Sourcing dried mung beans from China

Dried mung bean duty and import controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 22 November 2026, heading 0713 covers dried shelled leguminous vegetables, whether or not skinned or split. Dried mung beans fall within 0713 31 00 00, which also covers urd beans. The table shows product forms sharing that commodity line, rather than separate tariff classifications.

The supplied tariff facts show 0% duty for goods from China, no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension. They attach an organic import control. Confirm with HMRC whether dried mung beans sold as food qualify for zero-rated VAT.

Confirm the commodity code using the species, processing and intended use. Tell your broker whether the beans are for cooking, sprouting or sowing. See the wider dried beans and pulses guide for other products within the heading.

Specify cooking beans or sprouting beans

State whole, split or skinned beans, the intended use, size grade, colour and packing format. Agree written acceptance limits for moisture, broken beans, shrivelled or discoloured beans, foreign matter and other seeds. Retain an approved sample and agree a cooking trial for cooking beans.

Confirm with the Food Standards Agency the official certificate and lot traceability requirements applicable to beans intended for producing sprouts. Do not buy an ordinary cooking lot on the assumption that it can be sold for sprouting.

Agree lot-specific pesticide residue testing against applicable maximum residue levels and contaminant testing, including lead. Settle retail labelling before packing, including the product name, net weight, storage instructions and UK address in English.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of dried mung beans for cooking under 0713 31 00 00, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £26,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £26,500, so it is £5,300. 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

Moisture: sample different bags, compare measurements with the contract and check for damp patches, mould and musty smells.

Grading: compare size and colour with the approved sample; count broken, damaged and shrivelled beans and check for stones, soil and other seeds.

Insects: inspect for live insects and exit holes before loading and again on arrival.

Packing and records: check clean bags, secure seams, declared weight and matching lot references on bags and test reports; check sprouting or organic certificates where relevant.

What goes wrong

Excess moisture can leave beans mouldy after the voyage. Weak cleaning leaves stones and other seeds, while uneven sizing gives inconsistent cooking. Insect eggs inside beans can hatch during transport, so a clean-looking surface sample does not settle the pest check.

Another failure is buying cooking beans for a sprouting customer without agreeing the certificate and testing first. Keep suspect arrival lots separate while checking the contract, samples and reports. Arrange quality inspection around the agreed defects and intended use.

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.