Sourcing dried rosemary from China
Dried culinary rosemary from China carries 0% UK duty across the relevant whole, crushed and ground lines. Imports must meet domestic food hygiene and safety standards; organic consignments need an inspection certificate. Specify leaf purity, moisture and batch testing before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources dried rosemary.
Dried rosemary duty and organic controls
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 0910 covers ginger, saffron, turmeric, thyme, bay leaves, curry and other spices. For dried culinary rosemary, the relevant other-spice lines distinguish material neither crushed nor ground from crushed or ground material. The mixture rows concern qualifying spice mixtures containing rosemary; check the full recipe before using them.
The listed lines carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no suspensions recorded. The tariff attaches an organic import control. Organic consignments from China need a separate certificate of inspection, issued by the exporter's control body. Confirm the organic import arrangements with your customs broker before dispatch.
Confirm the form, culinary use and any mixture ingredients through finding your commodity code. For the wider heading, see dried thyme. Confirm the VAT treatment of your culinary herbs and spices with HMRC or your customs broker; check the exact product through our import duty and VAT guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dried rosemary leaves, neither crushed nor ground | 0910 99 91 00 | 0% | None |
| Dried rosemary, crushed or ground | 0910 99 99 00 | 0% | None |
| Rosemary-containing spice mixtures, neither crushed nor ground | 0910 91 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Rosemary-containing spice mixtures, crushed or ground | 0910 91 90 00 | 0% | None |
Specify rosemary leaves, cut and aroma
Specify culinary dried rosemary, botanical identity, growing origin and whether you need loose needle-like leaves, crushed material or powder. Agree leaf size, stem content, dust, moisture, colour and aroma against a retained sample. State whether the rosemary will enter a seasoning blend or be packed for retail, and record any drying or microbial reduction treatment.
Imported herbs must meet domestic food hygiene and safety standards. Confirm food business registration, traceability requirements and applicable GB pesticide residue limits with the relevant food authority. Agree batch-specific laboratory checks for residues and microbiology through testing and certification. Before printing retail packs, confirm the required English information with the relevant food authority, including the name, net weight, best-before date, storage and business address.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 10 tonnes of dried rosemary leaves for a spice wholesaler under 0910 99 91 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £18,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,000, so it is £3,600. 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
Identity and cut: compare the leaves or powder with the retained sample; check woody stems, foreign leaves, stones and excess dust.
Condition: check moisture against the agreed specification, leaf colour, aroma, insects, mould, clumping and any musty smell.
Batch evidence: match bag lot numbers to the packing list and laboratory reports; check that the tested material represents the shipment.
Packing and labels: inspect sealed liners, bag damage, net weights and agreed retail artwork. Use quality inspection to record checks before dispatch and compare condition on arrival.
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What goes wrong
A sample rich in intact leaves can be followed by bulk bags containing woody stems and dust. Powder makes visual identity checks harder, while weak aroma can leave a batch unsuitable for the buyer's recipe. Set acceptance criteria against the retained sample and inspect material drawn from the shipment.
Damp or damaged packing can leave rosemary musty or clumped on arrival. Separate suspect bags and arrange assessment before releasing them into stock. A general factory report does not establish the condition of the purchased batch, and an organic claim needs the consignment's inspection certificate.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on dried rosemary from China?
The supplied tariff reading shows 0% on the relevant whole, crushed, ground and qualifying spice-mixture lines, with no recorded anti-dumping or countervailing measures.
Do I need a health certificate for dried rosemary?
Official guidance says a health certificate is not normally needed for herbs and spices. Organic consignments need a separate inspection certificate. Confirm the paperwork for your exact shipment with your broker.
What should I test in dried rosemary?
Agree batch-specific pesticide residue and microbiological checks, plus moisture and foreign matter checks. Match reports to bag lot numbers and compare leaf content, cut and aroma with the retained sample.
Is dried rosemary subject to import VAT?
Confirm the VAT treatment of culinary herbs and spices with HMRC or your customs broker. Check the exact product and intended use rather than assuming that a supplement or remedy has the same treatment.