Sourcing spices, ginger and turmeric from China

Zero duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, ginger, saffron, turmeric, curry, thyme, bay leaves, fenugreek seed and other spices of heading 0910, whether crushed or ground or not, carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.

Pepper, chillies, cinnamon and cloves are in headings 0904 to 0909; confirm the commodity code.

Contaminants and residues

The retained contaminants regulation sets maximum aflatoxin levels for certain spices, including ginger and turmeric, and pesticide residues must not exceed GB maximum residue levels. Ask for an accredited laboratory report for aflatoxins, residues and microbiology on each lot, and test ground spices for adulterants such as dyes.

Food law and labels

The importer must register as a food business. Retail packs need the name, net weight, best-before date, storage and a UK address in English, and mixes such as curry powder need an ingredient list with allergens such as mustard or celery emphasised.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 10 tonnes of turmeric under 0910 30 00 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £18,000 and duty at 0% is nil. With no duty, the question is VAT: culinary herbs and spices are zero-rated for VAT under VAT Notice 701/14, so in that case no import VAT is due either, but check the liability for the exact product, since herbal products sold as supplements or remedies can be treated differently. 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

Contaminants: aflatoxins tested on samples drawn by the method of retained Regulation 401/2006 and judged against the limits in retained Regulation 1881/2006, plus pesticide residues against GB maximum residue levels, lead and other heavy metals, and illegal dyes such as Sudan dyes by LC-MS/MS, all by an accredited lab for each lot.

Microbiology and quality: Salmonella to ISO 6579-1 and total counts as agreed, moisture by the method of ISO 939, extraneous matter to ISO 927, and for turmeric colouring power by the method of ISO 5566 so that curcumin content matches the price paid.

Packing and traceability: lined, sealed bags checked for insects and damage, bag weights checked against the packing list, lot numbers matched to the lab reports, and a retained sample kept from each lot until the goods are sold.

What goes wrong

Spice lots fail laboratory tests more often than they fail inspection. Turmeric and chilli powders have been adulterated with lead chromate and industrial dyes, ground ginger with starch, and saffron with dyed plant fibre. Aflatoxin rises when roots are dried slowly in damp weather, and insects and mould appear in bags stored without liners.

Test every lot before it ships, not after it lands: aflatoxins, pesticide residues, heavy metals including lead, dyes and microbiology, by an accredited laboratory. At inspection, check moisture, foreign matter, insect damage and bag weights, and keep a retained sample from each lot.

Moisture and inspection

Specify moisture limit, particle size, colour value (for turmeric, curcumin content) and packing with liners. At inspection, check moisture, foreign matter, insects and bag weights.

Cambridge China Bridge sources ginger, turmeric, saffron and spice blends, with contaminant testing and labels settled before the order. See how our sourcing service works.

Related guides: Sourcing cinnamon and cassia from China and Pepper and dried chillies from China. For Sichuan peppercorns, see our Sichuan peppercorn sourcing guide.