Sourcing dried fish roes from China

10% on the supplied roe lines

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 October 2026, the supplied roe-related lines within heading 0305 carry 10% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is recorded on these lines. The heading covers dried, salted, brined and smoked fish; its roe subdivision also includes livers and milt.

Every supplied roe line carries veterinary and organic import controls and a CITES export control; the caviar-substitute line also carries a CITES import control. The bigeye tuna line carries a restriction on entry into free circulation. Ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable health-entry document, CITES requirements and bigeye tuna statistical documentation before shipment.

The table includes salted, brined and smoked comparisons because the supplied data does not provide a general dried-roe line. These descriptions are not interchangeable. Confirm the commodity code using scientific species, drying, salting, smoking and intended use. For the wider heading, see dried, salted and smoked fish.

Specify species, roe form and drying

Specify scientific species, wild or farmed origin, intact roe sacs or separated eggs, membrane condition, salt treatment and drying method. Agree moisture, salt, firmness, colour, piece size and acceptable breakage against an approved sample. State whether the product will be sliced, grated or processed further, and agree ingredients, packaging and storage conditions.

For food imports into Great Britain, check approval for the exact product, exporting country and establishment before ordering. Confirm advance notification through IPAFFS and the appropriate border route with the port health authority. Medium-risk products require an Export Health Certificate. Agree the applicable certificate with the port health authority; drying alone should not be used to decide the documentation.

For organic food from China entering Great Britain, confirm with your organic control body whether a certificate of inspection is required for each consignment. The certificate is issued by the exporter's control body. For protected species, confirm CITES permits with APHA and your broker. Our factory verification service can help organise supplier checks.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative hypothetical order: 2 tonnes of dried bigeye tuna roes; not a quotation under 0305 20 00 79, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £17,500. Duty at 10% is £1,750. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £19,250, so it is £3,850. Import taxes total £5,600; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,750 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

Identity: match scientific species, roe form, processing description and batch markings to the purchase specification and shipping documents.

Drying and salt: compare laboratory moisture and salt results with the agreed specification; cut sample pieces to check uneven drying and texture.

Condition: check arrival samples for mould, insects, foreign matter, rancid odour, broken sacs and damaged or leaking seals.

Packs and labels: check net weight, ingredients and storage instructions against the agreed artwork. Confirm the applicable fish allergen information for retail labels with the relevant food authority; allergens must be highlighted. Use our inspection guide to organise checks.

What goes wrong

A supplier may describe salted roe as dried roe, or replace intact sacs with broken pieces. The substitution changes usable yield and may change classification. Keep an approved sample, record the processing steps and resolve differences between the invoice, certificates and carton descriptions before loading.

Uneven drying can leave a soft centre while the outside appears firm. Excess salt, brittle texture, moisture ingress and poor seals can make a batch unsuitable for slicing or grating. Agree acceptance criteria and storage conditions before production, then compare the shipment with the approved sample.

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.