How to export Animal feed from the UK to China

Animal feed and premixes: establish the product and route

Feed follows the agricultural ministry's import registration regime; GACC Decree 280 covers overseas food establishments and does not apply to feed. For pet food, see exporting dog and cat food from the UK to China.

The largest listed UK export line was 23099096 at £1.4m in 2025. That is the total for the commodity line, rather than premixes alone.

The following figures are UK exports under HS 2301-2309 (22 subheadings). HMRC recorded £2.8m of UK goods exports to mainland China under 22 HS6 subheadings in 2025 (2024: £1.9m, +45.4%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £2.7m. January to July 2026: £2.4m against £1.8m in the same months of 2025 (+35.1%).

The manufacturer owns the registration application

The published 2014 measures require an overseas business exporting feed or feed additives to China for the first time to obtain an import registration certificate through a domestic agent. Without it, the feed may not be sold or used in China. The certificate is valid for five years. The manufacturer's application remains its own: preparation and approval take months, not weeks, and the Chinese authority decides.

Your manufacturer must take responsibility for its application and work with the domestic agent on the current submission requirements. The agricultural ministry notes later amendments to the published measures, so have the agent confirm those requirements before assembling the submission or setting shipment commitments.

Use the Chinese tariff line to price the shipment

The table gives Chinese MFN tariff rates. Feed is named in the VAT Law's 9% list; confirm your product's treatment before quoting. Import VAT uses the customs value plus customs duty plus consumption tax as its base. The importer's customs broker or adviser confirms whether consumption tax applies to this product. Border taxes add to landed cost and shape the price an importer can offer.

The 2026 provisional rate is 0% for 23050000, 23061000, 23062000, 23063000, 23064100, 23064900, 23065000, 23066000, 23069000 and 23080000. For 23099090 it is 4%, against the 6.5% MFN rate. These differences make precise classification material to a feed quotation.

Prepare the UK feed export declaration

Classify the feed under the correct UK commodity code. Exports from England, Scotland or Wales need a GB EORI and an online export declaration. Give the declarant the code, value, weight, packaging, destination, transport details and invoice and packing list references. Give the carrier the invoice and any required export licences or certificates; agree the shipment's document requirements with the importer before dispatch.

Bonded retail covers only specified feed lines

The cross-border retail import list includes 23024000 for other cereal bran and residues, 23065000 for coconut or copra oilcake and residues, 23099010 for prepared feed additives and 23099090 for other prepared animal feed. The last two entries carry the remark “仅限网购保税商品”, restricting them to online bonded goods. A listing for these lines does not cover the whole feed range.

Qualifying retail imports are supervised as personal-use articles, with first-import licensing, registration and filing requirements disapplied, subject to epidemic-area suspensions and emergency risk handling. The overseas seller remains responsible for quality and safety and must appoint a mainland-registered company for customs registration, truthful declarations and shared civil liability. Consumers must accept the risk notice, including possible standards and label differences; the goods are for personal use and may not be resold.

Check a Chinese importer before committing stock

Use the proposed feed line, registration route and landed-cost calculation to assess an importer's plan. Our own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands. If an importer has already approached you, our staff check that company before stock is sent or anything is signed.

For feed, our help is limited to preparation, finding and checking a Chinese importer, and coordinating licensed partners. We prepare registration and label work with licensed partners in China. The importer of record and any required cross-border e-commerce agent remain with licensed partners; the manufacturer's own filings remain its own. Discuss the product and proposed route through our export service.