Sourcing tuna meal from China

Tuna meal classification and duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, tuna meal unfit for human consumption falls within the fishmeal line of heading 2301. The supplied record gives 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions. It contains only one line relevant to tuna meal.

The tariff attaches veterinary, CITES, organic and waste import controls to this line, plus CITES and waste export controls. Fishmeal imported for animal feed requires microscopy sampling at the border control post. Ask your customs broker to confirm the remaining controls for the exact species, organic claims and material status, including organic inspection certificates and any requirements for subsequent export.

Confirm the commodity code using the species, raw material, processing method, additives and intended use. Before ordering, ask APHA and your broker to confirm admissibility from China, plant approval, health certification, advance notification and entry arrangements. For the wider heading, see fishmeal and animal meal.

Specify the tuna raw material and analysis

Specify the tuna species, whether the raw material is whole fish or processing trimmings, and whether other fish are blended in. Record wild or farmed origin, the drying process, antioxidant treatment and intended feed application. Agree crude protein, moisture, fat, ash, salt, particle size and suitable measures of freshness and oxidation.

For aquaculture use, identify both the source species and the species receiving the feed. You must not feed farmed fish with meal made from farmed fish of the same species. Ask the receiving feed manufacturer to review the proposed ingredient and declarations before approving the specification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 12 tonnes of tuna meal for feed manufacture under 2301 20 00 00, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £33,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £33,500, so it is £6,700. 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. 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: compare species and raw-material records with the contract; investigate undeclared mixed fish, excessive bone or foreign material.

Analysis: independently sample the shipment and compare protein, moisture, fat, ash and salt with the agreed specification; agree microbiological, contaminant and oxidation testing with the laboratory.

Arrival condition: inspect for damp bags, caking, mould, unusual heating and rancid odours; compare arrival samples with retained loading samples.

Documents and bags: match batch references across bags, analysis reports and shipping documents; check bag integrity and net weight, and obtain the broker's clearance confirmation.

What goes wrong

A supplier may describe mixed fishmeal as tuna meal or change the proportion of bone and trimmings between batches. The resulting protein and ash can differ from the approved sample. Specify the raw material in writing and use representative shipment samples rather than relying on a sample chosen by the seller.

Moisture ingress and oxidation can leave meal caked or rancid on arrival. Unresolved import arrangements can also disrupt delivery despite the zero duty rate. Approve the sampling plan, packaging and document checklist before loading, using the quality inspection guide.

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.