Complete Process Guide for Xiamen Food Import Freight Forwarding

Core Operational Guide for Xiamen Food Import Freight Forwarding (2026 Edition)

As one of China’s first designated ports for imported food,Xiamen Port recorded a 15% year-on-year increase in food import volume in 2025,but its customs clearance delay rate still reached 8.3% (data from the General Administration of Customs).In March 2026,I handled a typical case: a Southeast Asian client’s imported dried durian via Xiamen Port was detained by Customs for failing to complete GACC Overseas Manufacturing Enterprise Registration (Decree No.248) in advance,directly causing 3 days of port detention and over RMB 50,000 in additional costs.The core contradiction in Xiamen food import agency has always been balancing compliance thresholds and timeliness control.

I.List of Xiamen Food Import Regulatory Red Lines (2026 Edition)

• GACC Overseas Manufacturing Enterprise Registration: Starting from January 2026,all overseas manufacturing enterprises of imported food must complete filing in accordance with the General Administration of Customs’ Regulations on the Administration of Registration of Overseas Manufacturing Enterprises for Imported Food (Decree No.248).Unregistered enterprises will face direct rejection of goods.
• Mandatory Standards for Chinese Labels: GB 7718-2026 adds the "minimum font size requirement for ingredient lists of prepackaged food" (≥size 5),and all food additives must be labeled with specific names (e.g."caramel color" must be precisely marked as "Caramel Color (III)").Vague labeling such as "food coloring" will be deemed non-compliant.
• Dual-track System for Animal and Plant Quarantine Certificates: Meat and dairy products must be accompanied by the Import Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit and Official Quarantine Certificate of the Exporting Country/Region.In 2026,"cold chain food temperature monitoring records" are added as supplementary materials,which must align with customs declaration data.
• IPPC Mark for Wooden Packaging: Goods with wooden packaging from the EU and the United States must carry the IPPC mark (fumigation certificate certified by the International Plant Protection Convention).Otherwise,pest control treatment will be required at Xiamen Port,extending processing time by 2-3 days.

II.Practical Tips for Food Customs Price Verification at Xiamen Port

The Customs price verification department uses the "transaction price comparison of contemporaneous similar goods" method to review imported food prices.A European client imported olive oil whose declared price was 12% higher than the "average olive oil price at Xiamen Port from January to May 2026" released by the General Administration of Customs,leading to a judgment of "unreasonable declared price" and a supplementary tax of RMB 32,000.Core avoidance solutions:

• Obtain the Imported Food Price Parameter Table released by Xiamen Customs 15 working days in advance,focusing on the reference dutiable price range of similar products (e.g.Spanish extra virgin olive oil).
• When using the EXW trade term,provide supplementary "domestic freight proof" (such as the transportation contract from Xiamen Port to the warehouse) to avoid being deemed as "including domestic transportation costs" and increasing the dutiable price base.
• For sauce products,submit a component analysis report (CMA certified) to verify correct classification of the declared "compound seasoning" (the tax rate difference between HS code 09049000 and 21039000 reaches 8 percentage points).

III.Commodity Inspection Pre-Review: 3 Key Verification Points Before Food Entry at Xiamen Port

Xiamen Commodity Inspection Bureau implements a "three pre-review" system for imported food,which can significantly reduce port inspection risks:

• Label Design Pre-Review: Shizhongtong Xiamen Branch,in collaboration with experts from Xiamen Commodity Inspection Bureau,completes label review 3 working days before goods arrive at the port,focusing on: ① Units in the nutrition facts table (e.g.energy must be listed in kJ instead of kcal); ② Allergen warnings (nut products must be labeled with "May contain peanuts/nuts"); ③ Shelf-life calculation method (must follow the "production date + shelf life" format).
• Quarantine Certificate Pre-Review: In 2026,verification of the "animal-derived food disease prevention and control traceability code" is added.Foreign suppliers must be required to provide QR code traceability information in advance,and Xiamen Commodity Inspection Bureau will scan the code to check whether the production batch is on the disease warning list.
• Additive Compliance Pre-Review: For drinks containing sweeteners,confirm in advance whether the sweetener type falls within the permitted scope of GB 2760-2024 (2026 valid version).For example,the maximum usage amount of "sucralose" in carbonated drinks is 0.25g/kg; exceeding this limit will result in the entire batch of goods being rejected.

IV.Typical Risks and Emergency Solutions for Xiamen Imported Food in 2026

V.Xiamen Food Import Timeliness Optimization Strategies

Xiamen Port launched the "port appointment inspection" system in 2026.Different food categories require tailored strategies:

• Liquid Food: Book "dry port direct pick-up" 2 working days in advance.After goods arrive at the port,they can be directly transported to the supervised warehouse,avoiding queuing at the port yard.
• Dry Food: Apply for "priority release at Xiamen Port" simultaneously when the shipping company issues the bill of lading,and provide scanned copies of the Certificate of Origin and Sanitary Certificate.
• Cold Chain Food: Collaborate with Xiamen Port Cold Chain Center and adopt the "commodity inspection first,customs declaration later" process to reduce storage time in the cold chain warehouse (cold chain storage fees increased by 15% in 2026,at RMB 120 per hour).

The core value of Xiamen food import agency lies in converting global supply chain risks into controllable costs.As a Shanghai-based headquarter enterprise,Shizhongtong has established a branch in Xiamen,offering full-chain services including "overseas manufacturing enterprise preliminary review - GACC filing - label design - port customs clearance".If you have specific food import needs,contact us 3 working days in advance to obtain the Xiamen Food Import Compliance Self-Inspection Checklist,and avoid high losses caused by detailed omissions.