HS Code 2903.89 — Other | South Africa Import & Export

HS 2903.89 is the residual basket line at the bottom of the cyclic halogenated hydrocarbon sub-heading — and in 2024 South Africa imported just USD 10,598 of it across roughly one tonne (UN Comtrade, reporter ZAF, HS 290389, 2024). That tiny number is the whole story: 2903.89 is a near-empty tariff line for a reason, and the importers who do land cargo here usually do so because something has gone wrong at classification, or because the substance in the drum is a Stockholm Convention persistent organic pollutant that needed a DFFE permit before the container ever left origin.

What this HS code covers

The full description is “other halogenated derivatives of cyclanic, cyclenic or cycloterpenic hydrocarbons” — the substance is built around a saturated or partially saturated ring (cyclanic or cyclenic) or a terpene-style ring system (cycloterpenic), and carries one or more halogen atoms (chlorine, bromine, fluorine or iodine) attached to that ring. The “other” means it does not fit any of the named splits above it: 2903.81 (1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane and the lindane group), 2903.82 (aldrin, chlordane, heptachlor) and 2903.83 (mirex). What is left for 2903.89 is the residual — cyclic halogenated chemicals not separately named, of which the cleanest worked examples are hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), chlordecone, pentachlorobenzene, and alpha- and beta-hexachlorocyclohexane isomers.

Acyclic hydrocarbons — including all hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) — sit one set of sub-headings up at 2903.71 to 2903.78 and do not classify here. If a quote or a tariff opinion has parked HCFC-22 or any other refrigerant gas under 2903.89, the classification is wrong.

South African trade picture

South Africa is a marginal participant in this line. Imports moved from USD 14,672 in 2020 down to USD 1,039 in 2023, then jumped to USD 10,598 / 1,029 kg in 2024 (UN Comtrade, reporter ZAF, HS 290389). The 2024 increase is almost entirely one consignment: 1,000 kg from China at USD 3,279. The rest of the year’s traffic came from the United Kingdom (USD 6,297, 20.6 kg), the United States (USD 697, 6.1 kg), Germany (USD 180, 0.83 kg) and France (USD 145, 1.5 kg). Those five partners equal the world total — there are no other reporting countries. By share of value, the UK accounted for 59%, China 31%, the US 7%, and Germany plus France a combined 3%.

Exports tell the same residual story. South African exports of 2903.89 sat at USD 12,532 in 2022 and USD 12,746 in 2023 but collapsed to a single 4 kg shipment worth USD 2,462 to Rwanda in 2024 (UN Comtrade, reporter ZAF). For context, the neighbouring HS 2903.71 line (HCFC-22) ran at USD 4.93 million / 1,685 tonnes of imports in 2024 — that is where the real refrigerant trade volume sits, and it is a different HS6 with a different permit regime.

Duties and VAT

The standard MFN rate for 2903.89 in Schedule 1 Part 1 of the SARS tariff book was not verified directly at the time of writing. Rather than print a figure that may be stale, check the live rate on the SARS Tariff Search at https://tools.sars.gov.za and the underlying Schedule 1 Part 1 Chapter 29 PDF on the SARS Legal Counsel publications page. Chapter 29 organic chemical residual splits typically sit at the free or low end of the MFN spectrum, but the rate is product-and-shipment specific and a Tariff Determination is the only safe answer for a recurring SKU.

VAT applies at 15% on the added tax value, calculated as (FOB customs value × 1.10) + customs duty, per the standard VAT-on-imports formula (SARS Customs External Policy on VAT, 2026). There is no excise on Chapter 29 organic chemicals — they do not appear in Schedule 1 Part 2.

Preferential rates depend on origin: the SADC-EU Economic Partnership Agreement and the UK-SACUM EPA both deliver duty-free entry for most Chapter 29 lines with a valid EUR.1 or origin declaration. The SADC Trade Protocol gives free entry for goods meeting Annex I origin rules. The EFTA-SACU FTA typically delivers duty-free entry for non-sensitive organics. AfCFTA is not in force for Chapter 29 residual lines as at May 2026. Schedule 3 industrial rebates (304.01 / 304.02) and Schedule 4 drawback may apply where the chemical is used in registered downstream manufacture or re-exported.

No anti-dumping or safeguard action is currently in force on 2903.89 (ITAC trade-remedy registry, accessed May 2026).

Documents and compliance

The paper trail on 2903.89 is heavier than the duty rate suggests, because the chemicals that classify here are usually controlled under one or more multilateral environmental agreements. Expect SARS to red-channel the line on first import until your file is clean.

Typical documents for a 2903.89 import:

• Commercial invoice and packing list with full chemical identity (IUPAC name, CAS number, percentage composition).
• Safety Data Sheet (SDS), GHS-compliant, in English.
• Bill of lading or air waybill.
• SAD500 with a supporting end-use declaration.
• Certificate of origin (EUR.1, SADC certificate, or other) where claiming preferential duty.
• DFFE Stockholm Convention import authorisation if the substance is a listed POP (HBCD, chlordecone, pentachlorobenzene, alpha/beta-HCH).
• Rotterdam Convention Prior Informed Consent (PIC) notification through the South African Designated National Authority at DFFE, where the chemical is on Annex III.
• Tariff Determination application receipt from https://tdn.sars.gov.za/portal/ for new SKUs.
• For air freight: IATA Dangerous Goods declaration signed by a current DGR-trained shipper.

Common mistakes

The biggest mistake on 2903.89 is misclassifying out of it or into it. HCFCs are not cyclic and never belong here — they sit at 2903.71-78 and trigger the DFFE National Ozone Unit Montreal Protocol permit regime, not the Stockholm POPs regime. Lindane (gamma-HCH) belongs at 2903.81; aldrin, chlordane and heptachlor at 2903.82; mirex at 2903.83. Putting any of those under 2903.89 to “simplify” classification triggers a SARS re-route and exposes the importer to penalties under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act offences provisions.

The second mistake is treating a formulated pesticide as a chemical intermediate — once the product is a registered or unregistered pesticide formulation it moves to Chapter 38 (typically 3808) and engages the Act 36 of 1947 Registrar of Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural and Stock Remedies. The third is using a pre-2022 classification opinion: the WCO HS 2022 revision reshuffled neighbouring lines and any tariff opinion dated before 1 January 2022 should be re-validated.

How JLog handles it

JLog clears Chapter 29 organic chemicals through SARS Customs, including the residual basket lines like 2903.89. We confirm the correct sub-heading against the SDS and CAS number before the goods load, lodge a Tariff Determination where the SKU is new, check whether the substance is a Stockholm or Rotterdam-listed POP, and route the DFFE permit application before the consignment leaves origin where required. We then present the SAD500 with the supporting documents red-channel will ask for. We also handle the dangerous goods documentation, port-of-entry hazardous handling, and bonded warehousing where the file is not ready on arrival. For repeat importers we set up a classification record so the same questions are not re-asked on every shipment.

If you are about to ship 2903.89 into South Africa and your file does not already name a Stockholm Convention permit and a current Tariff Determination, stop and call us before it loads.

Get a quote: jlog.co.za/get-a-quote