Sourcing rolled oats from China
Chinese rolled and flaked oats attract UK duty of £77.00 to £152.00 per 1000kg, depending on classification. Imported cereals must meet the same or equivalent food hygiene standards and procedures as food produced in Great Britain. Organic consignments need additional paperwork. Cambridge China Bridge sources rolled oats.
Rolled oats: duty and classification
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 1104 covers otherwise worked cereal grains and cereal germ. Rolled oats fall under 1104 12 10 00; flaked oats have a separate line, 1104 12 90 00. The table includes hulled and pearled oats as classification comparisons. See worked cereals for the wider heading.
The supplied China tariff facts show £77.00 per 1000kg for rolled oats and £152.00 per 1000kg for flaked oats. Neither oat line lists an anti-dumping or countervailing duty or a suspension. Both attach an organic import control. Organic oats imported from China into Great Britain need a certificate of inspection for each consignment; confirm the paperwork with your customs broker before shipment.
Give your broker the processing description, ingredient composition and sample, rather than relying on the supplier's description of porridge oats. Use finding your commodity code to prepare the classification enquiry. These are weight-based duties, so a percentage-duty worked example is unavailable from the supplied oat lines.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolled oats | 1104 12 10 00 | £77.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Flaked oats | 1104 12 90 00 | £152.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Hulled oats, including sliced or kibbled forms, for comparison | 1104 22 40 00 | £135.00 per 1000 kg | None |
| Pearled oats, for comparison | 1104 22 50 00 | £121.00 per 1000 kg | None |
Specify the oat flakes and cooking result
Specify whole or cut groats before rolling, flake thickness, broken-flake tolerance, fines, moisture and the intended cooking method. Ask for the steaming and drying process, storage instructions and a sample cooked using your own recipe. Compare texture, water absorption and flavour against an approved sample.
Imported cereals must meet the same or equivalent food hygiene standards and procedures as cereals produced in Great Britain. Ask for batch-linked laboratory results covering the hazards identified for your product, and agree how samples will be taken. Review wheat and barley cross-contact, cleaning records and the evidence behind any gluten-free claim before approving packaging.
Inspection checklist
Flakes: compare thickness, colour, intact flakes and fines with the approved sample; repeat the agreed cooking trial.
Condition: check for damp bags, clumping, insects, foreign material and stale or rancid odours; isolate suspect stock for investigation.
Batch evidence: match bag markings, packing records, laboratory reports and retained samples to the delivered batch.
Packaging: check seals, bag weight and approved artwork. Allergenic ingredients must be emphasised whenever they appear in the ingredients list. For organic orders, match the consignment to its certificate of inspection.
What goes wrong
A sample can cook differently from production stock when flake thickness, the proportion of fines or heat treatment changes. A purchase order that says only 'rolled oats' leaves these differences unresolved. Agree measurable acceptance criteria and retain the approved sample.
Moisture damage, broken seals and reports covering another batch leave the buyer without reliable acceptance evidence. Photograph arrival defects, retain representative samples and hold affected bags while investigating. Organic paperwork should be checked before dispatch rather than first requested after arrival.
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 rolled oats from China?
The supplied tariff facts show £77.00 per 1000kg for 1104 12 10 00. Flaked oats under 1104 12 90 00 carry £152.00 per 1000kg. Confirm classification before ordering.
Are rolled oats and flaked oats the same commodity code?
The supplied tariff facts list them separately. Send your broker the processing description and a sample; do not choose the code solely from the supplier's product name.
What paperwork do organic oats from China need?
Organic consignments entering Great Britain from China need a certificate of inspection for each consignment. Confirm the consignment paperwork with your customs broker before dispatch.
What should I check before accepting rolled oats?
Compare flakes and cooking performance with the approved sample. Check bag seals, moisture damage, odours, insects and foreign material, and match laboratory reports to the delivered batch.