---
title: "Nanjing Port Food Import Customs Declaration Agency Full Process Analysis and In-depth Compliance Key Points Analysis - Zhongshen Trading China"
description: "In 2026，the import volume of food at Nanjing Port continues to grow，and enterprises face multiple compliance challenges such as label review，sampling inspection，and port inspection. From a practical perspective，this article systematically breaks down the full process of document pre-examination，port customs declaration，and commodity inspection release，deeply analyzes the access requirements and quarantine standards for different categories of food，combines 20 years of customs declaration experie..."
url: "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/food-wine/nanjing-food-import-customs-agent-full-process-analysis.html"
language: "en"
type: "Article"
category: "Food and beverages"
datePublished: "2026-09-25"
dateModified: "2026-09-25"
brand: "Zhongshen Trading China"
image: "https://cndpic.sh-zhongshen.com/uploads/tradepics/food/iK2rNRSCZD0Xv.webp"
---

# Nanjing Port Food Import Customs Declaration Agency Full Process Analysis and In-depth Compliance Key Points Analysis

## Current Situation and Core Difficulties of Food Import at Nanjing Port

In the first quarter of 2026,the number of imported food batches at Nanjing Port increased by 17.3% year-on-year,with Southeast Asian tropical fruits,European dairy products and South American aquatic products accounting for the main share.Pre-packaged coconut water imported from Thailand,frozen durian pulp from Malaysia,and German infant formula have become best-selling products for local distributors.Behind this growth,enterprises generally face three practical obstacles: First,the compliance review of Chinese labels has become stricter.After the implementation of the newly revised General Rules for Prepackaged Food Labels (GB 7718-2026) in 2026,the technical rejection rate for nutritional label formats and additive labeling methods has increased by 23%; second,quarantine access is frequently adjusted dynamically,and some Southeast Asian fruits are temporarily included in the strict inspection list due to seasonal pests and diseases; finally,there is uncertainty in the port testing cycle,with microbial and heavy metal items taking an average of 5-7 working days,directly affecting the freshness loss of cold-chain food.

![Avoid Inspection Delays, Practical Solutions for Nanjing Food Import Customs Declaration Agency Timeliness Optimization](https://cndpic.sh-zhongshen.com/uploads/tradepics/food/iK2rNRSCZD0Xv.webp)

## Zhongshen’s Position in the Nanjing Food Import Chain

As a Shanghai-based import and export agency with 20 years of service experience,Zhongshen has a resident coordination team in Nanjing,focusing on customs declaration and inspection for food cargo.Unlike ordinary freight forwarders,Zhongshen’s core value lies in pre-emptive risk intervention - intervening in document review and label pre-examination before shipment,rather than waiting until the goods arrive at the port to make remedies.Under this model,the average customs clearance time for Nanjing customers has been reduced from the industry average of 9.2 working days to 5.8 working days,and the inspection rate is controlled within 8%.For enterprises importing for the first time,Zhongshen provides free pre-services such as access directory inquiry,verification of overseas manufacturer registration numbers,and pre-assessment of formula compliance,to avoid the extreme loss of discovering that goods cannot enter the country only after they arrive at the port.

## Full Process Breakdown of Food Import Customs Declaration

### Stage 1: Document Pre-examination and Access Confirmation

The core of this stage is to verify whether the goods have legal entry qualifications.Four core documents need to be collected: certificate of origin,health certificate,composition analysis report,and production and processing process description.For plant-based beverages such as Thai coconut water,additional non-quarantine area certificates and fumigation certificates are required.Zhongshen’s practical operation is to establish a dynamic database to update the List of Countries and Regions Eligible for Meat Products Exported to China and the Registration Information of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food released by the General Administration of Customs of China in real time.In March 2026,Zhongshen discovered that the registration number of the Malaysian frozen durian pulp manufacturer provided by a customer had expired,and timely stopped the shipment,avoiding the risk of about 40 tons of goods being detained at the port.

Chinese label review is another key point.According to the GB 7718-2026 standard,imported food must complete label filing before arriving at the port.Zhongshen’s label specialists will check word by word the accuracy of ingredient list translation,the compliance of nutrition claims,and whether the font height meets the minimum requirement of 1.8mm.There was a batch of German biscuits that was judged to mislead consumers because the translation of "whole wheat flour" was mistakenly rendered as "whole wheat flour" while its actual ingredient was "wheat flour".Zhongshen discovered this during the pre-examination stage and guided the customer to revise it to "wheat whole flour",avoiding subsequent rectification troubles.

### Stage 2: Port Customs Declaration and Tax Calculation

Nanjing Port adopts the "advance declaration" model for food cargo,and enterprises can send declaration data to Jinling Customs 3 days before the goods arrive at the port.Taking advantage of this policy,Zhongshen usually starts preparing the draft customs declaration form immediately after the ship departs,focusing on checking the accuracy of HS code classification.HS codes for food involve multiple chapters; for example,coconut water may be classified under Chapter 2009 (fruit juice) or 2202 (beverages),with a tax rate difference of up to 5 percentage points.Zhongshen’s classification specialists will determine the optimal tax number based on technical indicators such as product processing technology and sugar content test results.

Declared dutiable value is the key focus of customs valuation.In 2026,the customs has intensified the review of royalties and the impact of special relationships.When declaring,Zhongshen will actively submit a price composition explanation,clearly separating freight,insurance premiums and the value of goods to avoid questions caused by unclear price splitting.For goods requiring urgent release with margin payment,Zhongshen has cooperated with local banks in Nanjing to open a fast channel for tariff guarantees,and the guarantee procedures can be completed within 2 hours,saving 3-4 working days compared with the traditional tax payment mode.

![Nanjing Port Food Import Customs Declaration Agency: Full Analysis of 3 Key Stages and 5 Risk Points](https://cndpic.sh-zhongshen.com/uploads/tradepics/0ZLB976VFjtSl.webp)

### Stage 3: Commodity Inspection Sampling and Label Rectification

After the food arrives at the port,the Qixia Commodity Inspection Department under Nanjing Customs will conduct on-site inspection according to the risk control instructions.Zhongshen’s on-site inspection assistants will prepare unpacking tools and sample collection containers in advance,and cooperate with customs officers to complete sensory inspection and sample submission for testing.The sampling ratio is determined based on the total number of cargo containers,usually 2%-5%,but high-risk foods such as infant formula will be tightened to 10%.The testing laboratories include Jiangsu Inspection and Quarantine Technology Center and Nanjing Customs Food Laboratory,and the testing cycle is generally 5 working days.

Label rectification is the most common problem at this stage.The 2026 new regulations require that imported food labels must mark "overseas manufacturer registration number" and "domestic responsible person information".Zhongshen will carry portable label printers and compliant label templates to the inspection site,and implement "label pasting rectification" for goods with problems,avoiding additional costs caused by transferring goods to the supervised warehouse.For unqualified test items,Zhongshen assists customers in analyzing the causes.For example,a batch of Brazilian orange juice exceeded the total bacterial count,and Zhongshen traced it to abnormal temperature records in the shipping container,guiding customers to claim testing fees and cargo value losses from the insurance company.

### Stage 4: Warehouse Distribution and Subsequent Supervision

Released food must be stored in a bonded warehouse or ordinary warehouse that meets temperature control requirements.Zhongshen has signed a contract for a 3,000-square-meter constant temperature warehouse at Nanjing Longtan Logistics Base,with a temperature range of 0-25,meeting the storage conditions of different foods.For commodities that need to go through the Entry Commodity Inspection and Quarantine Certificate before being sold on the market,Zhongshen will arrange express delivery to the customer’s store within 24 hours after the certificate is issued,ensuring that the supermarket shelf plan is not affected.

In terms of subsequent supervision,Zhongshen reminds customers to keep import records for at least 2 years,including complete documents such as contracts,invoices,packing lists,and test reports.In 2026,the Nanjing Market Supervision Bureau has increased the frequency of spot checks on the sales end of imported food.Zhongshen provides free file archiving templates and traceability system access services to help customers quickly respond to regulatory inspections.

## Comparison of Quarantine Requirements for Three Typical Food Categories

| Food Category | Quarantine Focus | Core Certificate Requirements | Mandatory Inspection Items | Average Customs Clearance Time |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Southeast Asian Fruits (Durian/Mangosteen) | Harmful Organisms such as Fruit Flies | Plant Quarantine Certificate,Cold Treatment Certificate | Pesticide Residues,Heavy Metals | 6-8 Working Days |
| European Dairy Products (Milk Powder/Cheese) | Animal Diseases,Genetically Modified Ingredients | Health Certificate,Production Registration Number | Melamine,Microorganisms | 7-10 Working Days |
| South American Aquatic Products (Shrimp/Fish) | Histamine,Freshness of Ice-cold Products | Health Certificate,Fishing Certificate | Volatile Basic Nitrogen,Pathogenic Bacteria | 5-7 Working Days |

## Practical Case: Handling of Import Label Crisis for Thai Coconut Water

In February 2026,Mr.Mu,a Nanjing importer,urgently contacted Zhongshen for help.Two containers of coconut water he purchased from Thailand had been detained at Nanjing Port for 4 days,and the customs required label rectification.After Zhongshen intervened,it was found that the problem was that the unit of "sodium" content in the nutritional label was marked as "mg/100ml",while the 2026 new regulations required that both "mg per serving (250ml per serving)" must be marked,and the NRV percentage calculation was wrong.Zhongshen’s label team redesigned the label template overnight,added a column of "sodium content per serving",and corrected the NRV value to 3%.The next day,they brought printing equipment to the supervision area to complete the label pasting,coordinated customs review,and the goods were released smoothly on the 6th day.After the incident,Mr.Mu estimated that if there was another 2-day delay,missing the Lantern Festival promotion period,the loss would reach 150,000 yuan.After this case,Mr.Mu entrusted all imported food label pre-examination work to Zhongshen,and his import batch inspection rate dropped to less than 5% in the second quarter of 2026.

## List of Five Major Risk Points for Food Import Customs Declaration

- Overseas manufacturer registration information expires without verification,resulting in goods being prohibited from entering the country
- Incorrect calculation of nutritional label content in Chinese labels,leading to unqualified sampling inspection
- Temperature records are missing during transportation,unable to prove the integrity of the cold chain,and judged to not meet food safety requirements
- The declared dutiable value does not include royalties,and the customs will collect back taxes and late fees after valuation review
- Failure to apply for the Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit in advance,resulting in fresh products being returned or destroyed due to incomplete procedures

## Summary of the Core Value of Zhongshen’s Services

Food import customs declaration in Nanjing is not a simple document transfer,but a systematic project involving technical standard interpretation,regulatory policy prediction,and on-site emergency handling.The value accumulated by Zhongshen over 20 years lies in transforming scattered compliance requirements into executable standard operating procedures.For Nanjing customers,choosing Zhongshen means turning uncertain customs clearance time into a predictable 5-6 working days,reducing the average inspection rate from 15% to less than 8%,and reducing cargo damage risks caused by compliance issues by 90%.In 2026,Zhongshen has added a full-time food quarantine consultant position in Nanjing,updating the Nanjing Port Food Import Supervision Dynamic Briefing every week,which customers can subscribe to for free.This deeply embedded service allows importers to focus on channel development and market sales,handing over complex customs declaration and inspection matters to professional teams,and ultimately achieving dual improvements in import efficiency and compliance safety.

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