Sourcing candied mango from China

Mango duty depends on sugar content

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 2006 covers plant products preserved by sugar, drained, glacé or crystallised. Mango falls within tropical fruit: sugar exceeding 13% by weight carries 12% plus £12 per 100 kg under 2006 00 35 00; sugar at 13% or less carries 12% under 2006 00 91 00. The table separates slices and dice using the same tariff lines.

The supplied tariff facts show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension on these lines. They attach an organic-products import control. Organic mango from China needs a Great Britain certificate of inspection for each consignment, issued by the exporter’s control body. Check the exporter’s control body and country of export against the non-UK organic registers before ordering.

Ask for the preservation process and tested sugar content before confirming the commodity code. Sugar-infused dried mango or mango in syrup may fall outside this heading. For related products within the wider heading, see our candied papaya guide.

Specify the mango flesh, cut and sugar coating

Specify mango variety, ripeness, peeled flesh, slices or dice, piece dimensions and tolerance, fibre level and acceptable broken pieces. Agree whether the finish is drained, glacé or crystallised. Keep an approved sample for colour, mango flavour, chew and surface stickiness.

Set written acceptance criteria for total sugar, moisture, water activity, sulphite residue, colours, preservatives, yeasts and moulds. Require the full formulation and batch test records. Confirm additive permissions for the food category with the relevant food authority. Imported processed fruit must meet the same hygiene standards and safety procedures as food produced in Great Britain.

Agree inner-bag seals, carton protection, storage conditions and shelf-life evidence. For retail packs, check the food name, ingredients, allergens, net quantity, date mark and UK business name and address. Mango named in the food name requires an ingredient quantity declaration. Most pre-packed foods also require nutrition labelling.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5 tonnes of sugar-preserved mango dice, conditional on tested sugar content of 13% or less and confirmed classification; FOB and freight values are illustrative. under 2006 00 91 00, invoiced at £15,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £16,200. Duty at 12% is £1,944. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,144, so it is £3,628.80. Import taxes total £5,572.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,944 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

Flesh: compare cut size, fibrous strands, peel or stone fragments, broken pieces, colour and chew with the approved sample.

Laboratory: match batch results for total sugar, sulphites, moisture, water activity, yeasts and moulds to the agreed specification.

Labels: match ingredients and additives to the formulation; confirm sulphite allergen-labelling requirements with the relevant food authority. Check any required colour warning before printing.

Arrival: check seals, leaking syrup, clumping, condensation, mould, fermented odour and damaged cartons. Record batch identities and findings using the inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A soft sample can become a tough, fibrous production batch. Uneven sugar coating leaves pieces stuck together, while excess moisture encourages fermentation or mould during storage. Ask the factory to identify the cause and provide matching batch test results before accepting a replacement.

An undeclared preservative or colour can leave the label inconsistent with the product. Sugar crossing 13% changes the tariff line and adds a weight-based duty. Confirm the actual formulation, sugar result and preservation method rather than classifying from the supplier’s product name.

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.