Key Points for Compliance Operation of Food Export Customs Declaration and Analysis of Common Customs Clearance Issues in Destination Countries in 2026

Destination Country Access Certification Requirements

The core prerequisite for food export customs declaration is meeting the access requirements of the destination country.In 2026,regulatory granularity of imported food in global countries has been further refined.A common pitfall for domestic enterprises is only focusing on domestic customs declaration and ignoring the pre-registration requirements of the destination country.

For pre-packaged food exports,core requirements include Enterprise Filing Compliance corresponding to GACC Order 248,submission of qualified phytosanitary certificates,compliance of food additives in ingredient lists with the destination country’s access standards,and full information labeling in accordance with requirements.

Zhongshitong is headquartered in Shanghai.Relying on information advantages of Shanghai ports,we can synchronize the latest access requirements of global countries in real time,support off-site declaration at national ports,and connect global agent networks to complete registration reviews in advance,avoiding discovering problems after goods arrive at the port.

Antidumping Tariff Risk Warning

Global trade rules are frequently changing in 2026.Some economies have launched antidumping investigations against Chinese food products.Fluctuations in tariff rates directly affect corporate profits,so risk checks need to be conducted in advance in the customs declaration process.

• Verify the latest tariff rates for export items 15 days in advance,apply for the corresponding Certificate of Origin in advance,ensure full enjoyment of preferential tariff reductions under the agreement,and reduce tariff costs in the importing country
• Synchronize official holidays of the destination country in advance; customs clearance efficiency at destination ports during periods such as Ramadan and Christmas season drops by over 30%,so a 7-10 day customs declaration buffer period should be reserved
• For food products subject to antidumping investigations,conduct advance compliance screening of origin to avoid transit trade risks and high antidumping duties

In practice,we encountered a snack food enterprise from Zhejiang exporting to the Middle East.Due to failure to pay attention to Ramadan holidays in advance,the shipment could not be cleared half a month after arrival at the port,resulting in over 120,000 RMB in container demurrage and port storage fees,which the buyer refused to bear and finally the exporter paid.Before operation,we will check the holiday schedule in advance and provide clear shipping schedule suggestions to enterprises.

Export Tax Refund Process Optimization

A large part of the profits of food export enterprises comes from export tax refunds.Delayed or failed tax refunds directly erode profits,and document errors in the customs declaration process are the main cause of tax refund issues.

Last year,a pre-made vegetable export enterprise from Shandong,when handling its first EU order,filled in ingredient components incorrectly when declaring customs on its own,leading to rejection of the tax refund review and a three-month delay without payment.After contacting us,the core tasks were to correct documents,re-complete export customs declaration,and help the enterprise recover the tax refund.Our document verification team in Shanghai found the error within one day,coordinated with the local port in Shandong to complete off-site document amendment,re-applied for qualified phytosanitary certificates,completed document amendment declaration within 10 days,and the tax refund arrived normally.Subsequently,all export orders of this enterprise were handled by us and no tax refund issues occurred again.

Risk Warning: Some small agents in the market will hide hidden fees,such as document amendment fees,bill of lading change fees,manifest entry fees,etc.and add extra charges during settlement.Zhongshitong will issue a clear fee list before operation,all fees are transparent and no hidden charges exist.

Foreign Exchange Collection Safety Risk Control Management

Global exchange rate fluctuations have increased in 2026.Most food exports are under FOB terms,with an interval of 1-3 months from customs declaration to foreign exchange collection,and exchange rate losses can reach over 5% at most,eroding profits of many enterprises.

We connect to compliant foreign exchange settlement channels and can lock in exchange rates in advance according to enterprise needs to reduce exchange rate loss risks.At the same time,we will verify buyer creditworthiness in advance and implement property right control for high-risk buyers to avoid buyer payment refusal.

It is necessary to clarify the compliance red line: For food export customs declaration,false declaration of cargo value and using others’ export quota for declaration are strictly prohibited.Once detected by customs,not only the tax refund qualification will be cancelled,but also the enterprise will be listed in the customs dishonesty enterprise list,affecting all subsequent export businesses.We have a complete risk control audit system,all operations strictly comply with customs regulatory requirements,and avoid compliance risks from the source.

No matter which province the enterprise is located in and which country it exports to,we can complete the full-link operation from factory container loading to overseas signature through national port linkage and global agent network,controlling risks in every link.