Sourcing fresh root vegetables from China

Duty depends on the root

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, heading 0706 covers carrots, turnips, salad beetroot, salsify, celeriac, radishes and similar edible roots, fresh or chilled. Celeriac carries 10% duty from China; the other listed lines carry 12%. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions.

Every listed line carries an organic import control. For organic produce from China into Great Britain, obtain a certificate of inspection for each consignment and check the exporter's control body and export country against the non-UK organic registers. The exporter’s control body issues the certificate. Ask your customs broker to confirm the organic release documents before dispatch.

Confirm the species and whether the roots are fresh or chilled using our commodity code guide. Separately ask your broker to confirm the product's plant health risk category and clearance route. For high or medium risk A or B plants and plant products, the exporter must obtain a phytosanitary certificate for each consignment.

Specify washed roots and arrival condition

Write down the species, variety, intended use, root size range, trimming, washing and pack format. Agree limits for splits, bruising, misshapen roots, woody centres, sprouting and decay. Distinguish turnips from radishes and celeriac from stalk celery in the purchase specification.

Agree pre-cooling, transport temperature, ventilation and remaining shelf life at delivery with the packhouse. Ask for packing records and photographs of opened packs. Fresh fruit and vegetables must meet marketing quality and labelling requirements throughout production and marketing.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 10,000 kg of fresh carrots in wholesale packs under 0706 10 00 10, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £4,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £22,500. Duty at 12% is £2,700. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £25,200, so it is £5,040. Import taxes total £7,740; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,700 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

Roots: cut sampled roots to check internal discolouration, woody centres and hidden decay; compare size, firmness and trimming with the agreed specification.

Cleanliness: check for soil, grit, stones, insects and wash damage, including around celeriac crevices and radish tops.

Packs and records: check net weights, crushed cartons, wet liners and lot identification; match laboratory reports and any organic certificate to the shipment.

Arrival: review temperature records and inspect roots from different positions in the load for softening, sprouting and mould. Use our quality inspection guide to organise the checks.

What goes wrong

An acceptable outer appearance can hide woody centres or internal decay. Rough washing damages skins, while wet packing and poor ventilation encourage deterioration. Mixed sizes make kitchen preparation uneven, and bruised or split roots leave less usable product than the pack weight suggests.

A supplier's organic description does not replace the import certificate. Resolve certificate details and plant health clearance before loading, then compare arrival condition with the agreed specification before accepting the shipment.

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.