Sourcing silage inoculant cultures from China

Duty and border controls for silage cultures

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 October 2026, heading 3002 covers cultures of micro-organisms excluding yeasts, alongside other biological products. The relevant non-pathogen culture line, 3002 49 00 20, carries 0% duty for goods from China, with no recorded anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension. The table shows purchasing formats under the same tariff line, subject to confirmation of each formulation.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches Veterinary control and Animal Health Certificate controls to this line. The importer should confirm their application to the exact China-origin formulation with their customs broker and APHA, including any animal-derived carrier. Where the consignment falls within medium or high risk animal-product imports, a health certificate is required. A tariff control flag alone does not establish the documentation for every bacterial culture.

Send the strain identities, complete composition, carrier ingredients and intended silage use to your broker to confirm the commodity code. Check formulated mixtures separately. The lactic starter cultures guide covers the wider culture family.

Specify the strain, viable count and silage application

Ask the factory for each organism's strain identity, culture collection reference, complete carrier composition and batch analysis. Specify the intended forage, application method, viable count at delivery and at the end of shelf life, storage conditions and remaining shelf life on arrival. Ask for supporting stability and silage performance data for the proposed formulation.

Feed additives must be authorised before sale in Great Britain and used only for the authorised purpose. Compare the proposed culture with the register of permitted feed additives and its terms of authorisation before ordering. Resolve the Chinese manufacturer's representation arrangements: ask the relevant feed authority whether this formulation falls within the higher-risk feeds requiring a representative in Great Britain.

Selling technological feed additives is a registration activity; arrange the relevant feed business registration with your local authority. Feed placed on the Great Britain market must identify the business responsible for labelling by name and address. That business must be based in the UK and appropriately registered or approved.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Sealed culture sachets for a distributor's trial order, illustrative under 3002 49 00 20, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,500, so it is £1,100. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match strain references, formulation, batch numbers and batch analysis to the purchase specification and the authorisation being relied on.

Viability: review the batch test method and results against the agreed viable count; arrange arrival testing where the transport history or remaining shelf life raises questions.

Packaging: check sachet seals, tub closures, moisture ingress, caking and damaged cartons; compare recorded transport conditions with the supplier's supported storage conditions.

Labels: check the responsible UK business name and address, batch identity, expiry, storage instructions, mixing directions and application information against the agreed artwork and authorisation terms.

What goes wrong

A species name can conceal a different strain from the culture ordered. A factory certificate may describe viable count at manufacture without supporting the count after transport or storage. Leaking packs, moisture and unsuitable transport conditions can undermine the agreed specification. Ask for strain-specific documents and stability evidence rather than accepting a generic bacterial powder certificate.

Another failure is treating zero duty as permission to sell. Establish the feed additive authorisation, responsible business and representation arrangements before printing labels or shipping. Give the broker the complete formulation early so the veterinary and animal health certificate flags are resolved before dispatch.

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.