Sourcing sowing seeds from China

Duty depends on the seed species

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 18 November 2026, heading 1209 covers seeds, fruit and spores of a kind used for sowing. The supplied Chinese-origin lines carry standard duties from 0% to 8%, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duties recorded. Classification depends on the botanical identity and product form, so confirm the commodity code before accepting a supplier's description.

The vegetable-seed lines 1209 91 30 00, 1209 91 80 10 and 1209 91 80 90 show a 0.00 % autonomous tariff suspension. The tariff excludes mixtures, preparations and products made up of different components containing these seeds from that suspension. Do not apply the suspended rate to a seed mixture without checking its classification and eligibility.

The tariff attaches organic import controls throughout, CITES import and export controls to flower, forest-tree and residual seed lines, and invasive-alien-species import controls to 1209 99 99 10 and 1209 99 99 90. The importer should confirm the requirements for the exact Chinese shipment with their customs broker. A control attached to a broad tariff line does not settle the treatment of an individual species.

Specify species, variety and germination

Specify the botanical species, cultivar, intended crop, harvest batch, germination target, analytical purity, moisture condition and any coating or treatment. For mixtures, request the identity and proportion of every component. Ask the processor to identify the seed grower and connect the supplied batch to its test report. Treat these as purchasing specifications, not a substitute for official clearance.

Seeds for sowing must meet applicable plant-health and seed-marketing rules. For Great Britain, establish the plant-health risk category before arranging transport; higher-risk categories are controlled. Ask the relevant plant-health authority to confirm phytosanitary certification, notification and inspection arrangements for the species from China. Check Northern Ireland separately.

Standard vegetable seed must meet analytical purity, varietal purity and germination standards before marketing in England and Wales. Confirm the applicable marketing route before ordering agricultural or vegetable seed from China, including any certification and variety questions. A supplier's germination report alone does not establish that route.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 20 kg of herbaceous flower seeds; illustrative order only under 1209 30 00 00, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,400. Duty at 2% is £68. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,468, so it is £693.60. Import taxes total £761.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £68 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 botanical name, cultivar and batch references across the order, bags, invoice and laboratory report; investigate mixed or substituted seed.

Germination: draw representative samples from the delivered batch and compare germination results with the agreed specification; retain a sealed reference sample.

Purity and condition: check for weed seeds, other crop seeds, inert matter, insects, mould, dampness and damaged coatings.

Packaging and records: check seals, liners and legible batch labels. For organic purchases, verify the inspection-certificate arrangements with the broker and control body; the exporter’s control body issues the certificate.

What goes wrong

A sample may germinate well while the delivered lot contains older seed, another cultivar or excessive inert matter. Damp packaging can also undermine an otherwise acceptable batch. Agree the sampling method, test basis and rejection procedure before shipment, then compare arrival samples with the retained reference.

An attractive flower-seed description can hide a protected or invasive species. Confirm the CITES treatment of the exact seed with the broker before shipment; official guidance requires permits for listed species in the relevant annexes. In England and Wales, listed invasive plants cannot be sold, used or exchanged. Do not assume a seed mixture or a low duty rate establishes permission to trade.

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.