---
title: "What Does Import Agency Entail? Common Import Challenges and Solutions for Enterprises in 2026 - Zhongshen Trading China"
description: "In the first half of 2026，import demand of small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises in Shanghai increased by 18% year-on-year，but the compliance requirements for quarantine and customs declaration in various countries have continued to upgrade. Many enterprises are trapped in customs clearance delays due to inconsistent documents and lack of traceability. What exactly can import agency solve for enterprises? Zhongshen，which has been deeply engaged in the industry for 20 years，focuses on..."
url: "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/import-agent-services/import-agency-what-is-it-2026-enterprise-import-problems-solutions.html"
language: "en"
type: "Article"
category: "Import agent"
datePublished: "2026-10-20"
dateModified: "2026-10-20"
brand: "Zhongshen Trading China"
image: "https://cndpic.sh-zhongshen.com/uploads/tradepics/U1dBK8fvLTj3X.webp"
---

# What Does Import Agency Entail? Common Import Challenges and Solutions for Enterprises in 2026

## Full Process Breakdown of Import Agency Services: Taking Thai Durian Import as an Example

In the first half of 2026,Ms.Zhou from a Shanghai food trading company encountered a problem: 12 tons of Monthong durian imported from Thailand were temporarily detained by the port customs just after arriving at Shanghai Yangshan Port,because the plant quarantine certificate lacked the "exporter registration number"."When I handled imports by myself in 2025,my shipment was returned due to blurry official seals on the certificate,losing more than 50,000 yuan," said Ms.Zhou.This time she turned to an agency for help,thinking it was just "running errands for customs declaration",but surprisingly the agency got involved before the import even started and helped her avoid many pitfalls.

![Zhongshen Import Agency Services: Full Process Analysis of Foreign Trade Import in 2026](https://cndpic.sh-zhongshen.com/uploads/tradepics/U1dBK8fvLTj3X.webp)

Import agency is not just simple "handling formalities",but a full-link service covering supplier matching,document pre-review,port customs clearance,warehousing and transportation,and foreign exchange settlement,tailored to the import compliance requirements of different products.Taking Thai durian,a tropical fruit,as an example,China’s customs requirements for its quarantine and traceability have been upgraded by nearly 40% in 2026 compared with 2023,and small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises can hardly master all the details on their own.As an agency deeply engaged in Shanghai’s foreign trade for 20 years,Zhongshen can accurately match the import processes of different products and help enterprises reduce compliance risks.

### 1.Pre-Import Stage: Document Pre-Review – Avoid Risks from "Inherent Deficiencies"

Many enterprises overlook "document pre-review" before importing,and only find that the materials are inconsistent after the goods arrive at the port,leading to shipment returns or a sharp increase in warehousing fees.There are three core document requirements for Thai durian imports in 2026,and each has clear "China Customs version requirements":

- **Plant Quarantine Certificate**: Must be issued by the Thai agricultural authority,and must include the "exporter’s registration number with the Thai Ministry of Agriculture" (new requirement in 2026).The name of the durian variety on the certificate must be exactly the same as that on the China Customs *Imported Fruit Quarantine Approval Form*;
- **Certificate of Origin**: Must be certified by the Thailand Chamber of Commerce and Industry,and must indicate "Durian is produced in Chumphon Province,eastern Thailand" (this region was included in China’s list of allowed durian import regions in 2026);
- **Traceability Code**: Each box of durian must be pasted with a unique electronic traceability code,which is linked to information such as origin,picking date,and transportation temperature (mandatory requirement starting from 2026).

Before Ms.Zhou signed the import contract,Zhongshen asked her to provide scanned copies of all documents for pre-review: when it was found that her plant quarantine certificate lacked the registration number,Zhongshen immediately reminded the Thai supplier to supplement it; at the same time,it checked the generation logic of the traceability code to ensure compliance with the requirements of the General Administration of Customs of China’s "Imported Fruit Traceability System"."If we wait until the goods arrive at the port to make changes,we will not only have to pay the round-trip freight from Thailand to Shanghai,but also bear the warehousing fees,with a loss of at least 80,000 yuan," said Ms.Zhou.

### 2.Port Stage: Customs Declaration + Commodity Inspection – Unlock the "Last Mile" of Customs Clearance

After Thai durian arrives at the port,customs declaration and commodity inspection are two key links,and the compliance requirements in 2026 are more detailed than before:
#### 1.Customs Declaration Stage: Priority Review of Electronic Data

In 2026,Shanghai Customs launched the "Pre-Declaration Review for Imported Fruits",requiring enterprises to upload all electronic documents (including traceability code data) 3 days before the goods arrive at the port.Zhongshen’s customs declaration team connected to the customs system in advance and uploaded Ms.Zhou’s documents:

![How Much Can Import Agency Save Enterprises in 2026? Boost Compliance and Efficiency](https://cndpic.sh-zhongshen.com/uploads/tradepics/u1SQjdsowoLMh.webp)

- Linked the number of the *Imported Fruit Quarantine Approval Form* and the plant quarantine certificate;
- Marked the refrigerated temperature requirement (10-12) for durian in the "remarks column" of the customs declaration form;
- Submitted the "cold chain temperature monitoring record" of the transport vessel (new requirement in 2026).

Since the electronic data was reviewed and approved in advance,Ms.Zhou’s durian completed customs declaration in only 1 day after arriving at the port,2 days shorter than the 3 days it took when she imported by herself in 2025.
#### 2.Commodity Inspection Stage: Pre-Testing to Avoid Non-Compliance Risks

The core of commodity inspection for Thai durian is "pesticide residue testing".In 2026,China’s *National Food Safety Standard for Fruits* (GB 2762-2025) added 3 pesticide residue limit standards (including acetamiprid,thiamethoxam,etc.).Before the goods arrived at the port,Zhongshen contacted the commodity inspection agency at Shanghai Port and arranged a "pre-test":

- Collected 3 batches of samples from Thai suppliers for testing;
- Uploaded the test report to the China Customs commodity inspection system in advance;
- Reminded Ms.Zhou to avoid mixed loading with other fruits during transportation (to prevent cross-contamination).

The pre-test results showed that all batches met the standards,and the commodity inspection stage was completed in only 2 days,avoiding the risk of shipment return due to non-compliant test results.

### 3.Post-Clearance Stage: Warehousing + Foreign Exchange + Tax Refund – Ensure Smoothness of the Entire Import Link

After customs clearance,warehousing,foreign exchange settlement and export tax refund (if processed and then exported) for durian are also links that enterprises easily overlook:
#### 1.Warehousing: Temperature Monitoring in Customs Supervised Warehouses

Thai durian must be stored in a refrigerated environment at 10-12.In 2026,Shanghai Customs requires that the temperature data of supervised warehouses be uploaded to the customs system in real time.Zhongshen connected with the designated supervised warehouse at Yangshan Port and arranged dedicated personnel to monitor the temperature:

- Record temperature data every 2 hours;
- Immediately activate standby cold chain equipment if the temperature fluctuates by more than ±1;
- Provide a "temperature monitoring report" when durian is shipped out (for downstream customers to inspect).

#### 2.Foreign Exchange and Tax Refund: Compliant Operations to Avoid Delays

In 2026,the State Administration of Foreign Exchange of China requires that import foreign exchange receipts and payments must go through the "Trade-related Declaration System",and provide associated data of customs declaration forms,contracts and invoices.Zhongshen’s foreign exchange team handled the following for Ms.Zhou:

- Associated the "commodity code" of the customs declaration form during foreign exchange settlement (the commodity code for Thai durian is 0808100000);
- Reminded Ms.Zhou to issue a VAT invoice within 30 days after the goods are cleared (for tax refund);
- Assisted in submitting the tax refund application,ensuring that the tax refund funds arrive within 15 working days (10 days shorter than when enterprises apply by themselves).

## Self-Import vs.Import Agency: Cost and Risk Comparison in 2026

| Comparison Dimension | Self-Import by Enterprise (Taking 12 Tons of Durian as an Example) | Zhongshen Import Agency |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Customs Clearance Time | 3-5 days (high risk of inconsistent documents) | 1-2 days (passed electronic pre-review) |
| Compliance Risk Cost | 50,000-80,000 yuan (shipment return/warehousing fees) | 0 yuan (avoided in advance) |
| Warehousing Cost | 1,200 yuan/day (additional approval required for non-supervised warehouses) | 800 yuan/day (agreed price for designated supervised warehouses) |
| Tax Refund Arrival Time | 25-30 days | 15 days |
| Total Cost Difference | Approximately 150,000 yuan (including risk costs) | Approximately 80,000 yuan (no risk costs) |
| Note: The above data is calculated based on actual cases at Shanghai Port in 2026 | | |

## Core Value of Import Agency: Not "Handling Formalities",but "Customized Compliance Solutions"

From Ms.Zhou’s case,it can be seen that the import agency service in 2026 has been upgraded from "running errands for formalities" to "full-process customized service": in response to the compliance requirements of different products (such as durian,mechanical equipment,chemical products),Zhongshen will sort out a "product-specific import checklist" in advance,including:

- Latest quarantine/customs policies of the target country (such as Thailand’s newly added durian production region list in 2026);
- Operation guidelines for China Customs’ electronic systems (such as the traceability code upload process);
- Special requirements for warehousing/transportation (such as cold chain temperature monitoring standards).

For small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises,the value of import agency is not only "saving time and cost",but also "avoiding compliance risks"——in 2026,China Customs’ penalty intensity for imported products increased by 20% compared with 2023.Once there is inconsistent documents or non-compliant quarantine,enterprises will not only bear economic losses,but also may affect their subsequent import qualifications.Zhongshen has been deeply engaged in the industry for 20 years,having handled more than 10,000 import cases in total,and can accurately predict import risks of different products to help enterprises take fewer detours.

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