Product group · Agricultural products
Importing agricultural products: seafood, vegetables & cereals
Raw agricultural imports span three chapters of Vietnam’s tariff schedule: seafood (Chapter 03), vegetables (Chapter 07) and cereals (Chapter 10). For this group the HS code and duty are usually not the main hurdle - quarantine is the decisive gate: goods of animal origin (seafood) and goods of plant origin (vegetables, cereals) follow two entirely different quarantine processes. Enter your product in the tool below to look up the HS code, see duty rates and FTA preferences, then check the procedure and quarantine guidance below.
Chapters 03, 07, 10Look up the HS code for this product group
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Overview
The raw-agriculture group has three main segments: seafood (Chapter 03 - fish, crustaceans, molluscs, fresh, chilled or frozen), vegetables (Chapter 07 - edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers) and cereals (Chapter 10 - wheat, maize, rice and other grains). The key point when importing this group is not HS classification (most raw agricultural goods carry low preferential duty, many at 0% under FTAs), but the mandatory specialised quarantine obligation: goods of animal origin require animal quarantine, goods of plant origin require plant quarantine, and many items also require food-safety inspection. Missing quarantine paperwork is the single most common reason agricultural shipments are held at the port.
Related product groups
- Food & Beverage - processed food & beverages (Chapters 16–22) - classification boundary and product-declaration regime.
Common HS codes
| HS code | Description |
|---|---|
| 0302 | Fish, fresh or chilled (excluding fillets of heading 0304) |
| 0303 | Fish, frozen (excluding fillets of heading 0304) |
| 0304 | Fish fillets and other fish meat, fresh/chilled/frozen |
| 0306 | Crustaceans (shrimp, crab…), live/fresh/chilled/frozen |
| 0701 | Potatoes, fresh or chilled |
| 0709 | Other vegetables, fresh or chilled |
| 1001 | Wheat and meslin |
| 1005 | Maize (corn) |
| 1006 | Rice |
Duty rates & FTA preferences
Most raw agricultural goods carry low preferential (MFN) duty, with many lines at 0% given a valid C/O under an FTA (ATIGA for ASEAN, RCEP, CPTPP, VKFTA/AKFTA for Korea, VJEPA for Japan…). But low duty does not mean easy clearance: real cost and lead time depend on quarantine and food-safety inspection. Look up the specific HS code in the tool above for the exact rate.
Applicable FTAs
Import procedure
- 1
Determine & assign the HS code by chapter
Classify correctly into Chapter 03 (seafood), 07 (vegetables) or 10 (cereals) based on the nature and state of the goods (fresh, chilled, frozen). The chapter also determines which quarantine regime applies.
- 2
Animal quarantine - for seafood (Chapter 03)
Register animal/aquatic-product quarantine with the veterinary authority before the goods arrive; shipments usually need a health certificate from the exporting country. The foreign production facility may need to be on the list approved to export to Vietnam.
- 3
Plant quarantine - for vegetables & cereals (Chapters 07, 10)
Register plant quarantine; goods must carry a phytosanitary certificate issued by the exporting country’s plant-protection authority. Some items require a pest-risk analysis and an import plant-quarantine permit before the first import.
- 4
Food-safety inspection & customs declaration
Many agricultural items used as food are subject to state food-safety inspection. File the customs declaration together with the quarantine/food-safety dossier, invoice, packing list, bill of lading and C/O if claiming FTA preference; pay duty and clear.
Specialised management & licences
Aquatic animal quarantine (Chapter 03)
Imported seafood and aquatic products are subject to animal quarantine managed by the veterinary authority. Importers register quarantine, present the exporting country’s health certificate, and clear only after passing quarantine. The list of goods subject to quarantine and the approved foreign facilities are published by the authority from time to time.
Plant quarantine (Chapters 07 & 10)
Vegetables, cereals and plant-origin products are subject to plant quarantine managed by the plant-protection authority. Goods must carry the exporting country’s phytosanitary certificate; some items require a pest-risk analysis (PRA) and a permit before the first import.
Food safety & labelling
Agricultural goods used as food may be subject to self-declaration or food-safety inspection on import, and must be labelled per regulation before distribution. Identifying the correct regime avoids shipments being held.
Common classification mistakes
Fresh/chilled vs frozen vs processed
The boundary between fresh/chilled/frozen goods (Chapters 03/07/10) and processed goods (Chapter 16 for seafood, Chapter 20 for vegetables and fruit) drives both the HS code and the management regime. E.g. frozen shrimp (0306) differs from prepared shrimp (1605).
Missing permit/quarantine before arrival
Many items need a plant-quarantine permit or animal-quarantine registration before the goods reach port. Waiting until arrival is the leading cause of container demurrage and extra cost.
Confusing seeds with commercial produce
Seeds and planting material have their own management and quarantine regime, different from commercial produce of the same kind. Misclassifying easily leads to missing permits.
Frequently asked questions
Is quarantine mandatory when importing agricultural products?
For most, yes. Seafood (Chapter 03) requires animal quarantine; vegetables and cereals (Chapters 07, 10) require plant quarantine and the exporting country’s quarantine certificate. This is a condition for clearance, independent of duty.
Is the import duty on agricultural products high?
Most raw agricultural goods carry low preferential duty, with many lines at 0% given a valid C/O under an FTA. However, real cost depends on quarantine and food-safety inspection more than on duty. Look up the specific HS code for the rate.
Should quarantine paperwork be prepared before or after arrival?
Prepare it beforehand. For many items a plant-quarantine permit or animal-quarantine registration must be in place before arrival, and the exporting country’s quarantine certificate must accompany the shipment. Preparing early avoids storage and demurrage.
Advisory
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