Importing pet food from China

Pet food is an essential product for millions of pet owners. As of 2022, the pet industry in China is estimated to be worth around US$39 billion. The market is growing rapidly with the increase in the number of pet owners and the availability of more and more products and services dedicated to pets. There are many manufacturers in the market offering all kinds of pet food. China is a leader in the production of all kinds of pet foods and products due to its huge domestic market and large production capacity. Importing from China is a good option for obtaining valuable goods that can be successfully sold on the European market. Chinese pet food and feed suppliers offer to purchase pet food in bulk or packaged in smaller packages with the creation of your own packaging. 

Duty and tax on pet food from China 

When importing pet food from China, we will need to account for VAT and customs duties. Customs duty and VAT are calculated on the value of the order and paid at customs in Poland. Exact customs tariffs can be found in the Ishtar code browser. The amount of customs duty for a particular foodstuff will depend on the product composition and product category.

Below are the duty rates for certain products

• (HS CODE: 2309101100): Containing starch (up to 10% by weight) and milk products (up to 10% by weight)
• (HS CODE: 2309101900): Containing starch (up to 10% by weight) and milk products (not less than 75% by weight), duty EUR 948 / 1000 kg, non-preferential tariff quota 7%
• (HS CODE: 2309103300): Containing starch (10-30% by weight) and milk products (10-50% by weight), duty EUR 530 / 1000 kg, non-preferential tariff quota 7%
• (HS CODE: 2309105900): Containing starch (over 30% by weight) and milk products (at least 50% by weight), duty EUR 730 / 1000 kg, non-preferential tariff quota 7%
• (HS CODE: 2309107000): Not containing starch, glucose, glucose syrup, maltodextrin or maltodextrin syrup but containing milk products, duty EUR 948 / 1000 kg, non-preferential tariff quota 7%.
• (HS CODE: 2309901021): Fish food (fish solutions), Customs 3.8%
• (HS CODE: 2309901031: unpackaged dog or cat food (fish solutions) for retail sale, customs duty 3.8%
• (HS CODE: 2309901081): Fish food (marine mammal solutions), duty 3.8%
• (HS CODE: 2309909110): Unpackaged for retail sale dog or cat food, beet pulp with added molasses, duty 12%
• (HS CODE: 2309909631): Unpackaged for retail sale dog or cat food with minerals and complex vitamins, duty 9.6%, non-preferential tariff quota 7%.

Requirements for importing animal feed from China

There are a number of requirements to be met when importing animal products. Below are some of them: 

• Carrying out veterinary checks on the goods at the border inspection post
• Appropriate labelling on packaging
• Notification to TRACES control system for products of animal origin
• It is also worth reviewing the requirements in EC Regulations no. 1829/2003 and 767/2009.   

Pet supplies from China contain a lot of restrictions that must be met. It is advisable to check the regulations for a particular food before importing it, so as to avoid additional costs for storage if it turns out that the goods cannot be cleared due to a lack of documentation. 

Trade fair for pet supplies

Manufacturers of pet supplies often exhibit their stands at trade fairs, which are a great place to establish new business relationships. 

Below is a list of some of the major fairs taking place in China: 

• Pet Fair Asia
• China Pet Expo (CPE) 
• China Animal Husbandry and Feed Industry Expo (KAHE)
• China International Pet Show 

Transport of animal products from China

Transport of animal products is possible by sea, rail or air. The most cost-effective means of transporting animal products from China will be by sea or rail. All because of the price, which is incomparably lower than air transport. Sea transport takes approximately 42 days from the port in China to the port in Gdansk. By contrast, with rail transport, this time will be approximately 14-22 days.