Sourcing Pumpkin Seed Oil from China

Edible oil: 6% to 8% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 1515 covers other fixed vegetable or microbial fats and oils that are not chemically modified. Liquid pumpkin seed oil falls within the other-oils branches: crude edible oil carries 6% and other edible oil carries 8%. Separate non-food technical or industrial lines carry 2% for crude oil and 4% for other oil. The supplied lines show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty.

The 0.00 % suspension on 1515 90 99 99 is limited to refined or semi-refined vegetable oil meeting specified arachidonic acid or docosahexaenoic acid composition conditions. Do not assume ordinary pumpkin seed oil qualifies. The selected lines attach CITES and waste import and export controls; the edible lines also attach organic import control. CITES-listed species require permits. For waste subject to notification controls, the exporter must obtain consent from the dispatch country's competent authority.

For organic imports, the exporter’s control body issues the certificate of inspection; confirm the certification and clearance requirements for China with your customs broker before shipping. Also confirm how the attached CITES and waste controls apply to your consignment. Check the commodity code against composition, processing and intended use. Our perilla seed oil guide provides wider heading context.

Specify the seed and extraction process

Specify the pumpkin species and seed origin, whether seeds are roasted or unroasted, the extraction method, filtration and refining. State whether the oil must be unblended. Agree colour, aroma and flavour against an approved sample rather than relying on the description ‘cold pressed’. Set acceptance criteria for fatty acid profile, acid value, peroxide value, moisture and sediment.

Edible oil needs food hygiene, contaminant and food-information checks. Agree contaminant testing with the laboratory, particularly for roasted-seed oil. Cooking oils do not normally need a health certificate, but this does not replace checking the attached tariff controls. Record shelf life, storage instructions, light protection, bottle or drum material and closure type. Use testing and certification support to define the evidence needed for the actual product.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5 tonnes of refined edible pumpkin seed oil under 1515 90 99 99, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,500. Duty at 8% is £1,560. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,060, so it is £4,212. Import taxes total £5,772; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,560 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: match the batch analysis and fatty acid profile to the agreed pumpkin seed oil specification; investigate evidence of blending.

Freshness: check acid and peroxide values, then compare aroma, flavour and colour with the approved sample; investigate rancid or burnt notes.

Packing: check bottles or drums for leaks, damaged closures, contamination and unexpected sediment; match batch marks to the shipment records.

Labels: check the food name, net quantity, date marking, storage information and business name and address; pre-packed food requires a business name and address on its packaging or label.

What goes wrong

An approved roasted-seed sample can be replaced by oil with a different roast profile, while filtering or refining can change colour and flavour. Blending, oxidation during storage and leaking closures are further failure points. Specify measurable acceptance criteria and retain a batch sample so that a disagreement can be investigated.

Do not classify edible oil under a non-food technical-use line simply because its duty is lower. Treat a supplier's organic claim separately from the import paperwork, and resolve tariff controls before dispatch. Match arrival checks to the agreed quality inspection plan.

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.