Sourcing apples, pears and quinces from China
Fresh apples, pears and quinces from China carry UK duty of 6% to 10%, depending on the commodity line. Fresh produce must meet applicable quality and labelling requirements; confirm the consignment’s import certificates before shipment. Cambridge China Bridge sources apples, pears and quinces.
Duty by fruit and use
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 October 2026, heading 0808 covers fresh apples, pears and quinces. Fuji and other eating apples carry 8% duty, Nashi, Ya and other eating pears 10%, and quinces 6%. The specified seasonal bulk cider-apple and perry-pear lines carry 6%; other cider apples carry 8%. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duties and no suspensions.
The tariff attaches organic import controls throughout, and conformity-certificate controls to Fuji apples, other eating apples and the residual other-pear line. It also flags unit price for the non-seasonal apple and pear lines. Ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable conformity documents and unit-price treatment for your consignment. For organic claims, confirm the inspection-certificate requirements for each consignment with your broker and organic control body; the exporter’s control body issues that certificate.
Confirm the variety, fresh condition, intended use and any seasonal bulk conditions before choosing the commodity code. The practical import discussion here concerns direct shipments to Great Britain. Ask your broker to check the plant-health category, phytosanitary documentation and notification arrangements for the exact fruit and Chinese origin before booking transport.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh Fuji apples | 0808 10 80 20 | 8% | None |
| Other fresh eating apples | 0808 10 80 90 | 8% | None |
| Fresh Nashi and Ya pears | 0808 30 90 10 | 10% | None |
| Other fresh pears | 0808 30 90 90 | 10% | None |
| Fresh quinces | 0808 40 00 00 | 6% | None |
Specify variety, maturity and packing
Write the variety and botanical identity into the purchase specification, especially for Nashi and Ya pears. Agree fruit size, size uniformity, skin colour, firmness, sweetness, maturity and acceptable bruising, russeting and surface marks. For quinces, state whether the buyer wants processing fruit or fruit for retail display.
Agree orchard and packhouse identification, harvest and packing records, carton net weight, trays or protective sleeves, ventilation and pallet arrangement. Set a variety-specific cooling and transport specification with the packhouse. Request batch-linked pesticide test results and agree the sampling plan before packing.
Fresh produce must meet applicable quality and labelling requirements. Have the packhouse submit the proposed carton and retail labels for review alongside the fruit specification.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 10 tonnes of fresh Fuji apples, illustrative only under 0808 10 80 20, invoiced at £20,000 free on board, with £3,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £23,800. Duty at 8% is £1,904. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £25,704, so it is £5,140.80. Import taxes total £7,044.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,904 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step. This assumes the goods are standard-rated for VAT. Most food for human consumption is zero-rated, and animal feed can be too, in which case no import VAT is due, so check the rate for your product in HMRC's VAT Notice 701/14.
Inspection checklist
Identity and grading: compare the variety, size distribution, colour and carton contents with the approved specification; inspect cartons from different pallet positions.
Internal condition: cut sample fruit to check browning, breakdown and hidden decay; assess firmness, bruising, punctures and shrivelling on arrival.
Cold chain and packaging: review temperature records, measure arrival pulp temperature against the agreed specification, and check wet cartons, crushed trays and blocked ventilation.
Documents: match batch marks to packing records and test reports; check agreed import documents and organic inspection certificates where relevant.
What goes wrong
A good-looking outer layer can hide smaller or bruised fruit beneath it. Pears may arrive too mature for the buyer’s sales programme, while apples can look sound outside but show internal browning when cut. Weak cartons and poorly supported fruit increase pressure damage.
Agree how defects will be recorded and claims assessed before shipment. Photograph opened cartons and cut samples at arrival, retain batch identification, and compare findings with loading records. Use a written inspection plan so the packhouse and receiving team check the same characteristics.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on apples and pears from China?
Eating apples carry 8%, eating pears 10% and quinces 6%. Specified seasonal bulk cider apples and perry pears carry 6%; other cider apples carry 8%. No trade remedies or suspensions are listed.
Can I import organic apples from China?
Confirm the inspection-certificate requirements for each organic consignment with your broker and organic control body. The exporter’s control body issues it. Confirm the import arrangements with your broker before shipment.
Do Chinese apples need import certificates?
The supplied tariff attaches conformity-certificate controls to Fuji and other eating apples. Ask your broker to confirm those documents and the separate plant-health requirements before dispatch.
What should I check when fresh pears arrive?
Check variety, size, firmness, bruising and decay. Cut samples for internal breakdown, review temperature records and compare carton weights and batch marks with the packing records.