Sourcing live pigs from China

Live-pig duties and import eligibility

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, heading 0103 covers live swine. Classification distinguishes pure-bred breeding animals, domestic and other species, weight, and qualifying sows that have farrowed. The table describes tariff categories, not available China-to-Great-Britain import routes.

The supplied China rates are 0%, £29 per 100 kg or £34 per 100 kg. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension is recorded. Veterinary and organic import controls are attached; some lines also attach CITES import and export controls. Confirm the organic and species-specific requirements with your customs broker. The tariff also attaches an export restriction. China is not authorised to export live ungulates to Great Britain.

For an eligible origin, domestic pigs need the appropriate health certificate, and live-animal imports require advance notification and an appropriate border control point. Confirm species, breeding status and weight using finding your commodity code. The illustrative calculation is not permission to ship from China.

Specify the animal and destination before buying

Record the exact species, breed, sex, breeding purpose, individual live weight and whether a sow has farrowed. Ask for pedigree records when considering the pure-bred breeding category. Match the animal identities to the seller's records rather than relying on photographs.

For delivery to England, Scotland or Wales, stop before ordering: the verified official position excludes live ungulates from China. For any overseas destination, obtain a destination-specific eligibility assessment before discussing transport. This guide does not establish permission for Northern Ireland or another country.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: A small breeding-pig consignment, illustrative arithmetic only; not an authorised China-to-Great-Britain order under 0103 10 00 00, invoiced at £2,019 free on board, with £1,715 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,734. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,734, so it is £746.80. 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

Eligibility: check the proposed origin and destination before paying or booking transport.

Identity: compare species, animal markings and pedigree records with the purchase specification.

Weight and status: check individual live weights and the claimed farrowing or breeding status against the proposed tariff category.

Arrival condition: for an independently authorised consignment, arrange a veterinary assessment of injuries, lameness, breathing and general condition; record discrepancies against dispatch records.

What goes wrong

A seller may present a duty-free breeding code as proof that shipment is permitted. It is not: the China-to-Great-Britain restriction is the deciding issue. Other purchasing errors include unsupported pedigree claims, mixed animal identities and weights that do not match the declared category.

Do not plan onward export for slaughter or fattening from or through Great Britain to destinations outside the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man: that export is prohibited. Confirm organic and CITES questions with your broker rather than treating a seller's description as clearance evidence.

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.