Sourcing Ginsenosides from China
Ginsenosides provisionally classified under 2938 90 90 90 carry 6% standard UK duty from China; 0% is conditional on confirmed listed pharmaceutical eligibility. For food use, check the exact ingredient's novel-food status: novel foods need authorisation before sale in Great Britain. Cambridge China Bridge sources ginsenosides.
Ginsenoside classification and duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 2938 covers natural or synthetic glycosides and their salts, ethers, esters and other derivatives. The residual code 2938 90 90 90 is a candidate for ginsenosides. The table describes purchasing forms under that same candidate code, rather than separate tariff lines. Confirm the composition before applying it to an extract or preparation.
The supplied residual line carries 6% standard duty for China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty recorded. Its suspension concerns a specified purified steviol glycoside for beverage manufacture, not ginsenosides. Listed pharmaceutical eligibility can give 0%, as explained in the published glycosides guide; confirm eligibility for the exact substance. The tariff also attaches an export waste control. For any waste shipment involving China, ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable requirement.
Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. Supply the chemical identity, purity, manufacturing route and intended use when confirming your commodity code. For related products within the heading, see the hesperidin guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isolated natural ginsenosides, subject to classification confirmation | 2938 90 90 90 | 6% | None |
Specify the ginsenoside profile and intended use
State whether you want an isolated compound or a defined ginsenoside profile. For plant-derived material, record the botanical identity, plant part and extraction route. Name the compounds included in the assay, the reference materials and the calculation basis. Agree whether results are reported on the material as supplied or after correcting for moisture.
Set contractual acceptance criteria for identity, assay, moisture, residual solvents, metals and, where relevant, microbiology. Request a batch certificate and supporting chromatograms. Agree packaging, storage instructions and sample retention. Use testing and certification support to turn the specification into a laboratory brief.
For food or supplement development, check the exact ingredient and production route before ordering. Novel foods need authorisation before being placed on the Great Britain market. Food must not claim or imply that it treats, prevents or cures disease. For chemical imports, ask HSE to confirm your UK REACH position for the substance and annual import volume.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: A batch of isolated ginsenosides for formulation trials, using standard duty; illustrative only under 2938 90 90 90, invoiced at £60,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £61,500. Duty at 6% is £3,690. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £65,190, so it is £13,038. Import taxes total £16,728; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £3,690 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: compare the batch chromatogram and compound identification with the approved specification and reference material.
Assay: check the named ginsenosides, calculation basis, moisture correction and method against the certificate; do not substitute a total-saponin result for the agreed compound assay.
Contaminants: compare residual-solvent, metals and relevant microbiology results with your contractual acceptance criteria.
Packing and records: check seals, liners, batch identification and certificate matching; inspect for moisture ingress, caking and damaged containers.
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What goes wrong
A total-saponin certificate may not demonstrate the ginsenoside profile you ordered. Different assay methods or moisture bases can also make apparently similar samples difficult to compare. Reject unsupported substitutions and resolve discrepancies using the agreed method and retained samples.
An acceptable assay does not settle food-use status. Before commercial food use, check whether novel-food authorisation is needed for the exact ingredient. Keep laboratory findings and batch records together, following the quality inspection guide.
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 ginsenosides from China?
The supplied residual code 2938 90 90 90 carries 6% standard duty, with no recorded trade remedy. Its steviol suspension does not cover ginsenosides. Confirm any listed pharmaceutical eligibility separately.
Can I use imported ginsenosides in food supplements?
Check the exact ingredient's novel-food status before commercial use. If it is novel, authorisation is needed before sale in Great Britain. A supplier's food-grade description does not resolve that check.
Is total saponin content enough to approve a batch?
Use the assay specified in your contract. A total-saponin result does not establish the identity and amount of each ginsenoside you ordered; request the compound profile and supporting chromatograms.
Does the tariff waste control apply to fresh ginsenosides?
Waste shipment controls apply only if the material is waste. The supplied tariff flag concerns waste exports; ask your broker to confirm requirements for any waste movement involving China.