Sourcing fresh cut gypsophila from China

Fresh cut gypsophila duty and import controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 0603 covers cut flowers and flower buds for bouquets or ornamental use, fresh or otherwise prepared. Fresh cut gypsophila fits the residual fresh-flower line 0603 19 70 90. The table shows buying specifications within that same line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.

For Chinese-origin goods, this line lists 8% base duty and a 0.00 % autonomous tariff suspension. The suspension excludes mixtures, preparations or products made up of different components containing these products. No anti-dumping or countervailing measure is recorded. The tariff attaches an organic-products import control; confirm its application to any organic-labelled flowers from China with your customs broker before ordering.

Confirm the plant-health risk category for fresh cut gypsophila from China with the relevant authority, including any phytosanitary certificate, IPAFFS pre-notification, importer registration, checks and fees that apply. Confirm the suspension and commodity code for the actual shipment. For other flowers within the heading, see the fresh cut chrysanthemums guide.

Specify stems, branching and flower opening

Name the species and cultivar, natural flower colour, stem length, branching density, flower size and opening stage. Agree whether bunches are sold by stem count or weight, how stems are graded, and whether sleeves are included. Use an approved bunch as the reference for fullness and appearance.

Ask the grower and packer to describe hydration, any post-harvest treatment, packing and temperature management through transport and delivery. Agree an arrival-condition assessment and a vase-life trial under your normal florist handling conditions.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 2,000 fresh cut gypsophila stems under 0603 19 70 90, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,900. Duty at 8% is £552. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,452, so it is £1,490.40. Import taxes total £2,042.40; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £552 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Flowers: check opening stage, browning, shedding and bunch fullness against the approved sample.

Stems: check length, branching, broken tips and crushed or wilted stems.

Packing: check bunch counts, sleeve damage, wet cartons, condensation, mould and visible insects.

Documents: match the species, origin and consignment identity to the packing list and phytosanitary paperwork. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspection.

What goes wrong

A dense sample can become a sparse delivery when the packer changes stem grading or bunch weight. Flowers packed too tightly can arrive crushed; moisture trapped around the flower heads can leave browning and mould. Photograph opened cartons and compare the flowers after hydration as well as on arrival.

Paperwork errors can disrupt an otherwise usable shipment. If a consignment fails plant health checks, an inspector will advise what must happen to it. Check documents before dispatch and agree who handles clearance queries, arrival inspection and claims.

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.