Xi'an Food Import Agent & Customs Clearance: Core Compliance Risks to Avoid Additional Demurrage & Penalties

Core Compliance Breakdown of Key Links for Xi’an Food Imports

I previously worked with Director Zhu,who deals in imported snack foods in Xi’an.A foreign supplier shipped two containers of pre-packaged nuts to China,transshipped from Shanghai Port to Xi’an Inland Port.Due to the supplier’s Certificate of Origin not meeting RCEP preferential requirements and no advance compliance review of additives,they ended up paying nearly RMB 120,000 in additional tariffs and incurred over RMB 18,000 in demurrage fees due to a 7-day port detention.Such issues are completely avoidable with proper advance preparation.

• Customs Valuation:The core focus of customs valuation for imported food in 2026 is the authenticity of the dutiable value.Many foreign suppliers use EXW terms and split some freight and insurance premiums into other bills.If you cannot obtain complete foreign exchange payment vouchers,customs are likely to initiate price inquiries,delaying customs clearance.When handling Xi’an food imports,we assist clients in organizing the required documents corresponding to the trade terms in advance and prepare complete vouchers to avoid valuation disputes.
• Pre-inspection by CIQ:According to GACC Order No.248,all overseas production enterprises of imported food must complete registration,and unregistered products are not allowed to be imported.We will verify the registration qualifications of overseas enterprises for clients before shipment,confirm they are in the registration list published by the General Administration of Customs,and then arrange shipment to avoid mandatory return of goods upon arrival at the port.
• Animal and Plant Quarantine:If importing food containing animal or plant-derived ingredients,such as nuts,meat,or dairy products,an animal and plant quarantine certificate issued by the official authority of the exporting country is required.The validity period and content of the certificate must be completely consistent with the declared information.Even a single incorrect product code will require re-issuance of the certificate,delaying customs clearance by over ten days.
• Import License:For regulated categories such as meat,dairy products,olive oil,etc.an advance import animal and plant quarantine approval license is required.Goods can only be shipped after obtaining the approval.Many new clients overlook this step,leading to failure to clear customs upon arrival and incurring high demurrage fees.

Common Risk Warnings for Xi’an Imported Food

Many local importers in Xi’an who use small local agents are prone to hidden fee traps.I have compiled several common situations and made a comparison:

In addition to fee risks,there are also compliance red lines: in 2026,customs will intensify verification of the origin of imported food.Providing false Certificates of Origin to obtain preferential treatment will be recorded in the credit file and affect all subsequent import and export business.This must be noted carefully.

Core Requirements for Pre-packaged Food Imports: Chinese Label Filing

Pre-packaged food accounts for the largest proportion of imported food in Xi’an,and the most problematic part is the Chinese label.According to the latest regulatory requirements in 2026,the Chinese label must comply with GB 7718 and GB 28050.Food additives in the ingredient list must meet the access requirements of China’s GB 2760.Even if an additive is legal in the country of origin,it cannot be imported if it does not comply with China’s national standards.

I previously handled a real case: a Xi’an trader imported a batch of pre-packaged probiotic drinks from South Korea to sell in local chain supermarkets.During our advance review of the label formula,we found that a probiotic strain added to the formula was not in China’s list of strains allowed for food use.We notified the client in advance,who then communicated with the foreign supplier to adjust the formula and replace the strain with a compliant one,avoiding the need for goods to be returned.Return shipping costs plus demurrage and storage fees would have exceeded RMB 100,000,meaning the client would have lost the entire value of this shipment.

National Port Network to Solve Off-site Operation Challenges

Zhongshitong is headquartered in Shanghai,as a core national trade port,we have the ability to declare at ports nationwide.Regardless of whether your goods enter from Shanghai Port,Tianjin Port,or Guangzhou Port,and finally arrive in Xi’an,we can provide a one-stop end-to-end solution,eliminating the need for clients to coordinate with agents at different ports separately,with unified settlement and coordination to reduce communication costs.

In response to the latest trade rules in 2026,we will update RCEP tariff rates in real time,and help clients verify Certificate of Origin information to ensure smooth preferential treatment.For food imported from Europe and the United States,we will check the latest inspection and quarantine requirements in advance to avoid goods being detained due to trade compliance issues.For local clients in Xi’an,there is no need for them to visit customs or inspection agencies.We will handle all processes,and clients only need to provide basic cargo information to wait for the goods to be delivered to their doorstep.

The core of food import is compliance.As long as we control risks in every link in advance,we can avoid unnecessary extra costs and delays to sales schedules.