HS Code:
The Powders category, often classified under various HS Codes depending on the specific type (e.g., HS 2523 for cement powders, HS 1106 for flour, or HS 1211 for medicinal powders), encompasses a wide range of finely ground solid substances used in industries such as construction, food processing, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. This category includes products like cement powder, flour, talcum powder, and powdered chemicals. Global trade in powders is driven by industrial demand, agricultural production, and consumer goods manufacturing, with significant variations in trade patterns based on the specific type of powder.
Total Trade Volume
Approximately $50 billion USD
Data from 2022
Source
United Nations Comtrade Database, World Trade Organization (WTO)
$12 billion USD
24% of total trade of total trade
Increasing
$8 billion USD
16% of total trade of total trade
Stable
$6 billion USD
12% of total trade of total trade
Increasing
$5 billion USD
10% of total trade of total trade
Increasing
$3 billion USD
6% of total trade of total trade
Stable
Average Rate
5.2% ad valorem
Highest Rate
15% (applied by certain developing countries on imported food powders to protect local agriculture)
Lowest Rate
0% (under free trade agreements like the EU Single Market or USMCA for specific powders)
Rising demand for organic and gluten-free flours
Increased trade in specialty food powders, particularly in North America and Europe, driving up exports from countries with organic certification standards.
2021-2023
Growth in construction industry in Asia-Pacific
Higher exports of cement and related powders from China and India to meet infrastructure demands in Southeast Asia and Africa.
2020-2022
Shift towards sustainable and eco-friendly cosmetic powders
Increased trade in natural and mineral-based powders, with stricter regulations on synthetic ingredients affecting exporters.
2022-2023
The European Union introduced new REACH regulations in mid-2023, requiring detailed safety data for chemical powders, impacting exporters from Asia.
June 2023
Potential delays and increased compliance costs for exporters to the EU market, with a shift towards certified suppliers.
A bilateral agreement reduced tariffs on certain food powders like soy flour between the US and China as part of Phase One trade deal implementation.
January 2023
Boosted US exports to China, increasing trade volume by an estimated 8% in this sub-category.
India imposed a temporary ban on wheat flour exports to stabilize domestic prices amid global supply chain disruptions.
August 2022
Reduced global supply of wheat flour, leading to price spikes and benefiting alternative exporters like Turkey and Ukraine.