Sourcing hydrolysed feather meal from China

Zero duty does not establish import permission

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 2301 covers animal and fish flours, meals and pellets unfit for human consumption, and greaves. The relevant supplied animal-meal line, 2301 10 00 00, carries 0% duty for goods from China, with no recorded anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The file contains only one relevant commodity line, which is shown in the table.

The tariff attaches veterinary, CITES, seal-product, organic and waste import controls, plus CITES and waste export controls. Animal by-product imports require pre-notification through IPAFFS and entry through an approved border control post. These procedures do not override the Chinese-origin animal-feed safeguard rules; ask APHA to confirm whether a listed exception applies to the proposed product. Ask your customs broker to confirm the applicability and documentation for the remaining attached controls, including any later export.

Confirm the commodity code using the feather source, processing description, composition and intended use. A supplier's description as hydrolysed feather meal does not settle its veterinary classification or import eligibility. See the wider fishmeal and animal meal guide for the rest of the heading.

Specify feather source, hydrolysis and intended use

Record the poultry species, feather source, hydrolysis process, drying method and any added material. Agree crude protein, moisture, ash, particle size and a laboratory method for assessing digestibility. Request processing records and batch analysis rather than relying on a protein result alone.

Ask APHA to establish whether the product is processed animal protein or hydrolysed protein. Official guidance treats these as separate categories with different import conditions. Ask APHA to confirm whether the proposed product qualifies for any exception to the Chinese-origin animal-feed prohibition. For a proposed fertiliser or technical use, obtain a separate eligibility decision before ordering.

For any independently confirmed lawful supply route, verify the producing establishment and applicable certification before shipment. Ask the relevant feed authority to confirm feed-business registration requirements and the required feed-material name and declarations. Agree the sampling brief through testing and certification support.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative calculation only: 12 tonnes of hydrolysed feather meal; not an authorised feed import under 2301 10 00 00, invoiced at £3,500 free on board, with £2,680 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,180. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,180, so it is £1,236. 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. 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: match the poultry source, processing records and declared composition to the contract; investigate visible unprocessed feathers, grit or unexpected fillers.

Analysis: independently sample the batch and compare protein, moisture, ash and digestibility with the agreed specification; retain loading and arrival samples.

Condition: for a lawful delivery, check bags for dampness, tears, caking, mould and unusual odours; isolate affected stock while investigating.

Traceability: match bag batch references, analysis reports and delivery documents; check that the proposed destination and use match the eligibility decision.

What goes wrong

The first failure is ordering Chinese-origin feather meal for animal feed because the tariff says zero duty. APHA's safeguard guidance prohibits animal-origin feed products from China unless they fall within the listed exceptions. Ask APHA to confirm whether the proposed feather meal qualifies before ordering. A certificate or a satisfactory laboratory result does not by itself establish eligibility under those exceptions.

Quality disputes arise when a high protein result masks poor digestibility, added fillers or inconsistent processing. Damp meal can cake or develop mould, while torn bags compromise the lot. Make acceptance depend on agreed analysis, processing records and representative samples. Use the quality inspection guide to prepare 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.