Plants, live; unrooted cuttings and slips

HS code 060210 covers the trade of live plants, unrooted cuttings, and plant slips. This industry is a crucial component of the global horticulture and floriculture sectors, providing the raw materials necessary for the production of a wide range of ornamental and agricultural products. As a highly specialized and labor-intensive industry, the trade in live plants and cuttings plays a significant role in the economies of many countries, particularly those with favorable climates for plant cultivation.

The production of live plants, unrooted cuttings, and slips typically involves a multi-stage process. Growers begin by propagating parent plants, either through seed germination or vegetative propagation techniques such as stem cuttings or tissue culture. The resulting plantlets are then carefully tended, often in controlled greenhouse environments, to ensure optimal growth and health. Once the plants or cuttings have reached the desired size and maturity, they are harvested, packaged, and prepared for distribution to domestic and international markets.

The live plant and cutting industry relies on a variety of inputs, including high-quality parent plant material, specialized growing media, irrigation systems, and climate-controlled production facilities. Growers also require access to skilled labor, as the handling and cultivation of live plants requires significant expertise. Additionally, the industry utilizes a range of equipment and machinery, such as propagation trays, pruning tools, and packaging materials, to support the production and distribution processes.

The primary outputs of the HS code 060210 industry are live plants, unrooted cuttings, and plant slips, which are then consumed by a variety of downstream industries. These include the 060310 Cut flowers and flower buds, 060420 Foliage, branches and other parts of plants, and 060491 Mosses and lichens, as well as the broader 0602 (Other live plants (including their roots), cuttings and slips; mushroom spawn) industry. The live plants and cuttings produced under this code are essential inputs for the production of a wide range of ornamental and agricultural products, contributing to the overall growth and development of the global horticulture and floriculture sectors.