Dried beans and pulses from China

Zero duty and zero-rated VAT

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, dried leguminous vegetables, shelled, whether or not skinned or split, of heading 0713, including peas, chickpeas, mung and urd beans, adzuki beans, kidney beans, bambara beans, cow peas, lentils, broad beans and pigeon peas, carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure or suspension needed. Dried pulses are food and zero-rated for VAT under VAT Notice 701/14.

Pulses for sowing have their own lines and fall under seed and plant health rules, and canned or cooked beans are preparations of chapter 20. Confirm the commodity code from the species and whether the lot is for sowing. For the reverse trade route, see exporting UK dried peas to China. For frozen beans, see our guide to sourcing frozen edamame.

Sprouting seed rules, contaminants and labels

Mung beans and other seeds intended for producing sprouts must be accompanied by the official certificate set out in Article 27 of retained Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/628, which replaced Regulation (EU) No 211/2013, and retained Regulation (EU) No 208/2013 adds traceability rules for each lot, because sprouts have caused serious outbreaks. Tell the supplier at the outset whether the beans are for cooking or sprouting, as the paperwork and testing differ.

Maximum levels for contaminants such as lead in pulses are set by retained Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, and pesticide maximum residue levels by retained Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. Retail packs of dried red kidney beans usually carry soaking and boiling instructions because the raw beans contain a natural toxin that proper cooking destroys.

Worked duty example

A hypothetical order, not a quote: 20 tonnes of mung beans for cooking under 0713 31 00 00, bought for £24,000 free on board with £2,500 of freight and insurance, so the customs value is £26,500. Duty is 0%, and dried pulses are food and zero-rated for VAT, so no import VAT is due and the landed cost before clearance fees is £26,500. If the same beans were sold for sprouting, each consignment would also need the official certificate required by Regulation (EU) 2019/628. See UK import duty and VAT for the method. 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.

What goes wrong

Pulse lots fail on moisture, grading and pests. Beans shipped above the agreed moisture go mouldy in the container; the lot has more splits, shrivelled or discoloured beans than the grade allows; stones, soil and other seeds remain after cleaning; bruchid weevils hatch on the voyage; and sizes vary so cooking times are uneven.

Measure moisture on samples from several bags, grade a counted sample for splits, damaged and discoloured beans, foreign matter and other seeds against the contract grade, check for live insects and exit holes, test for pesticide residues and, for sprouting seed, Salmonella and E. coli as the certificate requires, and check that bags are clean, food-grade and sewn tight.

Cambridge China Bridge sources mung beans, adzuki beans, kidney beans and other pulses for food manufacturers, wholesalers and sprout growers, with grade, moisture and testing agreed before shipment. See our container programmes.