Sourcing pig and poultry fat from China
UK duty is 0% or 10%, or £14 per 100 kg, depending on the fat and its use. Chinese animal products for food or feed are prohibited unless covered by an authorised exception. Confirm eligibility before ordering; a tariff code does not establish permission to import. Cambridge China Bridge checks whether a product can be imported before any order is placed.
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Duty depends on the fat and its use
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 18 November 2026, heading 1501 covers pig fat, including lard, and poultry fat, excluding goods of headings 0209 and 1503. Industrial lard and other industrial pig fat, excluding human food manufacture, carry 0%. Other lard and other pig fat carry £14 per 100 kg; the remaining line carries 10%. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duties and no suspensions.
The tariff attaches veterinary control and waste import and export controls throughout, plus organic import control to the other-use lard and pig-fat lines. Confirm the veterinary entry document and applicable checks with your customs broker. For waste subject to notification controls entering England, the exporter applies for consent in the dispatch country and shipping waits for the relevant authorities' consent.
These rates do not establish import eligibility. Chinese animal products for food or feed are prohibited unless covered by the authorised exceptions. Have the broker confirm the specific product, species and use before ordering. Confirm the commodity code; an industrial-use description should match the intended use.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lard for industrial uses other than human food manufacture | 1501 10 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other lard | 1501 10 90 00 | £14.00 per 100 kg | None |
| Other pig fat for industrial uses other than human food manufacture | 1501 20 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other pig fat, other uses | 1501 20 90 00 | £14.00 per 100 kg | None |
| Other fats under this heading, including poultry fat | 1501 90 00 00 | 10% | None |
Specify species, rendering and intended use
State whether the material is lard, other pig fat or poultry fat, and whether it is intended for food, feed or an industrial process. Specify source material, rendering and refining, melting behaviour, free fatty acids, peroxide value, moisture, insoluble impurities, colour and odour. Agree the sampling method, batch analysis, storage conditions and sealed packing.
For rendered fats outside the feed chain, the official conditions require an approved exporting establishment and a permitted country of origin. Obtain confirmation of the Chinese supplier's eligibility before committing. Such packaging must indicate that the goods are not for human or animal consumption. Use factory verification to examine the producer's identity, process and records.
If an otherwise eligible food consignment is sold as organic, ask an approved UK organic control body to confirm the importer certification requirements. For imports from China into Great Britain, also confirm the consignment certificate of inspection and any checks against the recognised organic registers. The certificate of inspection is issued by the exporter’s control body in the country of export. Organic certification does not replace animal-product import eligibility.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative only: 20 tonnes of poultry fat; subject to confirmation of import eligibility under 1501 90 00 00, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £32,500. Duty at 10% is £3,250. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £35,750, so it is £7,150. Import taxes total £10,400; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £3,250 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: compare the declared species, source material, intended use and batch identity with the order and supplier records.
Condition: inspect seals, leaks, damaged containers, foreign matter and unexpected colour or odour.
Analysis: compare moisture, impurities, free fatty acids, peroxide value and melting behaviour with the agreed specification.
Documents: match the consignment to the eligibility confirmation, veterinary paperwork and any applicable waste or organic documents before accepting delivery.
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What goes wrong
An edible-lard order can fail before quality is considered: the China safeguard prohibits food or feed animal products unless an authorised exception applies. Do not treat a quoted duty rate or a supplier's domestic food approval as confirmation of import eligibility.
Material problems include mixed species, rancidity, excessive moisture, sediment and a melting profile that does not suit the buyer's process. Keep a retained sample and agree how disputed results will be checked. Arrange quality inspection before loading, after the import route has been confirmed.
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 pig and poultry fat from China?
Industrial lard and other industrial pig fat excluding human food manufacture carry 0%. Other lard and pig fat carry £14 per 100 kg. The remaining heading 1501 line carries 10%. Import eligibility must be checked separately.
Can I import Chinese lard for a bakery?
Do not order without an eligibility check. Chinese animal products for human consumption are prohibited unless covered by an authorised exception. Ask your broker to identify the exception applicable to the exact product.
Does industrial fat avoid animal-product controls?
No. Rendered fats outside the feed chain have separate import conditions, including country and establishment approval. The tariff also attaches veterinary control; confirm the applicable documents with your broker.
What should I test in a poultry-fat batch?
Agree tests for species identity, free fatty acids, peroxide value, moisture, insoluble impurities and melting behaviour. Check odour, seals and batch identity against the approved sample and order specification.