Sourcing curry powder from China

Curry powder duty and organic controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 0910 covers ginger, saffron, turmeric, thyme, bay leaves, curry and other spices. Curry powder under 0910 91 05 00 carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff data records no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table includes the curry line and related ingredients bought separately.

The tariff attaches an import control for organic products. Organic curry powder from China needs an inspection certificate to be released as organic. The certificate is issued by the exporter’s control body in the country of export. Your company must be based and certified in the UK to import organic products. Confirm the exporter’s eligibility and certificate arrangements with your organic control body before shipping.

Give your broker the complete recipe, including any salt, starch or other additions, and confirm the commodity code. For related blends within the wider heading, see Chinese five-spice powder. Confirm the exact product's VAT treatment with HMRC or your customs broker, using the import duty and VAT guide to help plan the calculation.

Specify the curry blend and retail label

Agree the ingredient names and proportions, chilli heat, turmeric colour, aroma and grind. Approve a retained blend sample and compare it in your intended dish. State whether salt, starch, colours or flavourings are allowed, and require approval before ingredient substitutions. Specify moisture, microbiological acceptance criteria and sealed, lined packaging.

Confirm food business registration and traceability requirements with the relevant food authority. Before printing retail packs, ask that authority to confirm requirements for the food name, net weight, best-before date, storage information, UK address, English particulars and ingredient list, including emphasis of allergens such as mustard or celery where present. Match the artwork to the actual recipe before printing.

Agree batch testing for pesticide residues against GB limits and applicable aflatoxin limits, alongside microbiology, heavy metals and adulterants. Ask for an accredited laboratory report tied to the production lot. Settle the sampling and testing plan through testing and certification before ordering.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5 tonnes of curry powder for a small spice-packing business under 0910 91 05 00, invoiced at £15,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £16,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £16,500, so it is £3,300. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. 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

Blend: compare colour, aroma, heat and particle size with the approved sample; look for uneven mixing, foreign matter and hard lumps.

Batch evidence: match lot numbers to laboratory reports and packing records; check that reports cover the finished blend and agreed tests.

Labels: compare ingredients and emphasised allergens with the approved recipe; check English particulars, date marking and the UK address.

Packing: inspect liners, seals, moisture damage and insect activity; check bag weights against the packing list and retain a sample. Use the inspection guide to agree checks on arrival.

What goes wrong

A blend can match the sample’s colour while differing in heat or aroma. Ingredient substitutions can also leave the printed allergen declaration wrong. Require recipe approval and compare samples from the production batch, rather than relying on the supplier’s demonstration sample.

Damp powder cakes, loses its free-flowing texture and can develop mould. Ground spices can also contain adulterants that appearance does not reveal. Check laboratory evidence before shipment and inspect seals and moisture damage on arrival. A generic report for turmeric does not show that the finished curry blend passed the agreed tests.

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.