As the end of the year is approaching, the gift box of fresh fruit is essential when visiting relatives and friends. What should foreign trade enterprises do when they intend to import fresh fruits? How should consumers distinguish the authenticity of imported fresh fruits? This article will show you the whole process of importing fresh fruits.
I. What do enterprises need to do before signing a foreign trade contract to buy fresh fruits?
First, inquire about the market access information about the fruits and the enterprises.
Access system for imported fruits is implemented in China to ensure the safety and quality of imported fruits. Only fruit varieties from countries and regions listed in China's access fruit list can be imported into China. All countries from which goods are imported can be found on the website of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China. (Inquiry: General Administration of Customs-Department of Supervision on Animal and Plant Quarantine-Enterprise Information)
To ensure the quality of imported fruits, the orchards and packaging plants of fruits exported to China from countries and regions that have signed bilateral agreements or protocols with China must also be filed by the inspection and quarantine departments of relevant exporting countries or regions and registered with the approval of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China. (Inquiry method of the list of overseas registered enterprises that have been allowed to export fruits to China: General Administration of Customs-Department of Supervision on Animal and Plant Quarantine-Enterprise Information)
Secondly, apply for the Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit of the People's Republic of China.
Before signing a trade contract, domestic importers need to apply to the customs through the "Animal and Plant Quarantine" module of "Internet+ Customs" (website: http://online.customs.gov.cn/) and obtain the Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit of the People's Republic of China.
The applicant on the Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit shall be consistent with the consignee of foreign official certificate and the signatory of trade contract; The name, place of origin, exporting country (region), use, designated supervision site/inspection site, destination, transportation route, etc. on the Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit shall be consistent with the contents on the customs declaration, plant quarantine certificate, trade and transportation documents.
II. What customs clearance procedures are needed for the import of fresh fruits?
Simply put, the customs clearance of imported fruits needs to go through the following three steps:
First, inspection and quarantine in exporting countries or regions.
Fruits must pass the quarantine and inspection by foreign official inspection and quarantine institutions before export, and a plant quarantine certificate meeting Chinese requirements should be issued. Fruits that require cold treatment during transportation, such as oranges in South Africa, also need cold treatment during transportation and provide treatment records when customs declaration at the port.
Entry fruits shall meet the following inspection and quarantine requirements: (1) Other fruits not listed in the plant quarantine certificate shall not be mixed or entrained; (2) The name of the fruit, the place of origin, the name or code of the packing factory shall be marked on the packing box in Chinese or English; (3) It does not contain quarantine pests, soil, branches, leaves and other plant residues prohibited from entering China; (4) The detected amount of toxic and harmful substances shall not exceed the relevant safety and health standards of China; (5) If the exporting country or region has signed an agreement or protocol with China, it must also meet the relevant requirements of the agreement or protocol.
Second, inspection and quarantine and review of port customs documents.
After the fruit arrives at the port of China, the customs staff will check the relevant permits and certificates, and carry out on-site inspection and quarantine on the imported fruit according to the relevant procedures and standards: (1) Check whether the certificate is consistent with the product; (2) Check the plant quarantine certificate, relevant information on the packing box and official quarantine marks; (3) Check whether the fruit is infested with worms, symptoms, branches and leaves, soil and pests; If a suspicious epidemic situation is found in the on-site quarantine, it shall be sent to the laboratory for quarantine identification; (4) According to relevant regulations and standards, take samples and send them to the laboratory for testing.
Third, obtain the inspection and quarantine documents.
According to the inspection and quarantine results, the customs will handle the imported fruits as follows: (1) If they pass the inspection and quarantine, issue the inspection and quarantine certificate for the imported goods and allow them to be released; (2) If quarantine pests or other pests with quarantine significance are found, they shall be treated with pesticides, and a notice of inspection and quarantine will be issued; If they are qualified after treated with pesticides, they will be released; (3) If the goods do not meet the relevant regulations, the goods and certificates do not match or fail to pass the inspection and quarantine and there is no effective treatment method for pesticides, the inspection, and quarantine treatment notice will be issued, and the goods shall be returned or destroyed under the supervision of the customs.
After receiving the inspection and quarantine certificate of inbound goods, the imported fruits can be sold.
III. What control measures do China have for producing areas, orchards, and packaging factories of entry fruits?
Under any of the following circumstances, the General Administration of Customs will suspend the import of this kind of fruit or suspend the import from the relevant fruit producing areas, orchards, and packaging factories as appropriate: (1) Serious plant epidemic broke out in the imported fruit orchards, processing factories or surrounding areas; (2) The entry quarantine pests of Chinese concern are found through inspection and quarantine; (3) After inspection and quarantine, it is found that the content of toxic and harmful substances exceeds the relevant safety and health standards of China; (4) Failing to comply with China's relevant inspection and quarantine laws and regulations, bilateral agreements or relevant international standards.
If the import of fruit that has been suspended needs to be resumed, it shall be confirmed by the General Administration of Customs by relevant regulations. The General Administration of Customs may, according to the needs of work and with the consent of the inspection and quarantine agencies of the exporting countries or regions, send customs personnel to the place of origin for pre-inspection, supervision of loading, or investigation of the epidemic situation and chemical usage.
IV. What are the special regulations for foreign trade enterprises to import a batch of fruits to participate in the exhibition?
If it is necessary to import fruits prohibited by China for special purposes due to scientific research, gift, exhibition, etc., the owner or his agent shall apply to the General Administration of Customs or the customs authorized by the General Administration of Customs in advance to go through the special quarantine examination and approval procedures. When entering China, the owner or his agent should report to the customs at the port of entry for inspection and accept quarantine inspection.
Fruits for exhibition shall be subject to the supervision and management of the customs during the exhibition period, and shall not be transferred, sold, or used without the permission of the customs. After the exhibition, it should be returned or destroyed under the supervision of the customs.
V. What are the preferential measures for imported fruits in terms of tariffs?
Imported fruits under the preferential trade agreement can apply the agreed tax rate and enjoy tax reduction by the certificate of origin or declaration of origin submitted under the relevant FTA(free trade agreement). Example: Durian, MFN (most-favored-nation) import tariff rate is 20%. If you import durian native to Thailand, you can enjoy the agreed tariff rate of zero by the Thai certificate of origin under the China-ASEAN FTA. As of October 2021, China has signed 19 FTAs with 26 countries and regions around the world, of which the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will come into effect on January 1, 2022.
VI. How should customers distinguish the authenticity when purchasing imported fruits?
Simply put, it can be divided into two steps:
First, look at the label. According to the relevant regulations, the imported fruit packing box must indicate the name or registration number of the place of origin, orchard and packing factory. Customers can check whether it comes from the country of access system and registered enterprises according to the label information.
Second, look at the certificate. According to the Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Inspection and Quarantine of Entry Fruits, if the inbound fruits pass the inspection and quarantine, the customs will issue the inspection and quarantine certificate of the imported goods and allow them to be released. The inspection and quarantine certificate of the imported goods indicates the detailed information of this batch of fruits.