Sourcing dried angelica root from China

Dried angelica root duty and controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 1211 covers plants and plant parts used primarily in pharmacy, perfumery or similar purposes, including dried, cut and powdered material. The relevant residual line, 1211 90 86 90, carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table shows different forms using this same provisional code.

The line attaches CITES, Home Office controlled-drug and organic import controls, plus CITES and controlled-drug export controls. Controlled drugs or precursor chemicals require an import or export licence. CITES documentation depends on the species. For organic goods, the certificate of inspection is issued by the exporter’s control body in the country of export; arrange the paperwork with that body.

These tariff flags do not establish which documents your angelica consignment needs. Ask your customs broker to confirm the requirements for the exact species, processing, Chinese origin and destination, including organic certification where claimed. Confirm the commodity code before ordering. For the wider heading, see dried astragalus root.

Specify the species, root form and intended use

For Chinese angelica, specify Angelica sinensis and the root as the plant part. Agree whole roots, slices, cut pieces or powder, and whether the lot contains the whole root or selected portions. Set acceptance criteria for moisture, foreign matter, slice consistency and broken material against an approved sample.

Record washing, drying, sulphur fumigation and any further treatment in the purchase specification. Request batch-linked identity and contaminant reports. Powder makes visual identification harder, so agree the identity method before production and retain a reference sample.

Decide whether the product is intended for food, supplements or medicinal use before approving labels. Confirm food eligibility and any novel-food authorisation requirements with the relevant food safety authority; do not assume a history of medicinal use establishes food eligibility. Confirm with the MHRA whether the proposed medicinal claims require herbal registration or marketing authorisation. Agree the evidence needed through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 kg of dried angelica root; illustrative order only under 1211 90 86 90, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £30,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £30,900, so it is £6,180. 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

Identity: compare representative roots or slices with the approved sample and botanical identity report; investigate mixed root types or unexplained changes in appearance.

Condition: check for dampness, mould, insects, soil and foreign matter; measure moisture against the agreed specification and inspect bag liners and seals.

Treatment and testing: reconcile the treatment declaration with batch results for sulphite, pesticides, heavy metals and aflatoxins; investigate unusually pale material or a sulphurous smell.

Batch records: match bag labels, packing lists, retained samples and laboratory reports to the supplied lot; check the agreed root form and packing condition on arrival.

What goes wrong

A common name alone leaves room for substitution. Selected root portions, inconsistent slicing or excessive fines can also change the material delivered against the sample. Powder can conceal these differences. Specify botanical identity and root composition, and draw inspection samples from the actual shipment.

Damp packaging can leave roots mouldy, while undeclared sulphur treatment can undermine the agreed specification. A report for a previous lot does not describe the delivered batch. Hold discrepant goods for investigation, and settle food eligibility, medicinal positioning and tariff-control paperwork before dispatch.

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.