Sourcing wood ear mushroom spawn from China

Wood ear spawn duty and import controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 0602 covers other live plants, roots, cuttings and slips, and mushroom spawn. Its mushroom-spawn line, 0602 90 10 00, carries 0% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table shows packaging and medium variants under the same code.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches veterinary control and import control of organic products to this line. The importer should confirm the requirements for the exact Chinese product with their customs broker. Supply the complete medium composition, including any animal-derived ingredients. For organic claims, also ask an approved UK organic control body which products can be imported and which certification and inspection documents apply.

Confirm the commodity code using the product description, growing medium and intended use. For the wider heading, see our shiitake mushroom spawn guide.

Specify the wood ear strain and growing medium

Specify the scientific species name and supplier strain reference rather than accepting ‘wood ear’ alone. Agree whether the product is grain or sawdust spawn, its intended inoculation stage, medium ingredients, pack weight, production batch and storage instructions. Ask for records linking the supplied strain to a fruiting sample.

Agree a sample trial on your own cultivation substrate before accepting a production batch. Record expected colonisation, contamination acceptance criteria and the resulting ear shape, colour and texture. Specify seals, filter patches and packing that protects the culture during transport. Ask APHA to assess any uncertainty about the import status of the medium.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 bags of wood ear sawdust spawn under 0602 90 10 00, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,900, so it is £1,380. 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 species, strain reference and batch details against the purchase specification and supplier records.

Culture condition: check colonisation against the approved sample and investigate coloured growth, wet patches or unusual odours.

Packaging: check seals, bottle closures, filter patches, leaks and crushed or damp cartons on arrival.

Performance: trial retained samples on your cultivation substrate and compare growth and fruiting with the agreed sample. See quality inspection explained.

What goes wrong

A supplier’s wood ear name can conceal a different species or strain. A well-colonised pack does not establish fruiting performance. Damaged filters, leaking closures or unsuitable transport conditions can leave the buyer with contaminated or weak cultures. Keep suspect batches separate while investigating.

Incomplete medium declarations leave import-control questions unresolved. An organic claim on a supplier label does not settle the import documentation. Resolve these points before dispatch, and agree how contamination, strain substitution and failed sample trials will be documented and handled.

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.