Sourcing Apricot Kernel Oil from China
Apricot kernel oil from China carries UK duty of 2% to 8%, depending on processing and use. Agree whether you are buying a food ingredient, a cosmetic ingredient or a finished cosmetic. Before consumer sale, a finished cosmetic needs its safety checked by a qualified assessor. Cambridge China Bridge sources apricot kernel oil.
Apricot kernel oil: 2% to 8% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 1515 covers fixed vegetable or microbial oils and their fractions, whether refined or not, but not chemically modified. For liquid apricot kernel oil from China, the relevant other-oil lines carry 6% for crude oil and 8% for other oil. Technical or industrial uses other than food manufacture have separate lines at 2% for crude oil and 4% for other oil. The supplied data shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty on these lines.
The UK Trade Tariff attaches CITES and waste import and export controls to these lines, and organic import controls to the other-use lines. Confirm their relevance with your customs broker before shipping. Listed CITES species require permits. If oil from China is waste subject to notification controls and is entering England, shipment can start only after consent from the Environment Agency and the other competent authorities involved. Do not treat an oil description alone as proof of its waste status.
The 0.00 % suspension on 1515 90 99 99 is confined to refined or semi-refined vegetable oil containing 35% to 57% arachidonic acid or 35% to 50% docosahexaenoic acid by weight; mixtures and preparations are excluded. Do not budget for it without matching evidence. Confirm the commodity code using processing, composition and intended use. For the wider heading, see our camellia seed oil guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crude apricot kernel oil for technical or industrial use other than food manufacture | 1515 90 40 00 | 2% | None |
| Crude liquid apricot kernel oil, other uses | 1515 90 59 00 | 6% | None |
| Other apricot kernel oil for technical or industrial use other than food manufacture | 1515 90 60 00 | 4% | None |
| Other liquid apricot kernel oil, including refined oil, other uses | 1515 90 99 99 | 8% | None |
Specify kernel identity, processing and intended use
Specify oil extracted from apricot kernels, with the botanical identity and kernel source recorded. Distinguish it from almond oil and from blends. Agree extraction method, whether it is crude or refined, deodorisation, added antioxidants, colour, odour and packing. Set acceptance criteria for fatty acid profile, acid value, peroxide value, moisture and insoluble impurities, with batch analysis and retained samples.
For food use, ask for contaminant and pesticide testing suited to the source and process, including an assessment of cyanide risk from kernel material. Cooking oils do not normally need a health certificate for import. Food-contact packaging is controlled by retained UK legislation. For oil sold as a finished cosmetic in Great Britain, a qualified safety assessor must check its safety before consumer sale.
Organic food imports from China into Great Britain need a certificate of inspection for each consignment, including samples not intended for sale. Check the exporter’s control body and export country against the non-UK organic registers. The importer must be UK-based and certified by an approved UK control body. Confirm the paperwork before accepting an organic claim.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5 tonnes of refined apricot kernel oil for food manufacture under 1515 90 99 99, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,500. Duty at 8% is £1,560. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,060, so it is £4,212. Import taxes total £5,772; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,560 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: match the batch certificate, source records and laboratory fatty acid profile to the approved apricot kernel oil specification.
Freshness: check odour and colour against the retained sample, and test acid and peroxide values rather than accepting appearance alone.
Packing: check drum cleanliness, closures, seals, leaks and net contents; match drum batch marks to the delivery documents.
Documents: check intended use, processing description and any organic paperwork against the shipment. Agree independent sampling through our testing and certification service.
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What goes wrong
Substitution with almond oil or cheaper vegetable oils can escape a visual check. Refining can also change the colour and odour expected from a cold-pressed sample. Oxidation, sediment, leaking closures and inconsistent batch analysis can leave delivered oil unsuitable for the buyer’s formulation. Compare production samples with the agreed specification before loading and retain arrival samples.
A supplier’s cosmetic-grade description does not establish suitability for food, and a batch analysis does not replace the safety assessment for a finished cosmetic. Agree the intended market before ordering and investigate unexplained changes in identity or freshness. Our quality inspection guide explains how to turn acceptance criteria into inspection instructions.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on apricot kernel oil from China?
The relevant liquid-oil lines carry 6% for crude oil and 8% for other oil. Technical or industrial uses other than food manufacture have separate rates of 2% and 4%. Confirm processing and use before choosing the code.
Can I sell imported apricot kernel oil as a skincare oil?
If sold as a finished cosmetic in Great Britain, its safety must be checked by a qualified safety assessor before consumer sale. Agree whether your purchase is an ingredient or a finished product.
What paperwork does organic apricot kernel oil need?
Organic food from China entering Great Britain needs a certificate of inspection for each consignment. The importer must be UK-based and certified; check the exporter’s control body and export country against the organic registers.
How do I check apricot kernel oil has not been blended?
Agree a fatty acid profile specification and independent batch testing, supported by kernel-source records and retained samples. Colour and odour alone cannot establish authenticity.
Sources
- UK Trade Tariff — commodity codes and duty
- Importing cooking oils
- Making cosmetic products available to consumers in Great Britain
- Importing organic food, feed and seed to the UK
- Check if you need a CITES permit to import or export endangered species
- Waste: export and import
- HMRC — Food products (VAT Notice 701/14)