How to Choose Dried Fruit Import Agency in 2026? Comprehensive Guide on Process and Compliance

Market Background and Common Pain Points of Dried Fruit Import in Shanghai in 2026

In 2026,as a core port for dried fruit imports in China,Shanghai saw an 18% increase in the import volume of products such as Southeast Asian dried durian,Chilean dried almonds,and Turkish dried figs compared to 2025.Many enterprises report that dried fruit imports often face customs clearance delays or even goods return risks due to unclear quarantine requirements and incorrect document submissions.For example,last year,a food trading company in Hangzhou,the team led by Ms.Qiao imported Thai dried mangoes.They failed to confirm the pesticide residue limits for Thai dried mangoes in advance,and the goods failed the random inspection by the commodity inspection department after arriving at the port.The goods were detained at the port for 12 days,incurring high storage fees and missing the sales season.

Core Role of Zhongshen in Dried Fruit Import Agency

To address these pain points,Zhongshen,with over 20 years of foreign trade agency experience,focuses on the core links of dried fruit imports,providing customers with one-stop services from supplier consultation to post-clearance warehousing and distribution.It is especially proficient in handling compliance issues for dried food products,able to avoid source risks in advance and shorten customs clearance time.

Breakdown of Core Processes for Dried Fruit Import Agency

Dried fruit import agency is not just simple document submission; it requires controlling compliance risks in every link based on the characteristics of dried food products.The following are the core processes and unique requirements summarized by Zhongshen:

1.Document Pre-examination: Avoid Source Risks in Advance

The document requirements for dried fruit imports differ significantly from those for general cargo.In 2026,China has added a requirement for "electronic filing of origin quarantine certificates" for imported dried fruit documents.After signing the agency agreement with the customer,Zhongshen will conduct pre-examination on the following documents immediately:

• Official phytosanitary certificates issued by the origin country (must include information such as dried fruit variety,origin,processing technology,etc.)
• Commercial invoices and packing lists provided by the exporter (must mark key parameters such as moisture content and shelf life of dried fruit)
• For pre-packaged dried fruit,provide sample Chinese labels (must comply with GB7718-2011 General Rules for Labeling of Pre-packaged Foods)

Taking Ms.Qiao’s case as an example,Zhongshen found during the pre-examination that the origin quarantine certificate for this batch of Thai dried mangoes did not include the clause "no banned preservatives used during processing",which is a new requirement for Southeast Asian tropical fruit products in China in 2026.Zhongshen immediately contacted the exporter to supplement the relevant certificate,avoiding the risk of goods return after arrival at the port.

2.Port Customs Declaration: Accurate Tariff Calculation and Compliant Declaration

In 2026,China adjusted the tariffs for some dried fruit products.For example,the most-favored-nation tariff rate for Chilean dried almonds was reduced from 10% to 8%,but a certificate of origin under the Chile Free Trade Agreement is required.Zhongshen’s customs declaration team will accurately calculate tariffs and value-added tax based on the HS code of the dried fruit (such as dried fruit products under item 0813),and ensure that the declaration information is consistent with the documents.

In addition,when declaring dried fruit imports,the "registration number of overseas food production enterprises" must be submitted simultaneously.Zhongshen will verify in advance whether the exporter is on the registration list of the China National Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA) to avoid declaration failure due to the enterprise not being registered.

3.Commodity Inspection and Port Inspection: Control the Core Link of Food Safety

The commodity inspection requirements for dried food products mainly focus on three aspects: pesticide residues,heavy metal content,and microbial indicators.In 2026,China added detection items for "banned additives such as Sudan Red and Malachite Green".Zhongshen will assist customers in preparing samples required for commodity inspection (500g-1000g per batch) before the goods arrive at the port,and communicate with the port commodity inspection department in advance about the detection priority to shorten inspection time.

Zhongshen once assisted a snack brand in Shanghai to import Turkish dried figs.The batch of goods was found to have slightly higher pesticide residues than Chinese standards during random inspection.Zhongshen immediately contacted the exporter to provide the "organic planting certificate" and third-party inspection report for this batch of dried figs.Finally,the commodity inspection department recognized the certificate,and the goods were released smoothly,with only a 3-day delay,far lower than the industry average delay of 7 days.

Actual Case: Key Experience in Risk Avoidance

Mr.Zhang,the purchasing director of an import trading company in Shanghai,imported a batch of American dried walnuts in March 2026.He was unaware of the new 2026 requirement that "moisture content of dried walnuts must be ≤8%",and the goods were judged unqualified during commodity inspection.After contacting Zhongshen,Zhongshen’s technical team assisted him in providing the moisture content inspection report from the United States Department of Agriculture,and communicated with the commodity inspection department about the processing technology (low-temperature drying) of this batch of dried walnuts.Finally,it was proved that the moisture content met the requirements,the goods were released smoothly,and a loss of 150,000 yuan was avoided.

Summary: Core Value of Professional Agency

The core of dried fruit import agency lies in accurately controlling food compliance requirements.The 2026 upgrade of quarantine standards has further increased the operational difficulty.With over 20 years of industry experience,Zhongshen is familiar with the latest policies and regulations,helping enterprises avoid risks such as document errors and unqualified quarantine in advance,shortening customs clearance time from the industry average of 10 days to 3-5 days,while reducing hidden costs such as storage and goods return.For enterprises wishing to enter the dried fruit import market,choosing a professional agency service provider is the key to improving efficiency and ensuring compliance.