Sourcing dried peas from China

Dried pea codes and duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 0713 covers dried shelled leguminous vegetables, whether or not skinned or split. Peas for sowing use 0713 10 10 00; other dried peas use 0713 10 90 00. Both carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension recorded. The table shows commercial forms sharing the food line, alongside the separate sowing line.

Both pea lines carry an organic-products import control. Organic dried peas from China entering Great Britain need a certificate of inspection for each consignment, issued by the exporter’s control body in the country of export. Confirm the organic import arrangements with your customs broker before shipment. Confirm the VAT treatment of dried peas sold as food with HMRC or your customs broker; see our import duty and VAT guide.

Confirm the commodity code from the species, processing and intended use. For sowing peas or seeds intended for producing sprouts, ask APHA or your customs broker to confirm applicable seed, plant health and certification requirements. This guide focuses on dried peas for cooking. See dried beans and pulses for the wider heading.

Specify whole or split peas and cooking performance

Specify green or yellow peas, whole or split, peeled or unpeeled, and the intended dish or manufacturing process. Agree size grading, moisture, acceptable broken or discoloured material, foreign matter, crop identity and remaining shelf life. For whole peas, distinguish accidental splits from the ordered grade; for split peas, assess fines and uneven splitting.

Approve a cooking sample using your own soaking and cooking method. Record texture, flavour, colour retention and whether the peas soften evenly. Agree bag material, liner, closure, net weight and batch marking. For retail packs, settle the English label, food name, net weight, storage instructions and UK business address. Confirm applicable pesticide residue and contaminant limits with the relevant food authority; agree batch testing before production.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of dried split peas for cooking under 0713 10 90 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

Grade: compare samples from different bags with the approved whole or split pea sample, checking colour, size, damaged peas and fines.

Moisture and pests: measure moisture against the contract limit; check for musty smells, mould, live insects, exit holes and stones.

Cooking: repeat the approved preparation method on the shipment sample and check even softening, texture and flavour.

Bags and records: check dry, intact bags, closures, net weights and labels; match batch markings to test reports and organic documents where applicable. Use our quality inspection guide to plan sampling.

What goes wrong

A clean-looking sample can conceal inconsistent bulk stock. Whole peas may contain excessive splits, while split peas may contain fines and uneven pieces. Mixed grades can cook unevenly. Excess moisture or wet bags can lead to mould; weak cleaning leaves stones and other seeds, and insect damage may become apparent during transport.

Keep an approved sample and written acceptance criteria. Check the shipment lot before loading and inspect bags from different positions on arrival. Hold suspect bags apart while investigating. Cooking peas, sowing peas and sprouting seed should be specified separately so that the order, labels and paperwork describe the 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.