Full Process Analysis of Nantong Food Import Customs Clearance Agency

Nantong Food Import Customs Clearance Agency: Full-link Practical Guide From Market Access to Customs Release

I have served many local food importers in Nantong.Recently,a client Mr.Zou imported chocolate from Japan,but the goods were required to be returned and rectified by customs inspection after arrival because no Chinese "shelf life" marking was printed on the label,which made him miss the peak sales season before the Spring Festival.This is the most easily encountered pitfall in food import customs clearance agency: if compliance details are not properly controlled,even high-quality goods may be stuck at Nantong Port.In 2026,customs supervision on imported foods is further tightened,especially for label formats,additive standards and quarantine procedures.Today,based on years of practical experience,we break down the key steps and pitfall avoidance points for Nantong food import customs clearance agency.

I.Core Supervision Red Lines for Food Import Customs Clearance Agency (2026 New Regulations)

First and foremost,food import customs clearance agencies shall clarify that customs supervision on imported food aims not only at "import permission",but also at "compliant import".According to the latest 2026 requirements,the following three types of problems most likely trigger cargo detention risks:

• Missing label filing: According to the Food Safety Law,imported pre-packaged food must have standard Chinese labels,including product name,ingredient list,net content,production date,shelf life,country of origin and importer information,with font size no less than 1.8mm (GB 7718-2011).I remember a case handled by Supervisor Gu last year: a Nantong enterprise imported Korean biscuits,and the unit marked on the "nutrition facts label" was written as "gram" instead of the required "kilojoule",which directly caused the whole batch of goods to be detained at Nantong Port for 3 days,generating nearly RMB 50,000 demurrage fees.
• Over-range use of additives: GB 2760-2024 National Food Safety Standard for Uses of Food Additives is a rigid red line.For example,a batch of imported cakes used the pigment "Sunset Yellow" exceeding the maximum allowable usage specified in GB 2760,which was determined by customs as "non-compliant with national food safety standards",the whole batch was directly returned,and the importer suffered losses of over RMB 1 million.For such cases,local Nantong enterprises often fall into pitfalls due to lack of tracking on updated national standards.
• Missing quarantine certificates: For animal and plant-derived foods such as meat,dairy products and fruits,the Application for Inspection and Quarantine Permit for Entry Animals and Plants must be submitted in advance,accompanied by the official Health Certificate issued by the exporting country.I had a client Mr.Qiu who failed to provide the above certificate when importing dried durian from Thailand,his goods were detained in the Nantong Port bonded area.Finally,Zhongshitong coordinated to complete the supplementary certificate process,which took 12 days and avoided a penalty of RMB 200,000.

II.Key Procedures and Pre-review Points for Nantong Food Import Customs Clearance Agency

When operating Nantong food import customs clearance,the principle of "pre-review first" shall be followed.The following four links are the core of efficiency and compliance:

1.Customs price verification and classification check

Customs has strict standards for food classification and price verification.After the 2026 RCEP tariff adjustment,the tax rate of some categories is reduced,but disputes over classification judgment need to be avoided.For example,if imported honey is declared as "edible honey" under HS Code 0409,the tariff rate is 0%; but if it is classified as "other edible sugars" under HS Code 1702,the tariff rate will be as high as 15%.The Shanghai team of Zhongshitong will communicate with Nantong Customs in advance for pre-classification confirmation,to avoid overpaying tariffs caused by misclassification.

2.Commodity inspection pre-review and label pre-inspection

Nantong Customs Inspection and Quarantine Bureau requires pre-review of imported food labels to be completed before cargo arrival,otherwise the goods cannot be picked up.I once encountered a case that a Nantong enterprise imported Australian milk powder,and the goods were detained at the port for 15 days due to failure to complete label pre-review in advance,generating RMB 800 demurrage fees per day.The practice of Zhongshitong is: 72 hours before cargo arrival,upload the label draft,ingredient list and nutrition facts label to the Nantong commodity inspection system for pre-review,focusing on checking high-frequency problems such as wrong sorting of ingredient list,wrong unit of nutrition facts label,and missing importer information.

3.Import license application

Special foods (such as infant formula milk powder,health food) need to apply for Import Food Health Certificate in advance.Nantong Customs has mandatory requirements on Chinese labels for imported infant formula milk powder: the stage marking such as "Stage 1" and "Stage 2" must correspond to the product standard,and the net content must be marked with "kilogram (kg)" and "gram (g)" at the same time.Zhongshitong can assist enterprises to prepare application materials 30 days in advance,to avoid production delays caused by incomplete qualifications.

4.Unique advantages of Shanghai Port linkage with Nantong

Headquartered in Shanghai,Zhongshitong can provide efficient services for Nantong enterprises through the "off-site declaration + local inspection" mode: after the goods arrive at Nantong Port,the Shanghai team reviews documents remotely,and the Nantong team directly connects with the customs broker,to ensure "customs clearance immediately upon arrival".Meanwhile,the global agency network of Shanghai headquarters can assist enterprises to lock in shipping schedules in advance,and complete logistics planning before the 2026 peak seasons (such as Christmas season,Ramadan) to avoid delays caused by port congestion.

III.Hidden Costs and Risk Warning for Nantong Food Import Customs Clearance Agency

The hidden costs of food import customs clearance agencies are often neglected "black holes" for enterprises.The following three types of risks need key prevention:

• Demurrage fee trap: The storage period for imported goods at Nantong Port is 7 days,and demurrage fee is charged at RMB 500 per day after expiration.If the goods do not complete inspection or label rectification,the fee will be doubled.It is recommended to confirm the "demurrage fee starting date" with the Nantong customs broker in advance (usually calculated from the bill of lading date,not the cargo arrival date),and purchase demurrage insurance.
• Exchange loss risk: In 2026,the RMB exchange rate fluctuates greatly.If importers adopt spot foreign exchange settlement,they may pay 1%-3% more cost due to exchange rate fluctuations.Zhongshitong can assist enterprises to lock in the exchange rate 15 days in advance through the foreign exchange channels of Shanghai headquarters.For example,a client imported French red wine,and saved RMB 23,000 of exchange loss through Zhongshitong’s forward foreign exchange settlement service.
• Accumulated document exchange fees: Nantong Port uses Delivery Order (D/O) for cargo pick-up,and some shipping companies charge "document exchange fee" (RMB 1000-1500) plus "telex release fee" (RMB 500).If the goods are transferred from multiple ports,the fees will be further accumulated.Zhongshitong checks the bill of lading type in advance to avoid repeated document exchange.

IV.2026 Practical Operation Case of Nantong Food Import Customs Clearance Agency (S-T-A-R)

Situation (S): A local Nantong food factory needed to import Indonesian coconut milk in March.Due to route adjustment after the pandemic,the shipping schedule was delayed by 15 days,leading to shortage of production raw materials.The original delivery date was scheduled for March.If the goods could not be picked up on time,the factory would face a RMB 2 million order penalty payable to downstream clients.

Task (T): Complete all document review and label filing before vessel arrival,to ensure customs clearance and cargo pick-up within 1 day after the goods arrive at the port.

Action (A): The Zhongshitong team intervened 7 days in advance: ① Review the Certificate of Origin (FORM E,eligible for RCEP tariff preferences); ② Design Chinese labels compliant with GB 7718-2011,marking "coconut milk" instead of "coconut beverage"; ③ The Nantong team arrived on site 1 day in advance for label pre-review; ④ The Shanghai headquarters synchronously coordinated with Indonesian supplier to complete the full set of health certificates.

Result (R): The goods arrived on schedule,and completed inspection and label filing within 12 hours,no demurrage fee was generated,production resumed normally,and the raw material procurement cost was saved by about 8%.

V.2026 Pitfall Avoidance Checklist for Nantong Food Import Customs Clearance Agency

As a Shanghai-based Nantong food import agency,Zhongshitong summarizes the following pitfall avoidance checklist for enterprise reference:

• Document pre-review: Submit the certificate of origin,health certificate and bill of lading 15 days in advance,focus on checking whether the consignee name is consistent with the customs declaration form;
• Label self-inspection: Check additives against GB 2760-2024,and check label format against GB 7718-2011,to avoid common problems such as wrong unit on nutrition facts label,ingredient list not sorted by content proportion;
• Logistics planning: Book shipping space 30 days in advance during peak seasons (December to February of the next year),confirm shipping schedules 15 days in advance in off-seasons (March to November),to avoid Nantong Port congestion;
• Exchange rate locking: For large-value imports (over USD 1 million),it is recommended to adopt forward foreign exchange settlement to lock in exchange rate fluctuation risks.

The core competitiveness of Nantong food import customs clearance agency lies in "front-loaded compliance + port linkage".With 20 years of experience and Shanghai headquarters resources,Zhongshitong can provide Nantong enterprises with full-link services covering pre-review,inspection,customs clearance and logistics.Under the 2026 new regulations,we focus more on "predictive compliance",to help your food pass customs smoothly and quickly capture the market.