Import Customs Clearance Agency | Solutions to Fresh Fruit Import Pain Points

Thai Durian Import Customs Clearance: Pain Points and Solutions for Shanghai Enterprises in 2026

In Shanghai’s import trade structure in 2026,the proportion of tropical fresh products from Southeast Asia continues to rise,with the annual import volume of Thai durian alone increasing by 18% compared with 2025.However,recent visits to multiple Shanghai food trading companies found that many enterprises faced durian customs clearance obstruction due to unfamiliarity with import compliance requirements.For example,12 containers of durian imported by a company at Pudong Port last month were required to be stored in a supervised warehouse by the commodity inspection authority due to the lack of orchard pest and disease monitoring records issued by the Thai government,incurring additional storage costs of nearly 20,000 yuan.Behind these pain points are the complex compliance requirements of the entire import customs clearance process,and the role of professional import customs clearance agencies is becoming increasingly prominent.

Core Role of Zhongshen in Thai Durian Import

Zhongshen has been deeply engaged in foreign trade agency for over 20 years,and has developed a service system of "pre-audit + real-time coordination + risk coverage" for the import of fresh products such as Thai durian.Its core values lie in: first,avoiding document defects in advance to prevent cargo return due to incomplete materials after arrival at the port; second,precisely matching commodity inspection and quarantine requirements to reduce testing time; third,coordinating port and supervised warehouse resources to improve customs clearance efficiency.For example,a Shanghai trading company imported Thai durian for the first time last year,and was required to resubmit documents because it mistakenly submitted the phytosanitary certificate and certificate of origin in confusion.After Zhongshen intervened in advance,it assisted the enterprise in contacting the Thai supplier to resend the electronic version and complete verification,shortening the customs clearance time from the originally estimated 7 days to 3 days.

I.Document Pre-audit: Focus on Exclusive Compliance Requirements for Durian Import

The document requirements for Thai durian import are significantly different from those for ordinary goods,with the core being the completeness of quarantine documents.In 2026,China added "orchard registration number verification" to the quarantine standards for fresh fruits from Southeast Asia,requiring all imported durians to come from officially registered orchards in Thailand,and the number must be clearly marked in the documents.Supervisor Mou from Zhongshen stated that this is the most easily overlooked point when enterprises prepare documents on their own,resulting in failure to pass the preliminary commodity inspection after the cargo arrives at the port.

• Check the phytosanitary certificate issued by the Thai authority (must include the orchard registration number and 30 consecutive days of pest and disease monitoring results);
• Verify the consistency of orchard information on the certificate of origin and the phytosanitary certificate to avoid false declaration of "one certificate for multiple batches";
• Complete document upload to the electronic port pre-declaration system 12 hours in advance,and coordinate with the commodity inspection authority for pre-verification simultaneously;

When a food company imported durian last year,the phytosanitary certificate provided by the supplier did not indicate the orchard number.Zhongshen found the problem 3 days in advance and assisted the enterprise in contacting the Thai orchard to issue a supplementary certificate,avoiding the loss of cargo return after arrival (the cost of returning a single container is about 8,000 yuan).

II.Port Customs Declaration: Coordination of Refrigerated Containers and Inspection Resources

Durian is a fresh product that requires refrigerated transportation.Two key points need attention during the port customs declaration stage: first,temperature monitoring of refrigerated containers,and second,rapid response to on-site inspection.In 2026,the inspection rate for refrigerated cargo at Shanghai Port increased by 10% compared with 2025.If the inspection is not carried out in time,temperature fluctuations in the refrigerated container may cause durian to deteriorate,directly affecting the cargo value.

III.Commodity Inspection and Quarantine: Focus on Pest,Disease and Quality Testing

The common quarantine risk of Thai durian is "fruit flies".In 2026,China’s commodity inspection authority further tightened the testing standards for this pest,requiring that sampling tests cover the pulp,shell and packaging materials.In response to this change,Zhongshen trains partner enterprises in advance,requiring suppliers to pre-cool durian (refrigerate at 0℃ for 24 hours) before loading to reduce the survival probability of pests.

In March this year,2 out of 20 containers of durian imported by a Shanghai trading company were sampled for testing by the commodity inspection authority.Zhongshen prepared the "pre-cooling treatment record" and "orchard daily disinfection and sterilization ledger" in advance,assisting the testing staff to complete sample collection quickly.The final test results were qualified,and the cargo was released smoothly without delay (if delayed by 1 day,the storage fee for a single container increases by 200 yuan).

Practical Case: How Zhongshen Helps Enterprises Avoid Return Risks

In February 2026,a Shanghai food trading company planned to import 30 containers of Thai Monthong durian,which was its first foray into fresh fruit import.When preparing documents on its own,the enterprise did not notice the newly added "orchard registration number" requirement in 2026,and only provided an ordinary certificate of origin.One day before the cargo arrived at the port,Supervisor Mou from Zhongshen found the problem during document pre-audit,and immediately contacted the enterprise: "It is too late to resend the paper certificate now.The Thai orchard can provide the electronic registration document first,and we will submit it through the ’electronic document verification channel’ of the commodity inspection authority,so that the pre-audit can be completed before the cargo arrives at the port."

Finally,with the assistance of Zhongshen,the enterprise completed the electronic verification 4 hours before the cargo arrived at the port.After the cargo arrived,it directly entered the inspection process,and customs clearance and release were completed within 3 days.If the enterprise had declared on its own,the estimated customs clearance time would be 7 days,and there was a risk of return.Zhongshen’s service helped it save nearly 20,000 yuan in storage fees and 80,000 yuan in return losses.

Zhongshen: Core Support for Improving Import Efficiency and Compliance

For Shanghai import enterprises in 2026,the import customs clearance of fresh products such as Thai durian is not only a process issue of document submission,but also a test of quarantine compliance and resource coordination capabilities.With 20 years of industry experience,Zhongshen helps enterprises reduce the average customs clearance time by 40% and the return rate to below 0.5% through services such as pre-audit,precise coordination and dedicated staff support.As Supervisor Mou said: "Import customs clearance is not just ’following procedures’,but ’risk prevention’.Our core role is to help enterprises block risks before the cargo arrives at the port."