Sourcing dried guava from China

Dried guava duty and organic controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, guavas under 0804 50 00 30 carried 0% duty for goods from China. Heading 0804 covers the named fruits fresh or dried. The guava line lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table's buying formats share the same guava commodity line.

The tariff attaches import control of organic products. Organic dried guava consignments from China need an inspection certificate for import into Great Britain. The exporter’s control body issues the certificate in the country of export. Check the recognised organic registers for the country and control body before ordering; a supplier's organic claim alone is insufficient.

Confirm the recipe and processing with your broker before selecting the commodity code. Sugared or candied fruit belongs in chapter 20, so do not apply the plain dried-guava rate automatically. See the dried mango guide for the wider heading.

Specify flesh, seeds and drying method

Specify the guava variety, flesh colour, ripeness, peeled or unpeeled format, and whether the seed core is removed. Agree slice thickness, piece size, acceptable broken pieces and texture against an approved sample. Distinguish chewy dried fruit from crisp freeze-dried pieces, and obtain the complete recipe, including added sugar and preservatives.

Set contractual moisture and water activity targets, pack material, seal quality and storage conditions. Confirm applicable pesticide residue and contaminant limits with the relevant food authority, including how drying concentration should be considered for pesticide residues. Arrange batch-specific pesticide and sulphur dioxide testing through testing and certification, and match the sampled product to the shipment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative only: 5 tonnes of plain dried guava slices under 0804 50 00 30, 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

Fruit identity: compare flesh colour, aroma, skin, seed-core removal and cut size with the approved guava sample.

Texture and condition: measure moisture against the contract; check for excessive hardness, sticky clumps, mould, insects and foreign matter.

Batch tests: match laboratory reports to the production lot and review pesticide residues and sulphur dioxide results before release.

Packs and labels: check seals, net weight, batch identification and ingredient wording. Confirm sulphur dioxide allergen-labelling requirements with the relevant food authority. Use the inspection guide to agree the sampling brief.

What goes wrong

Guava pieces can look acceptable while containing a hard seed core or having a leathery texture. Uneven cuts dry unevenly, leaving damp pieces among brittle ones. Moisture ingress through weak seals can cause clumping or mould. Inspect opened packs from across the lot, and compare taste and texture with the approved sample.

Undeclared sulphites, pesticide residue failures and missing organic inspection certificates are established dried-fruit problems. Obtain the recipe and batch reports before shipment, verify organic documents where applicable, and separate suspect arrival stock while investigating discrepancies.

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.