Sourcing piglet creep feed from China
UK duty on the listed creep-feed formulations from China ranges from £19 to £743 per 1,000 kg; the listed pea-protein ingredient carries 8%. China-origin milk products for animal feed are prohibited, so check ingredient origin and import eligibility before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources piglet creep feed.
Duty follows starch and milk content
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 2309 covers preparations used in animal feeding. Piglet creep feed falls within the other-feed branches, with classification depending on its recipe. The listed formulation lines carry £19 to £743 per 1,000 kg; the pea-protein ingredient carries 8%. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty for these lines. A tariff line and duty rate do not establish permission to import an animal-origin recipe.
The tariff attaches veterinary, organic and waste import controls, with seal-product controls on the formulation lines and waste export controls for later exports. Permitted animal by-products must enter through an approved border control post. Ask your customs broker to confirm veterinary documents and notification arrangements, organic inspection certificates, any seal-product documentation, and applicable waste shipment requirements before dispatch. Confirm the applicable organic importer establishment and certification requirements with an approved UK organic control body; waste controls apply where the material is waste.
The soya-concentrate and astaxanthin suspensions shown against some formulation codes are restricted to the specified preparations and exclude mixtures containing them. Do not assume finished creep feed qualifies. Confirm the commodity code using the complete ingredient list and starch, sugar and milk analysis. The poultry feed and premixes guide covers the wider heading. The pea-protein worked example concerns a manufacturing ingredient, not finished creep feed.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creep feed, starch up to 10%, milk products below 10% | 2309 90 31 99 | £19.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Creep feed, starch over 10% up to 30%, milk products below 10% | 2309 90 41 89 | £46.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Creep feed, starch over 30%, milk products below 10% | 2309 90 51 90 | £85.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Milk-containing creep feed, starch up to 10%, milk products 10% to below 50% | 2309 90 33 90 | £416.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Milk-containing creep feed, starch over 10% up to 30%, milk 10% to below 50% | 2309 90 43 90 | £443.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Milk-containing creep feed, starch over 10% up to 30%, milk products at least 50% | 2309 90 49 90 | £743.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Pea protein ingredient for creep feed, over 65% protein on a dry weight basis | 2309 90 96 95 | 8% | None |
Specify the suckling-piglet recipe
Describe the intended feeding stage and whether the product is complete feed or a complementary feed requiring other ingredients. Agree meal, crumble or pellet form, particle size, hardness, fines, palatability and feeding instructions. Specify crude protein, fat, fibre, ash, moisture and the amino-acid profile with your nutritionist. Record each ingredient and prohibit substitutions without written approval.
China-origin milk products for animal feed cannot be imported into Great Britain under the animal-origin prohibition and its listed exceptions. For a milk-containing finished recipe, have the broker and animal health authority determine admissibility from the ingredient origins and processing details before placing an order. Identify whey, milk powder, fishmeal, animal fats and other animal-derived ingredients explicitly.
Register the importing business as a feed business and confirm whether its activities need approval. Confirm the authorisation status of the proposed feed additives with the relevant feed authority. Request the additive identities and inclusion levels, batch analysis and proposed labels before approving production. Agree composition, analytical declarations, piglet feeding instructions, batch identification, shelf life and storage wording. Use testing and certification support to prepare the sampling brief.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 12 tonnes of high-protein pea protein for manufacturing piglet creep feed, supplied as an ingredient rather than finished feed under 2309 90 96 95, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £33,500. Duty at 8% is £2,680. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £36,180, so it is £7,236. Import taxes total £9,916; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,680 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
Recipe: compare the production ingredient record with the approved formula, including milk ingredients, protein sources and additives; investigate substitutions.
Analysis: independently sample the lot and compare protein, fat, moisture, ash, starch and milk content with the specification; agree contaminant testing with the laboratory.
Physical condition: check crumble or pellet consistency, hardness, dust, caking, mould, insects and rancid odours; compare loading and arrival samples.
Labels and bags: match batch references with analysis and delivery documents; check feeding instructions, declared contents, net weight, seals and moisture damage.
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What goes wrong
A factory can supply weaner feed instead of the agreed suckling-piglet recipe, substitute protein ingredients or ship pellets with excessive fines. These changes can affect intake and the agreed nutritional profile. Recipe changes also alter starch and milk content, potentially changing classification. Keep an approved formula and retained samples, with independent sampling arranged through the quality inspection guide.
Damp bags can cake or develop mould, while damaged seals expose feed to contamination. A satisfactory sample does not resolve animal-origin import eligibility or missing organic documents. Settle the recipe, import route and document checklist before loading; separate suspect arrival stock while the batch is investigated.
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 piglet creep feed from China?
The listed formulation lines carry £19 to £743 per 1,000 kg, depending on starch and milk content. The listed high-protein pea-protein ingredient carries 8%. The record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty on these lines.
Can I import milk-based piglet creep feed from China?
China-origin milk products for animal feed are prohibited. For a finished milk-containing recipe, ask the broker and animal health authority to confirm admissibility from ingredient origins and processing before ordering.
Do I need to register as a feed importer?
Yes. Register as a feed business and confirm whether your activities also require approval. For plant-based recipes, confirm the applicable feed labelling requirements and additive authorisation status with the relevant feed authority.
What should I test before accepting creep feed?
Use independently drawn batch samples to check the agreed nutrient profile, moisture, starch and contaminants. Compare pellet or crumble form, fines and odour with retained samples, then check labels and bag condition.