What are the core customs clearance procedures for acting as an import agent for butter?
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We are a company that has just stepped into the food import trade, with previous business experience limited to domestic trade. Now we intend to act as an agent to import butter from New Zealand for domestic sales, and have no exposure to cross-border import procedures at all.
Recently we have encountered several troublesome issues: first, we do not know what mandatory documents are required for imported butter, and fear that incomplete document preparation will lead to cargo detention; second, we are unclear about how to select a reliable agency company, and worry about losing cargo ownership or wasting unnecessary money due to improper service; third, we heard that food import has a very high inspection rate, and do not know how to prepare for it in advance. Now we want to know how to smoothly conduct the imported butter agency business, how to operate the full process from pre-preparation to final cargo pickup, and if there are any tips to avoid common pitfalls?
DavidYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Business Development AdvisorStart a Chat
First of all，it is necessary to clarify the customs code 04051000 for imported butter，which is the foundation of all subsequent operations. At the pre-document review stage，you need to prepare in advance the Certificate of Origin，official health and quarantine certificate，Food Contact Material Compliance Report，nutrition composition test report，as well as the filing certificate of the food business license of the domestic importer. In 2026，the customs has realized online pre-review of documents，so you can submit documents 72 hours in advance to avoid document detention on site.
At the core node connection stage，for international logistics，direct shipping routes are preferred，and you can apply to the shipping company for 14 days of free storage period and 7 days of free container period to avoid port demurrage fees. After bill of lading exchange，inspection declaration shall be completed simultaneously，with focus on verifying the consistency of product name，weight and documents. When submitting customs declaration，authentic transaction price vouchers shall be provided to avoid price review disputes. In case of customs inspection，batch identification and traceability codes of the goods shall be sorted out in advance to cooperate with on-site container opening inspection.
For abnormal contingency plans，in case of document inconsistency，you can apply for guaranteed release first and then supplement the materials. If the goods are detained，you shall submit the situation statement and supplementary supporting documents within 3 working days to avoid the goods being destroyed. At the final landing stage，foreign exchange settlement and export tax refund filing shall be completed，and the Four Flows Consistency principle shall be strictly followed to ensure the information of contract，invoice，logistics and capital flow matches with each other.
For cost optimization，you can apply for the VAT deferral policy to defer the payment of import value-added tax and ease capital pressure. At the same time，you can lock the ocean freight price through bulk procurement to reduce the fluctuation risk of logistics costs.
DanielYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Legal AdvisorStart a Chat
Regarding price review disputes for imported butter, the compliance of transaction prices shall be clarified first. In 2026, the customs system has realized real-time data interconnection with overseas supplier systems.
When declaring, original vouchers such as procurement contracts, invoices and packing lists shall be accurately provided to avoid risks of under-declaration or over-declaration of value. In case of customs price review query, you can provide a third-party test report to prove that the product quality matches the declared price.
For bulk imported butter, you can apply for advance ruling to confirm the price review standard, so as to reduce the uncertainty in subsequent customs clearance. Meanwhile, it shall be noted that the related party transaction pricing between importers and suppliers shall comply with BEPS rules to avoid anti-tax avoidance investigations by tax authorities.
EllaYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Financial AdvisorStart a Chat
For the international logistics segment, direct shipping routes shall be planned in priority to avoid cargo damage and delay risks brought by transshipment. Applying to the shipping company for 14 days of free storage period and 7 days of free container period can greatly reduce port demurrage and container demurrage fees. The bill of lading shall be made with named endorsement to ensure controllable cargo ownership.
If resale of the goods is needed, the process can be simplified by using telex release bill of lading. Meanwhile, track the real-time ocean shipping trajectory, submit pre-declaration for inspection to the customs in advance to shorten the customs clearance time, and avoid extra costs incurred after the goods arrive at the port.
SophiaYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Customs AdvisorStart a Chat
For tax planning of imported butter, the VAT deferral policy can be focused on. In 2026, China's customs has relaxed the threshold for deferral application. As long as the importer has general taxpayer qualification and no unpaid tax records, it can apply for deferred payment of import value-added tax to ease capital turnover pressure.
At the same time, trade terms shall be reasonably planned, CIF terms shall be selected with our designated freight forwarder to avoid extra freight premium. For imported butter under related party transactions, contemporaneous documentation shall be prepared to prove that the pricing complies with the fair market principle and avoid withholding tax risks.
WilliamYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
International Logistics AdvisorStart a Chat
For cross-border receipt and payment compliance, note that in 2026, the CIPS system has covered major trading countries around the world. Cross-border RMB settlement can be used to avoid exchange rate fluctuation risks.
Ensure that every foreign exchange payment corresponds to a real import business, and keep well documents such as trade contracts and customs declaration forms to avoid being identified as abnormal capital flow. Meanwhile, check the foreign exchange account statements and customs declaration information regularly to ensure that the settlement amount is consistent with the declared cargo value, and avoid outstanding accounts or verification abnormalities.
AlexanderYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Trade AdvisorStart a Chat
Legal risks of imported butter agency shall be avoided through contract clauses. The ownership of cargo, customs clearance responsibilities, breach of contract liabilities and other contents shall be clearly specified in the agency agreement, and the other party shall be required to provide an irrevocable letter of guarantee to ensure the goods arrive at the port safely.
Meanwhile, force majeure clauses shall be added to the contract as a fallback, and exemption scope shall be specified for special situations such as customs inspection and port strike. In addition, customs intellectual property protection filing shall be completed in advance to avoid the imported butter infringing on the trademark rights of third parties.
CharlotteYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Currency Exchange AdvisorStart a Chat
During the on-site customs inspection process, batch traceability codes, production batch numbers and other identifiers of the goods shall be sorted out in advance to cooperate with the customs to open the container for inspection. Pay attention to verifying the integrity and number of the seal. If any seal damage is found, contact the shipping company for confirmation immediately.
If the customs puts forward a sample testing requirement, contact the qualified third-party testing institution in advance to ensure the submitted samples meet the requirements and shorten the inspection cycle. Meanwhile, be familiar with all requirements on the inspection notice to avoid accidental cargo detention caused by operation errors.
EmilyYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Client Success AdvisorStart a Chat
The packaging of imported butter shall comply with domestic food contact material standards, and pallets shall be affixed with IPPC fumigation marks to avoid being returned due to unqualified packaging. For butter that requires long-distance transportation, moisture-proof and heat-insulating packaging materials shall be used to avoid cargo deterioration.
Meanwhile, a complete MSDS report shall be prepared (although butter is not a dangerous good, it is still required by some countries) to ensure compliance in the logistics segment. If special transport containers are used, packaging appraisal reports shall be submitted to the customs in advance to avoid inspection obstruction.
SarahYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Foreign Exchange AdvisorStart a Chat
In terms of supply chain planning, the import plan shall be formulated in combination with the domestic sales cycle to avoid risks of overstock or stockout. JIT inventory linkage strategy can be adopted to adjust import batches according to online and offline sales data.
Meanwhile, trade terms can be flexibly converted: for stable long-term customers, FOB terms can be adopted to reduce logistics costs, while for new customers, CIF terms can be adopted to improve service quality. In addition, a supplier rating system shall be established, and overseas manufacturers with food export qualification shall be prioritized to reduce supply chain risks.