
FoodExport agentWhat are the mandatory payment items included in the fee?
In 2025, the food export agency fee is mainly composed of three core parts:
- Basic Agency Service Fee
- Document preparation (including CO/health certificate/certificate of origin)
- Trade termsConversion services (FOB/CIF, etc.)
- HS code classification consultation
- Government fees
- Customs inspectionAdditional fees(Since 2025, the usage fee of the new intelligent inspection system has been added)
- Inspection of vaccinesFee (including the detection of new GB4806 food contact materials)
- Additional logistics costs
- Cold chain transportation temperature control record fee (mandatory requirement of FDAs new regulations)
- Special packaging handling fee (such as halal food certification packaging)
What are the common modes of calculating the agency fee?
In 2025, the mainstream charging methods show a diversified trend:
- Proportional value system: Usually charge 0.8% - 1.5% (for bulk food, it can be negotiated to 0.5%)
- The ladder fee.: Starting from 10,000 yuan for the first container, and reducing 500 yuan for each additional container
- Modular billing:customs clearance800 yuan per ticket + 300 yuan per document + 200 yuan per day for logistics monitoring
Case of a condiment enterprise: Exporting 20 containers with a value of $500,000, choosing the mixed billing mode saves 12,000 yuan compared with the pure proportional system.
Which hidden costs are easily overlooked?
- Certificate expediting fee: The expediting handling fee for EU novel food certification can reach 3 times the normal amount
- Port demurrage allocation: African ports generally charge a demurrage fee of 1% of the cargo value per day
- Technical trade measures: Japans positive list system has added 138 pesticide residue detection indicators
Typical case in 2025: A freeze - dried food enterprise lost $6,500 for a single batch of goods due to not including the renewal fee of the Australian import license.
How to avoid traps in fee calculation?
- Confirm fee coverage scope
- Whether it includes pre - review of destination port customs clearance documents
- Special declaration fees for cross - border e - commerce channels
- Pay attention to policy changes
- Tariff preferences brought by the RCEP origin accumulation rules
- New traceability requirements of the US FSMA Food Modernization Act
- Suggestions on negotiation skills
- If the annual export volume exceeds 100 containers, tiered rebates can be negotiated
- Adopting the EXW trade term can reduce the comprehensive cost by 3% - 5%