The import of agricultural products involves multi - link supervision and compliance requirements. It is necessary to systematically sort out the qualification conditions, operation processes and key points of risk prevention and control. The following is a specific description from three aspects: core qualifications, the whole - process operation and practical considerations:

I. Core Qualification Requirements

General Qualifications

• Import and Export Rights: It is necessary to complete the handling of the Record Registration Form for Foreign Trade Operators and obtain an electronic port card.
• Importer Registration: Submit enterprise information, quality management system and warehousing certificates through the Internet + Customs platform. The registration number is valid for life.
• Food Business License: It covers business scopes such as prepackaged food, refrigerated and frozen food, etc., and needs to be registered with the market supervision department.

Special Qualifications

• Automatic Import License: It is applicable to 17 types of agricultural products such as beef, pork, and soybeans, and needs to be applied through the Agricultural Product Import Tariff Quota Management System of the Ministry of Commerce.
• Entry - Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine Approval: For meat, fruits, grains, etc., it is necessary to handle the Entry - Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit in advance on the Internet + Customs platform of the General Administration of Customs. The validity period is 3 months or valid for one time.
• Registration of Overseas Manufacturing Enterprises: Overseas manufacturing enterprises of food exported to China need to be registered with the General Administration of Customs. The registration is valid for 4 years. It needs to be recommended by the competent authority of the country of origin and submit a proof of the hygiene management system.

II. Whole - Process Operation of Import

Preliminary Preparation

• Market Access Confirmation: Check whether the product is in the List of Foods Exported to China from Countries or Regions Meeting the Requirements of Evaluation and Review. For example, kiwiberry from New Zealand needs to be registered through the orchard and packing factory.
• Contract SigningClearly define trade terms (such as CIF/FOB), quality standards, and dispute resolution clauses. For meat imports, a direct shipping route should be agreed upon.
• Document pre - reviewCertificates of origin, health certificates, nutritional component reports, etc. need to be officially certified by the exporting country. Chinese labels should comply with the GB 7718 standard.

Logistics and Customs Clearance

• International transportationCold - chain products need to use temperature - controlled containers, and wooden packaging should be marked with the IPPC logo.
• Customs declarationSubmit electronic data such as customs declarations and packing lists through the Single Window. The commodity code (HS Code) should be accurately classified to avoid tax rate errors.
• Inspection of vaccinesThe customs randomly samples and tests indicators such as microorganisms, agricultural and veterinary drug residues, etc. The sampling rate of high - risk products (such as meat) reaches 20%.
• Tax paymentThe tariff rate is determined according to the product category and origin agreement (such as RCEP), and the value - added tax rate is uniformly 13%.

Domestic Distribution

• Warehouse ManagementFresh products need to be stored in warehouses with temperature - control records, and frozen products need to retain the temperature - control data throughout the cold - chain transportation process.
• Market SalesPut products on the shelves for sale with the Inspection and Quarantine Certificate for Entry Goods. Importers need to establish a traceability system to record the flow direction.

III. Practical Considerations

Compliance Risks

• Label complianceChinese labels should indicate the country of origin, ingredient list, shelf life, etc. For example, for Japanese food, ambiguous expressions such as original packaging should be avoided.
• Quality and safetyImported agricultural products should comply with Chinese food safety standards. For example, dairy products imported from the EU should comply with GB 19301-2010.
• Packaging RequirementsFruit packing boxes should indicate the registration numbers of the orchard and the packing factory. For wooden packaging, a fumigation certificate should be provided.

Process Optimization

• Quarantine approval in advanceFor meat, fruits, etc., quarantine approval should be completed before signing the contract to avoid detention of goods at the port due to lack of documents.
• Planning of TariffsUse the RCEP origin rules to reduce tariffs. For example, Australian beef imports within the trigger level can enjoy the agreement tariff rate.
• Dispute handlingIn case of unqualified customs inspection, an application can be made to return the goods to the bonded area for rectification or destruction. A disposal fee of 10% of the value of the goods needs to be paid for destruction.

Policy Dynamics

• Access updatePay attention to the announcements of the General Administration of Customs. For example, in 2024, new access products such as Actinidia arguta from New Zealand were added.
• Tax rate adjustmentThe tariff quota quantity of products with automatic import licenses is announced annually. The part exceeding the quota is levied at the out - of - quota tax rate.

Conclusion

For agricultural product imports, a full - chain management system of qualification compliance - process controllability - risk early warning should be constructed. Enterprises can plan in advance for the handling of qualifications, reduce customs clearance risks through measures such as pre - classification and label pre - review, and establish a policy tracking mechanism to respond to dynamic adjustments.

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