Sourcing Gum Ghatti from China

Gum ghatti duty and tariff controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 1301 covers lac, natural gums, resins, gum-resins and oleoresins. Natural gum ghatti belongs within the other natural gums line, 1301 90 00 00, rather than the gum arabic line. The table shows purchasing forms within that same commodity line, not separate tariff subdivisions.

Goods from China on this line carry 0% duty. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. It attaches organic, CITES and Home Office controlled drug import controls, plus CITES and controlled drug export controls. Confirm their application to the actual gum ghatti shipment with your customs broker; the shared line alone does not establish that gum ghatti needs a licence.

Confirm the botanical identity, composition and processing before choosing the commodity code. For other products covered by the heading, see the natural gums and resins guide.

Specify gum ghatti for your process

Specify gum ghatti by its botanical identity, source country, processing site and intended use. Ask whether the Chinese supplier processes the gum or resells imported material. Agree powder or granule form, particle size, colour, moisture, ash and insoluble matter against an approved sample.

Agree a viscosity test with the solution concentration, water quality, temperature and hydration method stated. Trial the sample in your actual formulation and retain it for comparison with production batches. Request batch analysis and disclosure of any added carrier or other gum.

Food additives need authorisation before they can be placed on the market in Great Britain. Before ordering gum ghatti for food use, ask the Food Standards Agency to confirm its status and your proposed use. A supplier's food-grade description does not provide that confirmation.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of technical-grade gum ghatti under 1301 90 00 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £16,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £16,900, so it is £3,380. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: compare the batch documents and sample with the agreed gum ghatti specification; investigate undeclared blends.

Performance: repeat the agreed hydration and viscosity test, then check behaviour in your production formulation.

Cleanliness: check moisture, ash, insoluble matter and visible bark or grit; agree contaminant testing appropriate to the intended use.

Packaging: check intact liners, dry bags, batch identification and agreement between labels, analysis certificates and shipment records.

What goes wrong

A gum sold simply as natural gum may arrive as a blend or a different material. An apparently acceptable powder can produce excessive sediment or inconsistent viscosity when tested under your working conditions. Reject substitutions unless you have assessed and approved them.

Ordering for food use before confirming authorisation can leave stock unsuitable for the planned sale. Organic claims also need attention: confirm with your customs broker or approved UK organic control body which inspection documents are needed and how missing documents affect customs release and organic references on labels, advertising and accompanying documents. Confirm the shipment requirements with your broker before dispatch.

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.