Sourcing dehydrated carrot flakes from China

Carrot flakes: 12% duty, suspended to 0%

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, plain dried carrots under 0712 90 50 00 carried 12% standard duty with an autonomous tariff suspension of 0.00 %. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension footnotes for this carrot line. Heading 0712 covers dried vegetables, including cut or broken pieces, but not further prepared products.

The tariff attaches an organic import control. For organic carrot flakes from China entering Great Britain, obtain a certificate of inspection for each consignment and check the exporter’s control body and country against the non-UK organic registers. Ask your customs broker to confirm the suspension claim and organic documents before shipment.

Seasoned, oiled or fried vegetables leave this heading. Confirm the commodity code using the ingredients and processing details. All table entries are buying formats within the same carrot line. For wider heading context, see dehydrated onion flakes.

Specify carrot cut, moisture and rehydration

Specify plain carrot flakes, the drying process, cut dimensions, thickness, acceptable fines, colour and moisture limit. Declare any additives and agree a rehydration test using your intended soup, sauce or meal process. Keep an approved sample so inspection compares the shipment with the product you accepted.

Imported dried vegetables must meet the same hygiene standards and safety procedures as food produced in Great Britain. Agree batch testing for pesticide residues, sulphites and microbiology, with the shipped lot codes linked to the reports. Specify sealed inner liners, storage instructions and the remaining shelf life you need on arrival.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative only: 5 tonnes of plain dehydrated carrot flakes; FOB and freight figures are hypothetical whole-pound values. under 0712 90 50 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £20,500. Duty at 12% is £2,460. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £22,960, so it is £4,592. Import taxes total £7,052; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,460 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

Cut and cooking: compare flake dimensions, thickness, fines, colour and rehydrated texture with the approved sample and agreed cooking method.

Moisture and condition: test moisture against the contract limit; check sampled packs for clumping, mould, musty odours and discolouration.

Foreign matter: inspect for grit, stones, stalks, insect fragments and packaging debris; review the factory’s sorting and metal detection records.

Packs and records: check liner seals, net weights and lot markings on arrival; match each lot to its test report and, for organic goods, the consignment’s certificate of inspection.

What goes wrong

Excess fines change dosing and make the finished dish cloudy. Uneven thickness gives uneven rehydration, while damp flakes clump or develop mould. A satisfactory dry appearance does not establish residue or microbiological safety. Compare cooking performance as well as appearance, and keep test reports tied to the shipped batches.

A supplier may substitute a different cut or add ingredients after sample approval. Record the agreed formulation and packing specification, then check the finished lot before dispatch. Do not assume an organic claim on a carton replaces import documentation.

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.