Sourcing Frozen Jerusalem Artichokes from China

Duty on frozen Jerusalem artichokes

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 0714 covers named roots and tubers with high starch or inulin content, including Jerusalem artichokes, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not sliced. Frozen Jerusalem artichokes fall within the other roots and tubers line, 0714 90 90 00. The table shows different buying specifications sharing this commodity line.

The recorded duty for Chinese-origin goods is 2%. This line has no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension. The tariff attaches an organic import control. For organic goods from China into Great Britain, obtain a certificate of inspection for each consignment and check the exporter’s control body and exporting country against the non-UK organic registers. Your importing company must be based and certified in the UK.

Give your broker the product identity, peeling and cutting details, processing method and ingredients to confirm the commodity code. Describe any cooking or added ingredients explicitly. For the wider heading, see sweet potatoes, taro and yams.

Specify peeling, cuts and freezing

Order Jerusalem artichokes explicitly, rather than globe artichokes. Agree whole or sliced tubers, skin-on or peeled finish, cut dimensions, acceptable blemishes and the proportion of broken pieces. Approve a thawed and cooked sample for colour, texture and flavour against your intended kitchen use.

State whether the product is raw or blanched, individually frozen or supplied as a block, and whether it contains any added ingredients. Agree pack net weight, bag sealing, carton strength, storage instructions and remaining shelf life at arrival. Specify a cold chain at -18°C or colder, with temperature records through shipment.

Confirm food-business registration, GB pesticide maximum residue levels and retail labelling requirements with the relevant food authority. Settle English food information, including the name, net weight, storage instructions and UK address, with ingredients and allergens as applicable, before approving packaging.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of frozen Jerusalem artichokes; FOB and freight values are illustrative. under 0714 90 90 00, invoiced at £14,000 free on board, with £4,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £18,200. Duty at 2% is £364. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,564, so it is £3,712.80. Import taxes total £4,076.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £364 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 cuts: compare tuber appearance, peeling, slice thickness, broken pieces and dark patches with the approved sample and written specification.

Temperature and condition: check product temperature against -18°C or colder, review shipment records and examine clumping, freezer burn, damaged seals and excess loose ice.

Weight and cleanliness: check net product weight, inspect for soil, stones, plastic and other foreign matter, and examine a thawed sample for colour and texture.

Batch and documents: match carton lot codes to residue reports and packing records; check English label information and, for organic supply, the consignment certificate of inspection.

What goes wrong

Knobbly tubers make peeling and uniform cutting difficult. Deep skin pockets, dark blemishes and uneven slices can leave a product that performs differently from the approved kitchen sample. Agree the permitted finish and inspect thawed samples before dispatch.

Fused clumps, freezer burn and excess ice can conceal poor condition or reduce usable yield. Hold questionable cartons apart while checking temperature records, weights and batch reports. Organic claims also need the import paperwork settled before shipment; a supplier’s organic description alone is insufficient.

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.