--- title: "Which Customs Compliance Procedures and Core Risk Control Points Are Required for Fruit Import Agency?" description: "Domestic wholesalers mainly engaged in Southeast Asian tropical fruits often face problems such as chaotic documents，risks of port detention and customs detention，and cost out of control when they try import agency for the first time. They can achieve compliance implementation through pre-document review across the entire supply chain，seamless connection of core nodes，and pre-layout of emergency plans for abnormalities. At the same time，relying on exclusive risk isolation measures and cost optim..." url: "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/compliance-process-risk-control-for-fruit-import-agency.html" language: "en" type: "Q&A" category: "Customs Declaration Q&A" datePublished: "2026-09-12" dateModified: "2026-09-12" brand: "Zhongshen Trading China" answerCount: 7 --- # Which Customs Compliance Procedures and Core Risk Control Points Are Required for Fruit Import Agency? ## Question As a domestic fruit wholesaler mainly engaged in Southeast Asian mangoes and mangosteens, I hired a small agency for my first import last week. It was not until before the goods arrived at the port that I found the format of the certificate of origin did not meet the latest customs requirements of 2026, almost triggering customs detention and port detention. The estimated container detention fee alone would be tens of thousands of yuan, which made me switch agencies overnight. Now I want to find a professional import agency to cooperate with, but I have no clue about the entire process of fruit import agency, and I am worried about falling into the same pitfalls again—for example, what details should I pay attention to in document review? How to respond quickly when customs conducts inspections? Also, can you help me further reduce the import costs? My container has been at sea for 5 days now, and I am so anxious that I can’t sleep, for fear of making another mistake and ruining the large supermarket supply contract I just signed. ## Answers ### Answer 1 — Best Answer First，complete refined pre-document review: For the particularity of imported fruits，the official Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the exporting country shall be verified 7 working days in advance. Focus on confirming that the registered orchard number，fruit variety and origin on the certificate fully match the actual container information. At the same time，check the validity period of the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit，the approved varieties and the entry port to avoid customs detention caused by inconsistent documents and goods. In addition，review the completeness of the endorsement of the ocean bill of lading simultaneously to ensure clear and traceable cargo rights. Seamless connection shall be achieved at core nodes: 24 hours before the goods arrive at the port，the agency shall synchronize the pre-entered customs declaration form and documents to the single customs window to trigger intelligent document review in advance，complete inspection and sampling within 12 hours after the goods arrive at the port，and coordinate cold chain storage resources simultaneously，strictly maintaining the cold chain temperature of 12-15℃ to avoid fruit spoilage due to storage at room temperature. It is necessary to monitor the container temperature data in real time，and immediately start the emergency refrigeration plan if there is a deviation. Emergency plans for abnormalities shall be pre-layout: If customs conducts targeted inspections，arrange a dedicated person to accompany them immediately，and prepare fresh-keeping protection measures for fruits in advance for container unpacking inspection to avoid spoilage caused by too long inspection time，if there is a need for document correction，submit the revised materials within the 4-hour correction time limit to avoid triggering port detention. In the final compliance implementation stage，the agency shall simultaneously complete the entire closed loop of customs tax payment，customs release and pickup，and cold chain distribution. At the same time，archive and retain all documents for no less than 5 years to ensure no risks in subsequent tax verification，and apply for RCEP tariff reduction with compliant documents to further reduce costs. **status:** accepted **Author:** Kevin Lin **Date:** 2026-09-12 ### Answer 2 The customs declaration link of fruit import agency shall focus on the customs valuation logic. Prepare a full set of documents including purchase contract, payment slip, certificate of origin and official invoice in advance to ensure the logical closure of the value, variety and quantity among the documents. If there is a query on customs valuation, submit the local market price research report of the exporting country and the transaction records of the same batch of fruits within 3 working days to avoid deleting the declaration and re-declaring due to valuation disputes. In addition, note that the tariff rate of imported fruits shall be accurately matched according to the HS code. Some fruits from ASEAN origin can enjoy RCEP zero-tariff treatment, so confirm in advance whether the "RCEP Exclusive Declaration" column on the certificate of origin is filled out standardly to avoid missing tariff reductions. **status:** suggested **Author:** Daniel Xu **Date:** 2026-09-12 ### Answer 3 For the logistics path of fruit import agency, prefer direct shipping routes to avoid the risk of cold chain breakage caused by transshipment. At the same time, confirm the cold chain storage capacity of the entry port in advance. If the port storage resources are tight, make an appointment for the "container pickup in advance" service of third-party cold chain storage in advance to reduce the container's stay time at the port. For the transportation of Southeast Asian fruits, clearly mark the "Special Terms for Cold Chain Transportation" on the bill of lading, requiring the shipping company to monitor the container temperature throughout the journey. If there is a temperature abnormality, issue the "Temperature Deviation Report" immediately to facilitate subsequent claims with the insurance company. In addition, reasonably apply for an extension of the free storage period. Some ports can apply for an additional 3-5 days of free storage period for fresh agricultural products to reduce container detention costs. **status:** suggested **Author:** Jason Wu **Date:** 2026-09-12 ### Answer 4 Fruit import agency can rely on the VAT deferral policy to optimize cash flow. Apply for the qualification of "deferred payment of import value-added tax" to the tax authority in advance, without paying the full amount of import value-added tax at the customs clearance stage, and defer it to the monthly declaration period for payment, effectively easing the financial pressure. At the same time, note that the input VAT deduction of imported fruits shall meet the "four-flow consistency" requirement, that is, the contract flow, capital flow, invoice flow and cargo flow are fully matched to avoid increased costs due to undeductible input VAT. In addition, if the agency is a general taxpayer, the tariffs and value-added tax paid in the import link can be used as input deductions, and a full set of customs declaration documents and tax payment vouchers shall be retained to ensure tax compliance. **status:** suggested **Author:** Andy Guo **Date:** 2026-09-12 ### Answer 5 The payment and receipt link of fruit import agency shall strictly comply with cross-border payment compliance requirements. If RMB settlement is adopted, complete the payment through the CIPS system to ensure the traceability of capital flow. Confirm in advance whether the account information of the exporting country's supplier is compliant to avoid payment failure caused by incorrect account information, which will affect the release of goods. In addition, clearly define the "payment and receipt terms" in the purchase contract, agree on the connection between the payment time and the goods arrival time to avoid the risk of capital occupation caused by advance payment. If cross-border related party transactions are involved, ensure that the transaction price complies with the arm's length principle to avoid triggering the transfer pricing investigation by the tax authority. **status:** suggested **Author:** Michael Zhang **Date:** 2026-09-12 ### Answer 6 The on-site inspection link of fruit import agency shall be prepared in advance. If customs conducts container unpacking inspection, arrange a dedicated person to accompany throughout the process to assist customs officers in quickly locating the inspection samples, avoiding fruit spoilage caused by too long unpacking time. Prepare the "Quality Inspection Report" of fruits in advance. If the customs questions the pesticide residue indicators of the fruits, submit the retest report of the third-party testing institution within 24 hours to avoid the goods being detained. In addition, pay attention to the integrity of the container seal. If the seal is damaged, take photos immediately and verify with the shipping company to avoid goods being detained due to cargo right disputes. **status:** suggested **Author:** Grace Wang **Date:** 2026-09-12 ### Answer 7 The supply chain planning of fruit import agency shall combine the domestic market demand fluctuations, adopt the "small batch and multiple batches" import strategy to reduce the risk of inventory overstock. Establish a "import timeliness - market price" linkage model, adjust the import frequency according to the shelf life of fruits. For example, the shelf life of mangoes is 7-10 days, ensure that the goods are delivered to the terminal market within 3 days after arrival at the port. At the same time, jointly build an inventory early warning mechanism with the agency, suspend the next batch of import plans when the terminal inventory proportion exceeds 30% to avoid cost loss caused by unsalable goods. In addition, flexibly switch between CIF and FOB trade terms to optimize the allocation ratio of logistics and insurance costs. **status:** suggested **Author:** Cindy Chen **Date:** 2026-09-12 ## Related Categories - [Import Agency Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-import-agency/) - [Export Agency Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-export-agency/) - [Export Tax Rebate Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-export-tax-rebate/) - [Freight Forwarding Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-freight-forwarding/) - [Forex Settlement Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-forex-settlement/) - [Entrepôt Trade Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-entrepot-trade/) - [General Trade Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-general-trade/) ## Related Resources - [Trade Services](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/services/) - [Trade Cases](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/cases/) - [Trade Wiki](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/wiki/) - [Trade Class](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/guide/) - [Global Trade Services](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/country/) ## Structured Data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "QAPage", "inLanguage":"en", "isPartOf": { "@id":"https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/#website" }, "publisher":{ "@id":"https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/#organization" }, "mainEntity": { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which Customs Compliance Procedures and Core Risk Control Points Are Required for Fruit Import Agency?", "text": "As a domestic fruit wholesaler mainly engaged in Southeast Asian mangoes and mangosteens, I hired a small agency for my first import last week. It was not until before the goods arrived at the port that I found the format of the certificate of origin did not meet the latest customs requirements of 2026, almost triggering customs detention and port detention. The estimated container detention fee alone would be tens of thousands of yuan, which made me switch agencies overnight. Now I want to find a professional import agency to cooperate with, but I have no clue about the entire process of fruit import agency, and I am worried about falling into the same pitfalls again—for example, what details should I pay attention to in document review? How to respond quickly when customs conducts inspections? Also, can you help me further reduce the import costs? My container has been at sea for 5 days now, and I am so anxious that I can’t sleep, for fear of making another mistake and ruining the large supermarket supply contract I just signed.", "answerCount": 7, "upvoteCount": 5, "datePublished": "2026-09-12T16:30:24Z", "dateModified": "2026-09-12T17:24:17Z", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zhongshen Trading China", "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/compliance-process-risk-control-for-fruit-import-agency.html" } ,"acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "First，complete refined pre-document review: For the particularity of imported fruits，the official Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the exporting country shall be verified 7 working days in advance. Focus on confirming that the registered orchard number，fruit variety and origin on the certificate fully match the actual container information. At the same time，check the validity period of the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit，the approved varieties and the entry port to avoid customs detention caused by inconsistent documents and goods. In addition，review the completeness of the endorsement of the ocean bill of lading simultaneously to ensure clear and traceable cargo rights. Seamless connection shall be achieved at core nodes: 24 hours before the goods arrive at the port，the agency shall synchronize the pre-entered customs declaration form and documents to the single customs window to trigger intelligent document review in advance，complete inspection and sampling within 12 hours after the goods arrive at the port，and coordinate cold chain storage resources simultaneously，strictly maintaining the cold chain temperature of 12-15℃ to avoid fruit spoilage due to storage at room temperature. It is necessary to monitor the container temperature data in real time，and immediately start the emergency refrigeration plan if there is a deviation. Emergency plans for abnormalities shall be pre-layout: If customs conducts targeted inspections，arrange a dedicated person to accompany them immediately，and prepare fresh-keeping protection measures for fruits in advance for container unpacking inspection to avoid spoilage caused by too long inspection time，if there is a need for document correction，submit the revised materials within the 4-hour correction time limit to avoid triggering port detention. In the final compliance implementation stage，the agency shall simultaneously complete the entire closed loop of customs tax payment，customs release and pickup，and cold chain distribution. At the same time，archive and retain all documents for no less than 5 years to ensure no risks in subsequent tax verification，and apply for RCEP tariff reduction with compliant documents to further reduce costs.", "upvoteCount": 5, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/compliance-process-risk-control-for-fruit-import-agency.html#acceptedAnswer", "datePublished": "2026-09-12T17:51:22Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Kevin Lin","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/kevin-lin/"} } ,"suggestedAnswer": [ { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The customs declaration link of fruit import agency shall focus on the customs valuation logic. Prepare a full set of documents including purchase contract, payment slip, certificate of origin and official invoice in advance to ensure the logical closure of the value, variety and quantity among the documents. If there is a query on customs valuation, submit the local market price research report of the exporting country and the transaction records of the same batch of fruits within 3 working days to avoid deleting the declaration and re-declaring due to valuation disputes. In addition, note that the tariff rate of imported fruits shall be accurately matched according to the HS code. Some fruits from ASEAN origin can enjoy RCEP zero-tariff treatment, so confirm in advance whether the "RCEP Exclusive Declaration" column on the certificate of origin is filled out standardly to avoid missing tariff reductions.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/compliance-process-risk-control-for-fruit-import-agency.html#suggestedAnswer-2", "datePublished": "2026-09-12T17:49:30Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Daniel Xu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/daniel-xu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For the logistics path of fruit import agency, prefer direct shipping routes to avoid the risk of cold chain breakage caused by transshipment. At the same time, confirm the cold chain storage capacity of the entry port in advance. If the port storage resources are tight, make an appointment for the "container pickup in advance" service of third-party cold chain storage in advance to reduce the container's stay time at the port. For the transportation of Southeast Asian fruits, clearly mark the "Special Terms for Cold Chain Transportation" on the bill of lading, requiring the shipping company to monitor the container temperature throughout the journey. If there is a temperature abnormality, issue the "Temperature Deviation Report" immediately to facilitate subsequent claims with the insurance company. In addition, reasonably apply for an extension of the free storage period. Some ports can apply for an additional 3-5 days of free storage period for fresh agricultural products to reduce container detention costs.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/compliance-process-risk-control-for-fruit-import-agency.html#suggestedAnswer-3", "datePublished": "2026-09-12T17:37:55Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Jason Wu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/jason-wu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Fruit import agency can rely on the VAT deferral policy to optimize cash flow. Apply for the qualification of "deferred payment of import value-added tax" to the tax authority in advance, without paying the full amount of import value-added tax at the customs clearance stage, and defer it to the monthly declaration period for payment, effectively easing the financial pressure. At the same time, note that the input VAT deduction of imported fruits shall meet the "four-flow consistency" requirement, that is, the contract flow, capital flow, invoice flow and cargo flow are fully matched to avoid increased costs due to undeductible input VAT. In addition, if the agency is a general taxpayer, the tariffs and value-added tax paid in the import link can be used as input deductions, and a full set of customs declaration documents and tax payment vouchers shall be retained to ensure tax compliance.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/compliance-process-risk-control-for-fruit-import-agency.html#suggestedAnswer-4", "datePublished": "2026-09-12T17:37:51Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Andy Guo","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/andy-guo/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The payment and receipt link of fruit import agency shall strictly comply with cross-border payment compliance requirements. If RMB settlement is adopted, complete the payment through the CIPS system to ensure the traceability of capital flow. Confirm in advance whether the account information of the exporting country's supplier is compliant to avoid payment failure caused by incorrect account information, which will affect the release of goods. In addition, clearly define the "payment and receipt terms" in the purchase contract, agree on the connection between the payment time and the goods arrival time to avoid the risk of capital occupation caused by advance payment. If cross-border related party transactions are involved, ensure that the transaction price complies with the arm's length principle to avoid triggering the transfer pricing investigation by the tax authority.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/compliance-process-risk-control-for-fruit-import-agency.html#suggestedAnswer-5", "datePublished": "2026-09-12T17:36:43Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Michael Zhang","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/michael-zhang/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The on-site inspection link of fruit import agency shall be prepared in advance. If customs conducts container unpacking inspection, arrange a dedicated person to accompany throughout the process to assist customs officers in quickly locating the inspection samples, avoiding fruit spoilage caused by too long unpacking time. Prepare the "Quality Inspection Report" of fruits in advance. If the customs questions the pesticide residue indicators of the fruits, submit the retest report of the third-party testing institution within 24 hours to avoid the goods being detained. In addition, pay attention to the integrity of the container seal. If the seal is damaged, take photos immediately and verify with the shipping company to avoid goods being detained due to cargo right disputes.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/compliance-process-risk-control-for-fruit-import-agency.html#suggestedAnswer-6", "datePublished": "2026-09-12T17:30:05Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Grace Wang","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/grace-wang/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The supply chain planning of fruit import agency shall combine the domestic market demand fluctuations, adopt the "small batch and multiple batches" import strategy to reduce the risk of inventory overstock. Establish a "import timeliness - market price" linkage model, adjust the import frequency according to the shelf life of fruits. For example, the shelf life of mangoes is 7-10 days, ensure that the goods are delivered to the terminal market within 3 days after arrival at the port. At the same time, jointly build an inventory early warning mechanism with the agency, suspend the next batch of import plans when the terminal inventory proportion exceeds 30% to avoid cost loss caused by unsalable goods. In addition, flexibly switch between CIF and FOB trade terms to optimize the allocation ratio of logistics and insurance costs.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/compliance-process-risk-control-for-fruit-import-agency.html#suggestedAnswer-7", "datePublished": "2026-09-12T17:24:17Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Cindy Chen","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/cindy-chen/"} } ] } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ {"@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/"},{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Q&A", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/"},{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Customs Declaration Q&A", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-customs-declaration/"} ,{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Which Customs Compliance Procedures and Core Risk Control Points Are Required for Fruit Import Agency?"} ] } ] ```