Sourcing desiccated coconut from China

Duty on unsweetened desiccated coconut

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, unsweetened desiccated coconut under 0801 11 00 00 carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The purchasing grades in the table share this commodity line.

The tariff attaches import control of organic products. Confirm inspection-certificate requirements for organic consignments with your customs broker and organic control body; 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. Ask your customs broker and organic control body to confirm the consignment documents before shipment.

Heading 0801 covers fresh or dried coconuts, Brazil nuts and cashew nuts, whether shelled or peeled. This guide focuses on unsweetened desiccated coconut. See the wider heading guide, and confirm the commodity code against the actual ingredients and processing.

Specify the coconut for your recipe

Specify fine, medium or coarse particles against an approved sample and an agreed sieve method. Record fat content, moisture, colour, flavour, allowable shell fragments and pack weight. State that no sugar is added and ask the processor to disclose additives and processing aids. Trial the sample in your recipe to check texture and water absorption.

Ask for the raw coconut’s origin, the processing site, drying and heat-treatment records, and batch-specific laboratory results. Agree microbiological testing, including Salmonella, with your laboratory for the intended use. Food intended for human consumption must meet general food safety requirements. For pre-packed products, a business name and address must appear on the packaging or food label.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 5 tonnes of unsweetened desiccated coconut for a bakery wholesaler, illustrative only under 0801 11 00 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 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,800, so it is £4,360. 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

Grade: compare drawn samples with the approved coconut, check particle distribution, brown skin specks and shell fragments.

Condition: measure moisture against the contract, assess odour for rancidity, and inspect for mould, insects and clumping.

Batch evidence: match laboratory reports and supplier records to the lot being shipped; check the agreed microbiological and chemical results.

Packing: inspect liner seals, bag damage and net weight; match batch markings to documents and check organic inspection paperwork where applicable.

What goes wrong

An approved sample can hide a bulk shipment with more fines, skin fragments or a different fat content. Damp liners and damaged bags can leave coconut clumped or mouldy, while poor storage can produce a rancid smell. Inspect samples drawn from the shipment and retain them for comparison on arrival.

A generic laboratory report does not establish the condition of the shipped batch, and an organic supplier certificate does not replace consignment inspection paperwork. Agree how to hold and investigate suspect stock before using it in production. Use the quality inspection guide to set the inspection scope.

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.