Sourcing bananas and plantains from China
UK duty on goods from China is 16% for plantains and dried bananas, or £95.00 per 1000 kg for fresh bananas. Green bananas entering Great Britain need an inspection certificate; confirm any exemption with the relevant inspection authority. Confirm organic consignment paperwork with your organic control body or customs broker. Cambridge China Bridge sources bananas and plantains.
Duty depends on the fruit and its condition
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 October 2026, heading 0803 covers bananas, including plantains, fresh or dried. Fresh and dried plantains and dried bananas from China carry 16% duty. Fresh bananas carry £95.00 per 1000 kg. The supplied tariff records show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions.
The tariff attaches a UK fruit and vegetable conformity certificate control to fresh banana lines and organic import controls throughout the heading. For green bananas from China entering Great Britain, obtain an inspection certificate and confirm any trader exemption with the relevant inspection authority. The organic certificate of inspection is issued by the exporter’s control body; confirm whether one is required for each dried-fruit consignment with your customs broker and organic control body. Confirm organic paperwork for fresh fruit with them as well.
Confirm the commodity code against the species, fresh or dried condition and processing description. Describe plain dried slices separately from fried, coated or otherwise prepared products. For dutiable fresh bananas, an authorised weigher produces weight certificates that determine the duty payable. Agree the weighing arrangements with your broker before shipment.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh plantains | 0803 10 10 00 | 16% | None |
| Dried plantains | 0803 10 90 00 | 16% | None |
| Fresh bananas, other than Plátano de Canarias | 0803 90 19 00 | £95.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Dried bananas | 0803 90 90 00 | 16% | None |
Specify ripeness, drying and packing
Specify dessert banana or cooking plantain, variety, growing origin and packing site. For fresh fruit, agree maturity at loading, arrival ripeness, skin colour, finger size, acceptable bruising and crown condition. Agree transport conditions and how temperature records will be supplied.
For dried fruit, specify slices or whole pieces, texture, moisture, colour, broken pieces, added ingredients and packaging. Ask explicitly about frying, sweetening and sulphur dioxide treatment. Confirm the applicable pesticide residue and contaminant limits with the relevant food safety authority. Agree lot testing before shipment and check the supplier’s actual drying and packing process.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5 tonnes of plain dried banana slices under 0803 90 90 00, invoiced at £20,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £21,800. Duty at 16% is £3,488. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £25,288, so it is £5,057.60. Import taxes total £8,545.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £3,488 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: compare fruit type, origin, processing description and carton markings with the approved specification.
Fresh condition: check ripeness, bruising, split skins, crown rot, crushed cartons and transport temperature records on arrival.
Dried condition: check moisture, stickiness, mould, insects, foreign matter, broken slices and seals against the approved sample.
Records: match lot references to test reports and shipping documents. Check inspection paperwork where applicable and confirm that packaging is suitable for food contact; food packaging materials are controlled by UK law.
What goes wrong
Fresh fruit can arrive too ripe, bruised or with crown decay when maturity and handling were agreed only by photograph. Dried slices can absorb moisture, stick together or develop mould in damaged packs. Inspect representative cartons and compare the delivered lot with the agreed sample, using the inspection guide.
Do not assume that a supplier’s organic certificate settles the consignment paperwork; confirm the requirements with your organic control body or customs broker before loading. For dried fruit, undeclared sulphites and pesticide residues are additional failure points; arrange testing and certification around the actual recipe and lot.
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 bananas from China?
Fresh bananas carry £95.00 per 1000 kg. Dried bananas and fresh or dried plantains carry 16%. The supplied tariff records show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions.
Do green bananas from China need an inspection certificate?
For green bananas entering Great Britain, an inspection certificate is required. Confirm any applicable trader exemption and the arrangements with the relevant inspection authority before shipment.
Can I import organic dried bananas from China?
Confirm whether your organic dried-fruit consignment needs a certificate of inspection with your organic control body or customs broker. The exporter’s control body issues that certificate. Confirm the exporter and consignment paperwork with your organic control body before loading.
What should I check when dried banana slices arrive?
Check moisture, mould, insects, seals, broken pieces and texture against the specification. Match lot references to residue reports and confirm that declared ingredients match the order.