Which tariff line does a Switzerland importer declare for bulk shea butter?

Start from HS heading 1515.90. Switzerland extends that heading to the national line recorded on this page (Swiss tariff heading 1515.90). The importer, not the exporter's six-digit invoice code, confirms the full statistical number on the Switzerland tariff for the entry date.

Does Swissmedic make a Nigerian factory register before selling shea butter into Switzerland?

Swissmedic rules apply to the Switzerland responsible person or importer for finished cosmetics or food, as this guide states. A factory that only supplies bulk drums should not assume it must open a local portal account. Finished-product notification stays with the buyer in Switzerland.

Which documents travel with a Lagos container bound for Rotterdam?

EMI Agro issues the commercial invoice, packing list and a Certificate of Analysis per batch. The carrier issues the bill of lading. Nigerian export files (certificate of origin and Form NXP) travel with the shipment. Switzerland import filings — the customs declaration and any Swissmedic notice — are the buyer's.

How long does a typical West Africa service take from Lagos to Rotterdam?

Ocean time to Rotterdam is shown on this page as a typical West Africa container range, not a booked schedule. Confirm the live ETD/ETA on the carrier tool when you book. Inland time from Rotterdam to a warehouse in Switzerland is extra.

Is shea butter duty-free in Switzerland?

Duty follows the vegetable-fat / oils-and-fats bracket on heading 1515.90 in Switzerland, plus VAT or GST where charged. Some markets (for example a Free general rate on a nut-oil line) publish a zero Column 1 rate; others do not. Read the tariff note on this page and confirm on the entry date. EMI Agro does not compute landed duty.

Do Switzerland labels need to say Sheabutter?

German, French or Italian by canton of sale. Bulk industrial drums follow the language agreed on the contract. Finished consumer packs follow Swissmedic labelling rules in Switzerland.

Import guide

How to Import Shea Butter into Switzerland

Tariff line, regulator, documents, transit from Lagos and clearance for Switzerland — every fact sourced and dated.

Shea butter enters Switzerland under HS heading 1515.90 — Swiss tariff heading 1515.90 in the national tariff. To import it, confirm the tariff line and duty, check registration requirements with Swissmedic, assemble the documents below, ship from Lagos to Rotterdam (18–28 days) and clear customs with BAZG.

Key facts for importing shea butter into Switzerland (sources and dates in References)

Customs authority: Swiss Customs (BAZG) applies the Swiss tariff. Shea butter is declared under heading 1515.90. Goods usually enter via Rotterdam, Antwerp or Genoa and move inland.
Cosmetics authority: Swissmedic is the Swiss competent authority for cosmetic products. Union CPNP notification does not replace Swiss placing-on-the-market rules.
National tariff line: Swiss tariff heading 1515.90
Ports of discharge: Rotterdam, Antwerp, Genoa
Transit from Lagos: 16–28 days
Certification priority: COSMOS, HACCP, EU Organic (EOS)
Labelling language: German, French or Italian by canton of sale
Specific to Switzerland: Swissmedic is the named Switzerland authority on this page.
Specific to Switzerland (2): Lagos boxes for Switzerland are planned for Rotterdam (NLRTM).
Specific to Switzerland (3): Buyers in Switzerland also search the local name Sheabutter.

Nigerian shea butter for Switzerland

Switzerland does not grow shea. The butter on a Switzerland COA is West African — EMI Agro presses it in Ibadan from wild-collected nuts. Switzerland is outside the EU customs union — a Rotterdam discharge still needs a Swiss Tares entry. EMI Agro works with 5,000+ women collectors in Kwara, Niger, Kaduna, Kogi. Zurich buyers usually take the inland haul from Rotterdam.

Ask for a batch COA on a NIS 571:2013 basis: free fatty acid, peroxide value, moisture, colour and melting point. Reject lots that smell sharply rancid or pour like liquid oil at room temperature. Swissmedic filings sit with the Switzerland importer — they do not replace a COA.

Trial lots start at 5 tonnes; standard orders start at 20 tonnes. Send the request even if you need less — EMI Agro reviews every Switzerland enquiry against current production of 40 tonnes per week of finished shea butter and can schedule rolling shipments. Lead time is Ibadan production plus ocean time to Rotterdam. Quotes are EXW, FOB or CIF; each term prices different services beyond the butter.

What are you buying shea butter for in Switzerland?

Two questions. We show the grade, the documents that usually apply and the next step — we do not invent a price.

Use

Quantity

Step 1 — Classify & tariff

Shea butter is classified under HS heading 1515.90 worldwide; Switzerland extends it to the national line below.

Tariff classification for shea butter in Switzerland (sources and dates in References)
Item	Value	Source
HS heading	1515.90 — global	Harmonized System
National tariff line	Swiss tariff heading 1515.90 — other fixed vegetable fats and oils. Confirm the 8-digit Swiss line on Tares.	tares.ch
Duty and tax note	Switzerland is outside the EU customs union.	tares.ch
Preference scheme and proof of origin	The Swiss MFN oils-and-fats rate plus Swiss VAT applies unless a preference is claimed. Confirm on Tares for the entry date.	tares.ch

Switzerland is outside the EU customs union. The Swiss MFN oils-and-fats rate plus Swiss VAT applies unless a preference is claimed. Confirm on Tares for the entry date.

Why the first six digits are the same everywhere is explained in the exporting and importing shea butter guide.

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Step 2 — Regulatory registration
In Switzerland, cosmetic-grade shea butter falls under Swissmedic.
Finished cosmetics placed on the Swiss market follow Swissmedic and the Foodstuffs and Utility Articles Ordinance. Bulk drums are raw materials.
Consumer packs sold in Switzerland need particulars in the official language of the canton of sale. (locally Sheabutter)
Buyers in Switzerland most often ask for COSMOS, HACCP and EU Organic (EOS); status is on our certifications page. See COSMOS, HACCP, EU Organic (EOS) and our certifications page.

Step 3 — Required documents

The documents below are those Swissmedic lists for a shea butter consignment; EMI Agro issues the ones marked as ours.

Documents for importing shea butter into Switzerland (sources and dates in References)
Document	Issued by	When
Commercial invoice	EMI Agro	At booking
Packing list	EMI Agro	At stuffing
Bill of lading	Carrier	On vessel departure
Certificate of Analysis (per batch)	EMI Agro	With shipping documents
Certificate of origin	Nigerian agency	Before shipment
Form NXP	Nigerian agency	Before shipment
Swiss customs declaration	Buyer / importer	Before release to free circulation

Nigerian export-side documents are explained in how to import shea butter from Nigeria; the COA format is on the certificate of analysis page.

Step 4 — Shipping & Incoterms

Switzerland is landlocked: Lagos freight discharges at Rotterdam then moves inland.

Typical sea transit from Lagos to Switzerland (port-to-port days; confirm on the booking)
Gateway port	UN/LOCODE	Transit (days)	Schedules read on
Rotterdam	NLRTM	18–28	September 2026
Antwerp	BEANR	18–28	September 2026
Genoa	ITGOA	16–26	September 2026

EXW: buyer arranges collection, freight and insurance from the factory.
FOB: EMI Agro delivers on board at the named Lagos port; buyer arranges ocean freight.
CIF: EMI Agro arranges freight and insurance to the named discharge port.

Container configuration is calculated separately — use the shea export container calculator and the container notes on the export overview.

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Step 5 — Customs clearance & inspection
Clearance in Switzerland is handled through Swissmedic.
Boxes typically discharge at Rotterdam, Antwerp or Genoa and clear Swiss Customs on the inland leg to Zurich-area warehouses.

Working with EMI Agro

MOQ: Standard orders start at 20 tonnes. Trial lots start at 5 tonnes. Smaller volumes can still be requested — we review every enquiry against current production.
Lead time: Lead time is Ibadan production time plus ocean time to the named port. EMI Agro produces 40 tonnes per week of finished shea butter and can schedule rolling shipments. Exact weeks depend on the quantity on the purchase order.
Incoterms: EXW, FOB, CIF
Samples: Trial lots start at 5 tonnes of the named grade. Send the request even if you need less — we review whether we can supply.
Load ports: Apapa (Lagos) and Tin Can Island (Lagos)

For Switzerland buyers our supplier page covers MOQ, price basis, packaging and lead time in detail. Shea butter supplier in Switzerland.

For commodity background see the complete guide to shea butter.

How to import shea butter into the European Union

How to import shea butter into Germany

How to import shea butter into France

How to import shea butter from Nigeria

Nigerian export-side procedure before the container sails.

Shea export container calculator

How many drums fit a container.

Exporting shea butter from Nigeria

HS heading, load ports and the country-guide hub.

Certificate of Analysis

How a batch COA is reported.

Frequently asked questions

References & standards

ezv.admin.ch (accessed 13 September 2026)
swissmedic.ch (accessed 13 September 2026)
tares.ch (accessed 13 September 2026)
maersk.com (accessed 13 September 2026)

Last reviewed September 2026 by EMI Agro Industries QC team.

Manufacturer-direct from Ibadan, Nigeria

Get an export quote for Switzerland

Tell us grade, volume and your port of discharge in Switzerland; we reply with pricing, the document set and a current COA.

You have just read How to Import Shea Butter into Switzerland. The next step is a real lot from the factory that produces it — EMI Agro, with factory-direct pricing and a batch Certificate of Analysis.

Trusted manufacturer
EMI Agro Industries Limited (RC 9364495) presses the butter in Ibadan — we are not a trading company.
Competitive factory-direct prices
Quoted EXW, FOB or CIF — the buyer chooses. You pay the factory, not a chain of middlemen.
Export-ready supply
We ship to European Union, United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Southeast Asia, China, India, Middle East, Latin America. Load ports: Apapa (Lagos) or Tin Can Island (Lagos).
Documented lots
40 tonnes per week of finished shea butter, a Certificate of Analysis on every batch, NAFDAC registered and SON approved.

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