Shanghai Import Customs Brokerage Process & Compliance Key Points

In the first half of 2026,the import volume of Southeast Asian tropical fruits through Shanghai Port increased by 22% year-on-year.Among them,Thai Monthong Durian has become one of the categories with the largest import growth due to its stable taste and strong market demand.However,many local importers in Shanghai reported that durian import customs clearance is often stuck in two links: "document compliance" and "quarantine requirements".Some Thai orchards updated their registration numbers in 2025.If the certificate of origin is not updated synchronously,the declaration will be directly rejected.The newly implemented national standard GB 2763-2025 on pesticide residues also confuses many enterprises new to import business.

As a service provider with more than 20 years of experience in Shanghai foreign trade agency,Zhongshen’s core role in customs clearance of imported tropical fruits such as durian is reflected in "early intervention and accurate decomposition".Starting from the customer’s signing of the purchase contract,we intervene in document pre-audit to avoid errors in subsequent links.At the same time,aiming at the special quarantine requirements of durian,we connect with Shanghai Customs Animal and Plant Quarantine Department in advance to sort out the latest requirements.

1.Document Pre-audit: Avoid the mismatch Risk between Certificate of Origin and Registration Number in Advance

The document requirements for durian import are much stricter than ordinary fruits,and the core difficulty lies in the "consistency of origin information and registration number".In 2026,the Thai agricultural department updated the registration number system for export orchards.If the orchard number on the certificate of origin provided by the importer does not match the Thai official database,Shanghai Customs will directly reject the declaration.

Unique Document Checklist for Durian Import (Pre-audit Required in Advance)

• Official orchard registration certificate issued by Thailand/Malaysia (must include orchard number,address and validity period)
• Cargo fumigation and heat treatment certificate (for fruit fly pests,must indicate heat treatment temperature above 55℃ and duration above 30 minutes)
• Full cold chain temperature record (temperature is recorded every 2 hours during transportation,GPS track evidence is required)
• Importers’ filing information with Shanghai Customs (must complete "filing of imported food consignee" in advance)

Mr.Jiao once served a Hangzhou importer that purchased 12 containers of durian from Thailand at the end of 2025.Without pre-auditing the documents in advance,the orchard number on the certificate of origin was found to be the old version when declaring at Shanghai Port,and the customs required to supplement the new version of the certificate.When contacting Zhongshen,the goods had been detained at the port for 3 days,and the cold chain cost increased by nearly 20,000 RMB per day.Zhongshen immediately contacted the cooperative agent in Thailand,obtained the new version of orchard registration certificate and certificate of origin correction documents within 36 hours,and finally helped the customer clear customs smoothly and avoided the risk of goods deterioration.

2.Port Customs Clearance: Accurately Control Tariff Calculation and Declaration Details

In 2026,although Shanghai Customs maintains a 10% most-favored-nation tariff rate for durian imports,the definition of "processed durian" is stricter.If durian pulp has undergone simple processing such as pitting and cutting,the tariff will rise to 15%.Many importers have overpaid tariffs or made declaration errors because they did not clarify the product form in advance.

Zhongshen’s core action in the customs clearance link is to confirm the product form with the customer in advance and calculate the tariff cost: if the customer purchases whole durian with shell,declare at the 10% tax rate; if it is pitted pulp,we require the processing procedure description to avoid wrong tax rate application.

3.Commodity Inspection and Quarantine: Focus on Harmful Organism and Packaging Compliance

As a unique fruit from Southeast Asia,durian requires key quarantine for quarantine pests such as Bactrocera dorsalis and Brontispa longissima.In 2026,the sampling proportion of durian by Shanghai Customs Animal and Plant Quarantine Laboratory increased from 5% to 8%.If harmful organisms are detected,the goods will be destroyed or returned,and the loss can reach 2-3 times the value of the goods.

Special Quarantine Requirements for Imported Durian

• 3 species of quarantine pests need to be tested (Bactrocera dorsalis,Brontispa longissima,Heterobostrychus aequalis)
• Pesticide residues must comply with the limit standard for "durian" in GB 2763-2025 (for example,the limit of imidacloprid is 0.05mg/kg)
• Wooden packaging must be marked with IPPC logo (fumigation treatment certificate must be consistent with the logo)

Manager You once served a Suzhou importer.In March 2026,8 containers of imported durian were detained by Shanghai Customs Animal and Plant Quarantine Bureau because the wooden packaging had no IPPC logo.After the client contacted Zhongshen,we immediately coordinated with a local fumigation company in Shanghai to conduct supplementary fumigation on the wooden packaging at the port,added the IPPC logo,and assisted the client to submit supplementary document materials.Finally,we completed quarantine release in only 2 days and avoided the loss of returning the goods to Thailand.

Based on 20 years of practical experience,the core value of Shanghai import customs brokerage is to "block risks before declaration".Through pre-document pre-audit,accurate tariff matching,and docking with quarantine requirements in advance,Zhongshen helps customers shorten the average import cycle from 15 days to 8-10 days,while keeping the document error rate and quarantine non-compliance rate below 1%.For enterprises new to import business,professional agency can not only avoid compliance risks,but also save hidden costs such as cold chain and warehousing — this is the core reason why more and more local Shanghai importers choose Zhongshen.