Sourcing Tung Nuts from China

Zero duty, with use and control checks

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 1207 covers other oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, whether or not broken. For tung nuts, the supplied facts contain shared other-oilseed entries rather than a named tung-nut line. The table therefore shows provisional classifications; whole, shelled and broken material share the same candidate code.

The relevant lines carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Both lines attach an organic-products import control. For tung nuts declared organic, confirm the applicable inspection certificate and release requirements with your customs broker and organic control body. The exporter’s control body issues the organic certificate of inspection.

Describe the species, condition and intended use when confirming the commodity code. For planting material, confirm the plant-health risk category before shipment: high and medium risk plant products from outside the EU move under plant-health controls. See the wider oilseed guide for other products within this heading.

Specify tung nuts for your extraction process

This guide covers raw tung nuts bought for industrial oil extraction. Agree the botanical species, whole nuts or shelled kernels, acceptable broken material, moisture, foreign matter and the basis for measuring oil content. An oil-content result for kernels is not directly comparable with a result for nuts containing shell.

Ask the processor to trial a representative sample. Record the preparation and test method, sample condition and acceptance criteria in the purchase specification. Agree packaging that keeps the material dry, and require batch identification on bags and reports. Keep finished tung oil separate from the raw-material specification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 kg of shelled tung kernels for industrial oil extraction under 1207 99 96 90, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,400. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,400, so it is £680. 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 the delivered nuts or kernels with the approved sample and check the species and intended use on the documents.

Condition: draw samples across the lot and check for mould, insects, dampness, discolouration and unusual odour.

Composition: measure moisture and inspect shell, stones, other seeds and broken material against the agreed specification; check oil content on the agreed basis.

Packaging: inspect liners, seams and water damage, reconcile bag weights and batch marks, and match the lot to its inspection and laboratory reports.

What goes wrong

A specification that says only “tung nuts” leaves shell content and usable kernel yield unresolved. A supplier can quote an oil-content result from cleaned kernels while delivering shell-heavy material. Tie acceptance to the purchased form and the agreed sampling and test methods.

Damp packaging, mixed lots and excessive foreign matter can make an approved sample unrepresentative of the shipment. Keep affected bags separate while checking the lot. Organic claims also need a document review before dispatch; confirm the tariff control with the broker rather than relying on a supplier’s organic logo.

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.