importers must distinguish between the pure acid and its esterified derivatives. Another potential error is classification under 291819, which is a "catch-all" category for other carboxylic acids with alcohol function. Because tartaric acid salts and esters are explicitly named in 291813, that code takes precedence over the general 291819 category.

2918.12Acids; carboxylic acids, (with alcohol function but without other oxygen function), tartaric acid2918.19Acids; carboxylic acids, (with alcohol function but without other oxygen function), other than lactic, tartaric, citric, and gluconic acids and their salts and esters

Top exporters and importers of HS 291813 (the code used for tartaric acid esters), 2025

In 2025, the largest exporter of HS 291813 (the code used for tartaric acid esters) in UN Comtrade data was India, with 26% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was the United States, with 12% of world imports. Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

Figures cover everything classified under HS 291813, not only tartaric acid esters.

Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports

  1. 1 India $36M
  2. 2 Spain $31M
  3. 3 China $14M

World total: $139M Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

Top importers 2025 · share of world imports

  1. 1 United States $13M
  2. 2 South Korea $11M
  3. 3 Germany $9.5M

World total: $109M 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 codes for tartaric acid esters

Brazil splits HS 2918.13 into 2 NCM codes. Pick the one that matches your product:

Source: Siscomex NCM table, updated Oct 2026. The Portuguese text on each NCM page is the official one.

Questions about tartaric acid esters

What is the HS code for Tartaric acid esters?

The HS code for Tartaric acid esters is 291813 (Acids; carboxylic acids, (with alcohol function but without other oxygen function); salts and esters of tartaric acid).

How do I classify Tartaric acid esters for customs?

Tartaric acid esters is classified under HS code 291813 — Acids; carboxylic acids, (with alcohol function but without other oxygen function); salts and esters of tartaric acid. This is a 6-digit subheading level code.

What is the HS code for diethyl tartrate?

The HS code for diethyl tartrate, an ester of tartaric acid, is 291813.

Are salts of tartaric acid classified differently than esters?

No, both the salts and the esters of tartaric acid are grouped together under the same HS code, 291813.

Which countries are the top exporters of tartaric acid esters (HS 291813)?

In 2025, the top exporters of HS 291813 (the code used for tartaric acid esters) in UN Comtrade data were India ($36M, 26% of world exports), Spain ($31M) and China ($14M). World exports came to about $139M, 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 tartaric acid esters (HS 291813)?

In 2025, the top importers of HS 291813 (the code used for tartaric acid esters) in UN Comtrade data were the United States ($13M, 12% of world imports), South Korea ($11M) and Germany ($9.5M). World imports came to about $109M, 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.

Is the HS code for Tartaric acid esters the same in all countries?

The base HS code 291813 for Tartaric acid esters is internationally standardized for the first 6 digits across 200+ countries. Individual countries may add additional digits for national tariff lines and specific classifications.

What is the NCM code for tartaric acid esters in Brazil?

Brazil splits HS 291813 into 2 NCM codes, so the right one for tartaric acid esters depends on the product's details: 2918.13.10 (Salts of tartaric acid), 2918.13.20 (Esters of tartaric acid).