Practical Full-Process Operation Guide for Import Food Agency: Safe & Compliant Customs Clearance + Efficient Logistics Delivery Solution

Core Safety Control Nodes of Import Food Agency

I.Pre-control of Customs Valuation: Avoid Exchange Loss and Valuation Objection

In 2026,customs valuation rules are further refined.For imported food,especially high-end dairy products,fresh fruits and other categories,customs will conduct cross-verification by combining the import prices of the same category in the same period and the cost composition of the origin.I once met Ms.Wei from Zhejiang,who triggered a valuation review when importing New Zealand infant formula,because the declared price in the contract was 3% lower than the customs guidance price of the same period.The goods were detained at the port for 7 days,resulting in nearly RMB 20,000 demurrage fees.

In practical operations,it is required to provide Certificate of Origin (Form E/Form A),Trade Contract,Packing List and detailed cost statement of overseas factories 3 working days in advance.The agency will synchronize the documents to the pre-valuation review system of Shanghai Port to predict valuation risks.For food imported from RCEP member states,it is necessary to ensure that the certificate of origin complies with the direct shipment rule,otherwise the tariff concession cannot be enjoyed,which will lead to extra cost increase.

II.Pre-inspection by Commodity Inspection: Build the First Line of Defense for Food Access

In accordance with the requirements of GACC Decree No.248 of 2026,all overseas production enterprises of imported food must complete the registration and filing in China,and goods from unregistered enterprises will be directly returned.I once handled a return case of a batch of Thai durians.The consignor did not confirm the registration status of the overseas factory in advance,and found that the factory had not completed the registration required by Decree No.248 after the goods arrived at the port,resulting in a direct loss of nearly RMB 150,000 covering freight and goods value.

In the pre-inspection process of commodity inspection,the key points to verify include: the validity period of Phytosanitary/Health Certificate and its consistency with the goods batch,whether the ingredient list of pre-packaged food complies with relevant national standards including GB2760,especially the use scope and dosage of food additives.The agency shall connect with overseas suppliers in advance to ensure that the document information is completely consistent with the goods,and avoid commodity inspection detention caused by inconsistent documents.

Core pre-inspection checklist for pre-packaged food commodity inspection:

• GACC registration number of overseas production enterprise and its validity certificate
• Original copy of Animal and Plant Quarantine Certificate (sealed by the official quarantine authority of the exporting country)
• Sample of Chinese label for pre-packaged food and its translated version
• Compliance statement for food additives in the ingredient list against national standards

III.Animal and Plant Quarantine: Core Safety Checkpoint for Fresh Food

For imported fresh food (such as meat,fruits,seafood),customs has intensified the detection of pests in 2026.For goods from epidemic areas in South America,Southeast Asia and other regions,the sampling detection proportion has been increased to 30%.Shanghai Port has opened a green channel for fresh food,but it is required to submit quarantine declaration documents 24 hours in advance,otherwise the priority inspection cannot be enjoyed.

Key points in practical operations: After arriving at the port,the goods must be stored in the customs-designated supervised cold storage,and shall not be moved out without passing the quarantine.For cold chain food,Temperature Record Report shall be provided to ensure that the whole-process cold chain transportation meets requirements.When I assisted Supervisor Liu from Guangdong to import Chilean cherries before,we did not confirm the storage space of the supervised cold storage in advance,which led to the failure of timely storage after the goods arrived at the port,resulting in extra demurrage and cold storage fees.

IV.Import License Application: Mandatory Certificate for Compliant Customs Clearance

Some imported food requires import license application,such as dairy products,meat,bird’s nest and other categories.In 2026,the license processing period is shortened from 5 working days to 3 working days,but it is necessary to ensure the completeness of application materials,especially quota certificate,origin traceability information and other documents.

The agency shall sort out the corresponding license category of the goods in advance.For example,import of dairy products requires Health Supervision and Inspection Certificate for Imported Food,and import of meat requires Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit.Meanwhile,it is necessary to pay attention to anti-dumping warnings of destination countries.For example,the European Union has added new anti-dumping duties on some imported food in 2026,so importers shall calculate the cost in advance to avoid losses.

Core Risk Warnings for Import Food Agency

Compliance Red Line Risk: Goods without GACC registration of overseas production enterprises will be directly returned.If the Chinese label of pre-packaged food is not filed or does not meet national standards,the importer will face rectification or destruction penalty.In 2026,the maximum penalty amount can reach 5% of the goods value.

Demurrage Fee Trap: Some service providers do not inform the free storage period of the wharf in advance,especially in peak seasons (around Christmas,Ramadan,etc.),the free storage period is shortened from 7 days to 3 days.Overdue storage will lead to high demurrage fees,up to RMB 2000 per container per day.

Exchange Loss Risk: Exchange rate fluctuation intensified in 2026.If importers do not lock the exchange rate in advance,they may face exchange losses.The agency shall provide foreign exchange settlement hedging solutions,such as locking forward exchange rate in advance to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuation.

Core Capability Support for Safe and Convenient Import Food Agency

Relying on the core resources of Shanghai international trade center,cross-port remote declaration across the country can be realized.For example,goods represented by Shanghai-based agencies can complete customs clearance directly at Shenzhen Port and Tianjin Port without document transfer,saving 3-5 days.Meanwhile,the global agency network covers major food exporting countries and regions including Europe,America,Southeast Asia and RCEP member states,which can connect with overseas suppliers in advance to complete document pre-review and GACC registration verification,ensuring fast customs clearance after goods arrival.

Practical case: In March 2026,we assisted Mr.Tong to import Australian beef,connected with overseas suppliers in advance to complete the application for Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit,and completed pre-valuation review through the pre-review system of Shanghai Port.The customs clearance was completed 24 hours after the goods arrived at the port,48 hours faster than the industry average,which avoided the risk of beef deterioration and directly reduced economic losses by about RMB 80,000.