Sourcing dried pineapple from China

Dried pineapple duty and suspension

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 0804 covers specified fresh or dried tropical fruits, including pineapple. Dried pineapple is listed under 0804 30 00 10, with a 4% third-country duty and an autonomous suspension to 0.00 %. The supplied snapshot lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty for this line.

The suspension excludes mixtures, preparations and products made up of different components containing pineapple. The table shows different cuts under the same dried-pineapple line, rather than separate tariff classifications. Confirm eligibility before using the suspension. The tariff attaches import control of organic products; organic consignments need an inspection certificate, issued by the exporter’s control body.

Give your broker the ingredients and processing details before confirming the commodity code. Sugared or candied fruit needs a separate classification check. See the dried mango guide for another product within this heading. Confirm with HMRC or your customs broker whether plain dried fruit qualifies for zero-rated VAT; the duty and VAT guide explains the calculation.

Specify the pineapple cut and treatment

Specify rings, slices, chunks or diced pieces, with agreed dimensions and tolerances. State whether hard core material is acceptable, the permitted broken pieces, the colour range and the required texture. Keep an approved sample for comparison.

Separate plain dried pineapple from sugar-infused, candied or coated products. Ask for the complete recipe, including preservatives, colours and sweeteners. An additive accepted in the country of origin may not be approved in Great Britain. Agree moisture, water activity, packaging seals and storage conditions with the supplier.

Confirm with the relevant food safety authority the pesticide residue and contaminant limits applicable to dried fruit, including how concentration during drying should be assessed. Ask for batch-specific laboratory results, including sulphur dioxide. Confirm the allergen declaration requirements for sulphur dioxide above 10 mg/kg with that authority.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5 tonnes of plain dried pineapple chunks under 0804 30 00 10, 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 4% is £872. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £22,672, so it is £4,534.40. Import taxes total £5,406.40; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £872 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

Cut and texture: compare sampled pieces with the approved sample; check dimensions, hard core, fibrous pieces, browning and excessive breakage.

Moisture and condition: measure against the agreed specification; inspect for sticky clumps, fermentation odour, mould, insects and foreign matter.

Recipe and reports: match the batch to its pesticide and sulphur dioxide results; check that the ingredient declaration reflects the actual treatment.

Packs and paperwork: inspect seals, liners and carton condition on arrival; reconcile batch identifiers with reports and organic inspection certificates where applicable.

What goes wrong

A bright, soft sample can hide a different bulk recipe. Added sugar changes sweetness and stickiness, while sulphite treatment can preserve colour without being disclosed. Hard core pieces and uneven cuts make an otherwise acceptable batch unsuitable for portioning or ingredient use.

Excess moisture and damaged liners can leave pineapple clumped, fermented or mouldy after transit. Hold suspect batches apart while investigating. Check the shipment’s own reports and paperwork before release, rather than relying on a sample report from an earlier production run.

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.