Sourcing dried mangosteen from China

Dried mangosteen duty and organic controls

Heading 0804 covers dates, figs, pineapples, avocados, guavas, mangoes and mangosteens, fresh or dried. This guide concerns plain dried mangosteen flesh. The table includes neighbouring dried-fruit lines for comparison, rather than alternative mangosteen codes. See the dried mango guide for wider heading coverage.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, mangosteens under 0804 50 00 89 carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension for this line. Across the heading, ordinary rates range from 0% to 8%; those other rates do not apply to correctly classified plain dried mangosteen.

The tariff attaches an organic import control. For China-to-Great-Britain shipments of organic dried fruit, confirm with your customs broker or organic control body whether each consignment needs an inspection certificate and whether the Great Britain certificate is required. The exporter’s control body issues it in the country of export. Give your broker the ingredients and processing description to confirm the commodity code, especially for candied products or mixtures.

Specify the flesh and drying method

Specify edible mangosteen flesh, peeled and with seeds removed, and agree whether it is freeze-dried or heat-dried. Define whole segments or pieces, acceptable breakage, colour, flavour and texture against an approved sample. Record any added sugar, preservatives or sulphites, plus moisture, water activity, pack weight and storage conditions.

Dried fruit must meet pesticide residue limits, allowing for concentration during drying. Ask the laboratory to assess the finished product using the relevant processing factors. Confirm sulphur dioxide allergen declaration requirements with the relevant food authority. Agree batch testing and retain samples before shipment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of plain dried mangosteen flesh under 0804 50 00 89, 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

Flesh: compare segments, colour and texture with the approved sample; check for rind, seed fragments, insects and foreign matter.

Dryness: measure moisture and water activity against the contract; inspect for mould, damp patches, clumping and loss of crispness in freeze-dried flesh.

Tests: match pesticide and sulphur dioxide reports to the shipped batch and confirm that the laboratory tested the finished dried product.

Packs: check seals, liners, weights and batch identification. Pre-packed food must carry a business name and address. Check organic inspection paperwork where applicable and use the inspection guide to brief the inspector.

What goes wrong

A sample of intact segments can become a shipment of broken flesh and powder. Rind or seed fragments can remain after preparation, and uneven drying can leave damp pieces among apparently dry fruit. Moisture entering poorly sealed packs can soften freeze-dried flesh or encourage mould.

Undeclared sulphites, pesticide residue failures and missing organic paperwork can undermine an otherwise acceptable batch. Compare arrival samples with retained shipment samples, photograph faults and keep affected stock separate while investigating. Agree defect limits and packaging checks before approving production.

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.