Sourcing rice from China
Rice duties in the supplied tariff lines range from £25 to £176 per 1000 kg, with 6% for sowing rice and a restricted 0% Basmati line. Chinese rice has GMO import controls: confirm the consignment requirements before shipping. Food imports must be safe and legal. Cambridge China Bridge sources rice.
Rice classification and UK import duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 18 November 2026, heading 1006 covers rice. The supplied lines distinguish paddy, brown, semi-milled and wholly milled rice, with further divisions for parboiling, grain shape, aroma and pack weight. Brown rice is generally £25 per 1000 kg in these lines; semi-milled and wholly milled rice are £121 per 1000 kg. The listed paddy line for food is £176 per 1000 kg; paddy for sowing is 6%.
The supplied data records no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. It attaches organic and GMO import controls. For organic food from China entering Great Britain, obtain a consignment certificate of inspection and check the exporter’s control body and export country against the organic registers. For the GMO control, ask your customs broker to confirm the required clearance documents and testing before shipment.
The listed 0% Basmati code has an authenticity-certificate restriction involving India or Pakistan. Ask your broker to confirm eligibility rather than applying it to Chinese rice by default. Confirm milling, grain dimensions, aroma and immediate pack weight using finding your commodity code. The sowing example concerns seed, so confirm its import requirements separately before ordering.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddy rice for sowing | 1006 10 10 00 | 6% | None |
| Round-grain brown rice, not parboiled | 1006 20 92 00 | £25.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Other brown rice, not parboiled | 1006 20 99 99 | £25.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Wholly milled round-grain rice, not parboiled, packs over 5 kg up to 20 kg | 1006 30 92 20 | £121.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Wholly milled medium-grain rice, not parboiled, packs over 5 kg up to 20 kg | 1006 30 94 20 | £121.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Wholly milled non-aromatic long-grain rice, not parboiled, packs up to 5 kg | 1006 30 98 16 | £121.00 per 1000 kg | None |
Specify the grain and milling process
Specify variety, growing origin, brown or white rice, degree of milling, parboiling and aromatic character. Agree acceptance criteria for broken grains, moisture, foreign matter, insects and odour. Keep an approved sample and compare cooked texture, stickiness and aroma using the same preparation method.
Agree bag material, seal construction, net weight, storage instructions and batch identification before approving artwork. For pre-packed rice sold in Great Britain, the label must include a UK food-business address, or the UK importer’s address where the responsible business is overseas. Pre-packed food usually needs a best-before or use-by date.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial consignment of paddy rice for sowing; FOB and freight are illustrative under 1006 10 10 00, invoiced at £1,000 free on board, with £176 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £1,176. Duty at 6% is £70.56. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £1,246.56, so it is £249.31. Import taxes total £319.87; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £70.56 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
Grain: compare milling, shape, colour, broken grains and foreign matter with the approved sample.
Condition: check for insects, musty smells, damp clumps and damaged or stained bags.
Packing: weigh sampled bags and check seals, batch identification and agreement with the packing list.
Documents: match the goods and batches to the supplied reports and certificates. Arrange quality inspection around the agreed rice specification.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
A supplier’s description of long-grain or fragrant rice may omit milling, grain dimensions or pack size needed for classification. An acceptable sample can also hide a production batch with more broken grains or a different cooking texture. Put acceptance criteria into the purchase specification.
Do not treat a supplier’s non-GMO declaration as confirmation that the tariff control has been satisfied. Agree the documentary route with your customs broker before dispatch. Food importers must ensure their goods are safe and legal before import into Great Britain; visual inspection alone cannot establish this.
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 rice from China?
The supplied lines show £25 per 1000 kg for most brown rice, £121 for milled rice and £176 for the listed food paddy line. Sowing paddy is 6%; the listed 0% Basmati line has an authenticity restriction.
What documents do I need for Chinese rice?
The tariff attaches GMO import controls. Ask your customs broker to confirm the clearance documents and testing for your consignment. Government guidance provides a model health certificate for Chinese rice.
Can I import organic rice from China?
For Great Britain, obtain a certificate of inspection for each consignment and check the exporter’s control body and export country against the non-UK organic registers.
What should I check when the rice arrives?
Check grain identity, milling, broken grains, insects, odour, dampness, bag weight and seals. Compare cooking performance with the approved sample and reconcile batches with the shipment documents.