Sourcing fresh rakkyo bulbs from China

Fresh rakkyo duty and import controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 0703 covers fresh or chilled onions, shallots, garlic, leeks and other alliaceous vegetables. For fresh rakkyo bulbs sold as food, use 0703 90 00 00 as a working classification, subject to confirmation. This line carries 10% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no trade remedies or suspensions for it.

The tariff attaches an organic import control. Organic consignments from China into Great Britain require a GB certificate of inspection. Arrange this with the supplier and confirm the import arrangements with your customs broker before dispatch. Separately, confirm the plant-health requirements for the exact bulbs with APHA before shipping, including any phytosanitary certificate and notification requirements.

Confirm the commodity code using the botanical identity, photographs, preparation and intended use. The comparison rows show neighbouring products, not alternative declarations for the same rakkyo shipment. See garlic and onions for the wider heading. This guide concerns fresh bulbs for food; obtain a separate classification check for pickled, brined or dried goods.

Specify the bulb and trimming

Ask the supplier to identify the botanical species and local product name, supported by photographs of whole bulbs and cut samples. Write fresh rakkyo bulbs into the order rather than accepting a description of small onions. Agree bulb shape, diameter band, firmness, skin colour and acceptable variation against an approved sample.

Specify whether bulbs arrive washed, how roots and leaves are trimmed, and whether skins remain intact. Agree limits for split bulbs, sprouting, soil, bruising and decay. Record packing, net weight and the agreed chilled transport conditions. Ask for a pesticide-residue report covering the shipped lot, and confirm the applicable residue limits with the relevant food safety authority.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: A pallet of fresh rakkyo bulbs for a food wholesaler, illustrative only under 0703 90 00 00, invoiced at £3,500 free on board, with £1,720 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,220. Duty at 10% is £522. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,742, so it is £1,148.40. Import taxes total £1,670.40; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £522 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

Identity and size: compare bulbs from different cartons with the approved sample, species description and agreed size band.

Condition: cut sample bulbs and check internal firmness, discolouration, soft bases, mould, sprouting and insect damage.

Packing and transport: check ventilation, crushed cartons, condensation, net weights and temperature records against the purchase specification.

Lot evidence: match carton lot marks to the packing list and residue report; for organic goods, check the inspection certificate covers the consignment.

What goes wrong

A supplier may quote fresh bulbs but offer a brined product, or substitute another small allium. Photographs alone can hide soft bases and internal decay. Approve cut samples and make the preparation explicit before accepting the production lot.

Wet packing, bruising and interrupted chilling can leave bulbs soft or mouldy on arrival. A generic farm report also leaves the shipped lot unverified. Agree the arrival checks and rejection evidence before loading; use the inspection guide to organise the inspection brief.

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.