Sourcing broiler chicken feed from China
The selected broiler feed lines carry £19 to £85 per 1,000 kg, or 8%, depending on composition. Ask the competent authority to confirm feed-business registration and additive authorisation requirements in Great Britain. Confirm the import route before ordering feed with animal ingredients. Cambridge China Bridge sources broiler chicken feed.
Duty follows the broiler feed recipe
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 2309 covers preparations used in animal feeding. The selected broiler feed categories carry £19, £46 or £85 per 1,000 kg, or 8% for the residual pea-protein category. These are classification options, not interchangeable codes for starter, grower and finisher feed. The supplied lines list no anti-dumping or countervailing duty.
The recorded suspensions cover specified soya protein concentrates under 2309 90 31 99 and a specified astaxanthin preparation under 2309 90 41 89. Their exclusions prevent extending relief to mixtures containing those products. The selected lines carry veterinary, organic and waste import controls; the starch-based lines also carry seal-product controls. Waste export controls are recorded too.
For Chinese feed, ask your customs broker to confirm the veterinary requirements and admissibility of any animal ingredients, organic inspection documents, seal-product requirements and waste status before shipment. Ask the relevant authority to confirm whether waste controls apply and what establishment and certification requirements apply to an organic importer. Confirm the commodity code using the complete recipe and analysis. See the wider poultry feed and premixes guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other feed preparations: starch up to 10%, milk products below 10% | 2309 90 31 99 | £19.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Other feed preparations: starch over 10% up to 30%, milk products below 10% | 2309 90 41 89 | £46.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Other feed preparations: starch over 30%, milk products below 10% | 2309 90 51 90 | £85.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| High-protein pea feed preparations in the residual category | 2309 90 96 95 | 8% | None |
Specify the feeding stage and complete recipe
State whether the product is starter, grower or finisher feed, and whether it is a complete ration or a supplement requiring blending. Specify mash, crumble or pellet form. Agree protein, amino acids, energy basis, fat, fibre, ash, moisture, calcium and phosphorus with your poultry nutritionist. Record pellet size, durability and acceptable fines without relying on a sample's appearance.
Request every ingredient and additive, including carriers, animal-derived materials and any coccidiostat. Ask the competent authority to confirm feed-business registration and feed-additive authorisation requirements in Great Britain. Ask the competent authority whether the formulation requires a Great Britain representative. The operator responsible for labelling is responsible for ensuring compliance with Great Britain feed requirements.
Agree the batch analysis, contaminant testing, shelf life, bag construction and storage conditions before approving production. Cereal-based feed needs attention to aflatoxin contamination and applicable feed limits. Use testing and certification support to agree representative sampling and the laboratory brief.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 12 tonnes of qualifying high-protein pea preparation for blending into broiler feed under 2309 90 96 95, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £33,500. Duty at 8% is £2,680. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £36,180, so it is £7,236. Import taxes total £9,916; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,680 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
Recipe and stage: match the shipment to the approved starter, grower or finisher formula; investigate ingredient substitutions and supplements supplied as complete feed.
Physical condition: inspect pellets or crumbles for fines, uneven size and segregation; check arriving bags for dampness, mould, insects, caking and rancid odour.
Analysis: independently sample the lot and compare protein, fat, moisture, fibre and ash with the agreed specification; review contaminant results before releasing feed for use.
Packs and records: match batch references, feed declarations and storage instructions to analysis reports and delivery documents; check seals, bag damage and net weight.
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What goes wrong
A factory can keep the same product name while changing cereal, protein source or additive carrier. The shipment may then differ in nutrition, starch content and classification. Fix the recipe in writing and require approval for substitutions. Compare independently collected loading and arrival samples through the quality inspection guide.
Excess fines can separate from pellets, while moisture and damaged bags can leave feed caked or mouldy. Animal ingredients can also introduce unresolved import approval questions. Some animal products must come from approved establishments. Confirm the Chinese formulation's import route before ordering rather than treating a tariff entry or factory test report as permission to import.
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 broiler feed from China?
The selected lines carry £19, £46 or £85 per 1,000 kg, or 8%, depending on composition. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty for these lines.
Can broiler feed containing animal ingredients come from China?
Confirm the exact ingredients and import route with your customs broker before ordering. Some animal products require an approved establishment; the tariff's veterinary control does not establish admissibility.
Do I need feed business registration to import broiler feed?
Ask the competent authority to confirm the feed-business registration requirements for your importing activity. Also ask whether the Chinese manufacturer's formulation requires a Great Britain representative.
What should I check when broiler feed arrives?
Check batch identity, pellet or crumble condition, fines, moisture damage, mould, odour and bag integrity. Compare representative samples and batch analysis with the agreed recipe and feeding stage.