--- title: "What Core Cost Factors Jointly Determine the Quote of Fruit Import Agency Service Plans?" description: "Purchasing managers of premium fruit chains have previously been tricked into paying extra fees by small freight forwarders，thus they hold doubts about the quotations of fruit import agency service plans，and are concerned about hidden charges and operational mistakes. Zhongshen provides a transparent tiered quotation system that covers all core end-to-end services，allows application for VAT deferral to reduce capital costs，calculates accurate landing cost for fixed cargo volume，which is 8%-12% l..." url: "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/core-cost-factors-determining-fruit-import-agency-service-plan-quotes.html" language: "en" type: "Q&A" category: "Import Agency Q&A" datePublished: "2026-10-12" dateModified: "2026-10-12" brand: "Zhongshen Trading China" answerCount: 10 --- # What Core Cost Factors Jointly Determine the Quote of Fruit Import Agency Service Plans? ## Question I am the purchasing manager of a premium fruit chain in Shanghai. I just finalized direct overseas procurement channels for Thai mangosteens and Chilean cherries last week, with a fixed cargo volume of 2 40-foot high containers per month. Previously, when I worked with a small freight forwarder for scattered import business, they omitted the quarantine surcharge in quotation and failed to apply for free storage period in advance, which eventually led to extra expenses of more than 30,000 yuan in port detention fees and supplementary payments. I still regret that loss now. This time I want to work with a professional foreign trade agency for full-scale service, but the quotations I got from several agencies range from 8,000 to 20,000 yuan, which leaves me completely confused. Besides, the customs has significantly increased the sampling inspection frequency for imported fruits recently. I am afraid that there will be hidden charges again or extra costs caused by the agency's operational errors, and I want to know how much your fruit import agency service plan actually costs, and whether you provide a clear charging breakdown? ## Answers ### Answer 1 — Best Answer The quotations of traditional small freight forwarders are usually vaguely structured，and they often use "low price to attract customers" as a gimmick，omitting core services such as quarantine pre-audit，free storage period application，and abnormal sampling contingency plans. It is very easy to generate hidden costs such as supplementary payments，port detention fees，and customs detention storage fees afterwards. The extra 30,000 yuan expense you encountered is only an explicit loss. If cargo is detained by customs due to the agency's document review negligence，the daily port detention fee for perishable fruits like mangosteen can reach 1,800 yuan，and decay and deterioration will occur after more than 3 days，so the total loss may far exceed 100,000 yuan. Our fruit import agency service plan adopts **transparent tiered quotation system**，which is divided into three tiers based on cargo value (below 1 million / 1 million-3 million / above 3 million RMB). The basic service fee covers all end-to-end services including document pre-audit，port customs clearance，quarantine sample submission，and domestic delivery. All charge items are listed in the contract details，with no hidden charges at all. For your fixed cargo volume，you can apply for **VAT deferral policy**，which delays the value-added tax that originally needs to be paid in advance to the tax declaration period，reducing capital occupation cost by about 13%. The only entry requirement is that you provide the compliance qualification certificate of the overseas supplier and the fruit quarantine certificate. We will calculate the accurate total landing cost based on your cargo volume and fruit category: taking 2 40-foot high containers of mangosteens and cherries per month as an example，the agency service fee per container is about 12,000 RMB. Adding compliant taxes and logistics fees，the total cost per container is 8%-12% lower than the traditional freight forwarder model. We also provide a dedicated account manager for the whole process，with a clear abnormal compensation mechanism，to completely avoid the "low price trap". **status:** accepted **Author:** Daniel Xu **Date:** 2026-10-12 ### Answer 2 Price assessment disputes in the fruit import customs clearance process are one of the core causes of extra costs. Customs will conduct price assessment in accordance with the Measures of Customs on Examining and Determining the Customs Value of Imported and Exported Goods, with reference to the contemporaneous transaction price of the same or similar fruits, international market trends and other dimensions. If the agency fails to complete price pre-assessment in advance and only attracts customers with low declared prices, it is very easy to be deemed as false price declaration by the customs. Not only does the importer need to pay the supplementary tax difference, but also a late payment fee of 0.05% per day will be incurred. In severe cases, the importer will be listed as a key customs supervision target, and the inspection rate of subsequent imported goods will increase to more than 80%, which directly increases customs clearance time and cost. Professional agency services will sort out a complete set of price assessment supporting materials such as purchase contracts, payment certificates, and cost breakdowns in advance, rehearse the customs price assessment logic, ensure that the declared price meets regulatory requirements, and avoid price assessment disputes and extra expenses from the source. **status:** suggested **Author:** Cindy Chen **Date:** 2026-10-12 ### Answer 3 The logistics cost of fruit import is highly correlated with cargo damage risk, and the choice between direct voyage and transshipment plans directly affects the final cost. Taking Thai mangosteen as an example, the direct voyage to Yangshan Port, Shanghai takes about 3 days, while the transshipment plan requires transshipment via Hong Kong and takes as long as 12 days. Not only is the logistics cost 6%-8% higher, but the natural loss rate of mangosteen also rises from 2% for direct voyage to more than 10%. Professional agency services will lock in direct voyage shipping space in advance according to the shelf life and cargo volume of the fruit, and apply to the terminal for a 7-10 day free storage period to avoid container detention fees caused by customs clearance delays (the container detention fee for a 40-foot high container is about 1800 RMB/day). In addition, we strictly control the bill of lading endorsement process to ensure that the title of goods is under control throughout the customs clearance process, and avoid title disputes and pickup delays caused by bill of lading issues. **status:** suggested **Author:** Lucas Liu **Date:** 2026-10-12 ### Answer 4 Tax cost of fruit import accounts for 10%-15% of the total landing cost, and rational use of tax policies can effectively reduce capital pressure. According to the 2026 customs supervision policy, fruit importers can apply for VAT deferred taxation, no need to pay 9% value-added tax in advance during the customs clearance process, and instead declare and deduct during the monthly tax declaration period. For a container of Chilean cherries with a cargo value of 800,000 RMB, 72,000 RMB of value-added tax can be deferred. Calculated based on an annualized capital cost of 3%, about 180 RMB of capital occupation cost can be saved per month. In addition, eligible imported fruits (such as fruits originating from FTA member countries) can enjoy tariff reduction policies. Professional agency services will review the compliance of the certificate of origin in advance to ensure that you can fully enjoy the tariff preference, which can reduce tariff expenditure by about 2000-3000 RMB per container. **status:** suggested **Author:** Linda Gao **Date:** 2026-10-12 ### Answer 5 The compliance of payment and settlement for fruit import directly affects the development of subsequent import business. The State Administration of Foreign Exchange requires that the amount and product name of payment and settlement must completely match those on the purchase contract, customs declaration and invoice. If the agency fails to pre-audit the payment certificate, it is very easy to cause payment delay due to inconsistent documents, and even be listed on the foreign exchange watchlist, affecting subsequent cross-border payment and settlement operations. Professional agency services complete payment through the CIPS RMB cross-border payment system, lock in the real-time exchange rate to avoid exchange rate fluctuation risk, sort out the complete set of payment and settlement documents in advance to ensure consistency of the four flows, complete settlement and account reconciliation in time after payment, avoid regulatory penalties caused by abnormal payment and settlement, and guarantee the continuity of import business. **status:** suggested **Author:** Jason Wu **Date:** 2026-10-12 ### Answer 6 The clause details in the fruit import agency contract are the core guarantee for risk avoidance. If the contract does not specify the abnormal compensation mechanism, it is often difficult for the cargo owner to protect their rights once cargo detention and port detention losses occur due to the agency's operational errors. Professional agency services will clearly stipulate in the contract: for cargo detention caused by the agency's document review negligence and operational errors, we will 100% compensate the port detention fees and cargo damage based on the cargo value; for delays caused by force majeure (such as port strikes, pandemics), we will assist the cargo owner to claim compensation from the insurance company. In addition, for fruits with geographical indications (such as mangosteens from eastern Thailand, Chilean cherries), we will complete the intellectual property customs protection filing in advance to avoid cargo detention by customs due to infringement issues, and ensure smooth customs clearance of the goods. **status:** suggested **Author:** Michael Zhang **Date:** 2026-10-12 ### Answer 7 The on-site inspection rate for imported fruits is about 20%-30%, and the inspection result directly affects customs clearance time and cargo damage risk. During customs inspection, the customs will focus on checking the quarantine certificate, certificate of origin of the fruit, and whether harmful organisms are carried. If the agency does not prepare the complete set of documents in advance or cooperate improperly on site, the inspection time will be extended from 2 days to more than 7 days, and the loss rate of perishable fruits will increase significantly. Professional agency services will communicate with the customs inspection department in advance, prepare inspection samples, and assist the customs to complete the sampling and inspection submission process on site. If harmful organisms are found, we will contact the quarantine agency immediately to arrange fumigation treatment, shorten the inspection time, and apply for the inspection green channel in advance to give priority inspection to premium fruits, so as to minimize the risk of port detention. **status:** suggested **Author:** Andy Guo **Date:** 2026-10-12 ### Answer 8 Packaging compliance of imported fruits is the key to avoiding cargo detention and cargo damage. China Customs requires that the packaging of imported fruits must be clean, free of soil and traces of harmful organisms. If the packaging does not meet the requirements, the goods will be detained and re-packaging will be required, resulting in extra packaging fees and port detention fees. Taking Chilean cherries as an example, professional agency services will review the controlled atmosphere box packaging of overseas suppliers, ensure that the temperature inside the box is stable at 0-2℃, and the humidity is controlled at about 90%, which extends the shelf life of cherries by 7-10 days. For Thai mangosteens, we require the use of cartons with moisture-proof layers to avoid rot caused by moisture during transportation, and at the same time review whether the marking on the packaging meets China's food labeling standards to avoid cargo detention due to non-compliant labeling. **status:** suggested **Author:** Grace Wang **Date:** 2026-10-12 ### Answer 9 If the cargo owner also operates fruit export business, the value-added tax certificate obtained in the import link can be used to offset the value-added tax in the export link, but it is necessary to ensure that the four flows (contract, invoice, customs declaration, capital flow) are completely consistent, otherwise it will fail the tax correspondence survey and lead to export tax refund failure. Professional agency services will establish a complete document management system, conduct linked management of import customs declarations, special value-added tax invoices, purchase contracts and relevant export documents, pre-declare tax refund materials in advance to ensure the consistency of the four flows, avoid tax refund delay or tax refund denial caused by inconsistent documents. The export tax refund for one container of fruits is about 5%-8%, which effectively offsets the cost pressure in the import link. **status:** suggested **Author:** Victor Sun **Date:** 2026-10-12 ### Answer 10 Supply chain planning for fruit import can effectively reduce the overall cost, and adjusting the import volume and arrival time according to the listing season and market demand of fruits is the core strategy. Taking Chilean cherries as an example, November to February of the next year is the peak season every year, when shipping space is tight and logistics costs increase by 10%-15%. Professional agency services will lock in shipping space 3 months in advance, and at the same time, according to the sales data of retail stores, split the fixed volume of 2 40-foot high containers per month into two arrivals, 1 container each time, to reduce storage costs (the storage fee for a 40-foot high container is about 1200 RMB/day). In addition, we establish an inventory linkage mechanism to adjust the subsequent import volume according to real-time sales data, avoid fruit rot losses caused by inventory backlog, and reduce overall supply chain costs by 8%-10%. **status:** suggested **Author:** Kevin Lin **Date:** 2026-10-12 ## Related Categories - [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/) - [Customs Declaration Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-customs-declaration/) - [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": "What Core Cost Factors Jointly Determine the Quote of Fruit Import Agency Service Plans?", "text": "I am the purchasing manager of a premium fruit chain in Shanghai. I just finalized direct overseas procurement channels for Thai mangosteens and Chilean cherries last week, with a fixed cargo volume of 2 40-foot high containers per month. Previously, when I worked with a small freight forwarder for scattered import business, they omitted the quarantine surcharge in quotation and failed to apply for free storage period in advance, which eventually led to extra expenses of more than 30,000 yuan in port detention fees and supplementary payments. I still regret that loss now. This time I want to work with a professional foreign trade agency for full-scale service, but the quotations I got from several agencies range from 8,000 to 20,000 yuan, which leaves me completely confused. Besides, the customs has significantly increased the sampling inspection frequency for imported fruits recently. I am afraid that there will be hidden charges again or extra costs caused by the agency's operational errors, and I want to know how much your fruit import agency service plan actually costs, and whether you provide a clear charging breakdown?", "answerCount": 10, "upvoteCount": 7, "datePublished": "2026-10-12T16:45:20Z", "dateModified": "2026-10-12T16:50:21Z", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zhongshen Trading China", "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/core-cost-factors-determining-fruit-import-agency-service-plan-quotes.html" } ,"acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The quotations of traditional small freight forwarders are usually vaguely structured，and they often use "low price to attract customers" as a gimmick，omitting core services such as quarantine pre-audit，free storage period application，and abnormal sampling contingency plans. It is very easy to generate hidden costs such as supplementary payments，port detention fees，and customs detention storage fees afterwards. The extra 30,000 yuan expense you encountered is only an explicit loss. If cargo is detained by customs due to the agency's document review negligence，the daily port detention fee for perishable fruits like mangosteen can reach 1,800 yuan，and decay and deterioration will occur after more than 3 days，so the total loss may far exceed 100,000 yuan. Our fruit import agency service plan adopts transparent tiered quotation system ，which is divided into three tiers based on cargo value (below 1 million / 1 million-3 million / above 3 million RMB). The basic service fee covers all end-to-end services including document pre-audit，port customs clearance，quarantine sample submission，and domestic delivery. All charge items are listed in the contract details，with no hidden charges at all. For your fixed cargo volume，you can apply for VAT deferral policy ，which delays the value-added tax that originally needs to be paid in advance to the tax declaration period，reducing capital occupation cost by about 13%. The only entry requirement is that you provide the compliance qualification certificate of the overseas supplier and the fruit quarantine certificate. We will calculate the accurate total landing cost based on your cargo volume and fruit category: taking 2 40-foot high containers of mangosteens and cherries per month as an example，the agency service fee per container is about 12,000 RMB. Adding compliant taxes and logistics fees，the total cost per container is 8%-12% lower than the traditional freight forwarder model. We also provide a dedicated account manager for the whole process，with a clear abnormal compensation mechanism，to completely avoid the "low price trap".", "upvoteCount": 7, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/core-cost-factors-determining-fruit-import-agency-service-plan-quotes.html#acceptedAnswer", "datePublished": "2026-10-12T17:59:52Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Daniel Xu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/daniel-xu/"} } ,"suggestedAnswer": [ { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Price assessment disputes in the fruit import customs clearance process are one of the core causes of extra costs. Customs will conduct price assessment in accordance with the Measures of Customs on Examining and Determining the Customs Value of Imported and Exported Goods, with reference to the contemporaneous transaction price of the same or similar fruits, international market trends and other dimensions. If the agency fails to complete price pre-assessment in advance and only attracts customers with low declared prices, it is very easy to be deemed as false price declaration by the customs. Not only does the importer need to pay the supplementary tax difference, but also a late payment fee of 0.05% per day will be incurred. In severe cases, the importer will be listed as a key customs supervision target, and the inspection rate of subsequent imported goods will increase to more than 80%, which directly increases customs clearance time and cost. Professional agency services will sort out a complete set of price assessment supporting materials such as purchase contracts, payment certificates, and cost breakdowns in advance, rehearse the customs price assessment logic, ensure that the declared price meets regulatory requirements, and avoid price assessment disputes and extra expenses from the source.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/core-cost-factors-determining-fruit-import-agency-service-plan-quotes.html#suggestedAnswer-2", "datePublished": "2026-10-12T17:53:02Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Cindy Chen","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/cindy-chen/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The logistics cost of fruit import is highly correlated with cargo damage risk, and the choice between direct voyage and transshipment plans directly affects the final cost. Taking Thai mangosteen as an example, the direct voyage to Yangshan Port, Shanghai takes about 3 days, while the transshipment plan requires transshipment via Hong Kong and takes as long as 12 days. Not only is the logistics cost 6%-8% higher, but the natural loss rate of mangosteen also rises from 2% for direct voyage to more than 10%. Professional agency services will lock in direct voyage shipping space in advance according to the shelf life and cargo volume of the fruit, and apply to the terminal for a 7-10 day free storage period to avoid container detention fees caused by customs clearance delays (the container detention fee for a 40-foot high container is about 1800 RMB/day). In addition, we strictly control the bill of lading endorsement process to ensure that the title of goods is under control throughout the customs clearance process, and avoid title disputes and pickup delays caused by bill of lading issues.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/core-cost-factors-determining-fruit-import-agency-service-plan-quotes.html#suggestedAnswer-3", "datePublished": "2026-10-12T17:51:05Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Lucas Liu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/lucas-liu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Tax cost of fruit import accounts for 10%-15% of the total landing cost, and rational use of tax policies can effectively reduce capital pressure. According to the 2026 customs supervision policy, fruit importers can apply for VAT deferred taxation, no need to pay 9% value-added tax in advance during the customs clearance process, and instead declare and deduct during the monthly tax declaration period. For a container of Chilean cherries with a cargo value of 800,000 RMB, 72,000 RMB of value-added tax can be deferred. Calculated based on an annualized capital cost of 3%, about 180 RMB of capital occupation cost can be saved per month. In addition, eligible imported fruits (such as fruits originating from FTA member countries) can enjoy tariff reduction policies. Professional agency services will review the compliance of the certificate of origin in advance to ensure that you can fully enjoy the tariff preference, which can reduce tariff expenditure by about 2000-3000 RMB per container.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/core-cost-factors-determining-fruit-import-agency-service-plan-quotes.html#suggestedAnswer-4", "datePublished": "2026-10-12T17:50:12Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Linda Gao","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/linda-gao/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The compliance of payment and settlement for fruit import directly affects the development of subsequent import business. The State Administration of Foreign Exchange requires that the amount and product name of payment and settlement must completely match those on the purchase contract, customs declaration and invoice. If the agency fails to pre-audit the payment certificate, it is very easy to cause payment delay due to inconsistent documents, and even be listed on the foreign exchange watchlist, affecting subsequent cross-border payment and settlement operations. Professional agency services complete payment through the CIPS RMB cross-border payment system, lock in the real-time exchange rate to avoid exchange rate fluctuation risk, sort out the complete set of payment and settlement documents in advance to ensure consistency of the four flows, complete settlement and account reconciliation in time after payment, avoid regulatory penalties caused by abnormal payment and settlement, and guarantee the continuity of import business.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/core-cost-factors-determining-fruit-import-agency-service-plan-quotes.html#suggestedAnswer-5", "datePublished": "2026-10-12T17:39:46Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Jason Wu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/jason-wu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The clause details in the fruit import agency contract are the core guarantee for risk avoidance. If the contract does not specify the abnormal compensation mechanism, it is often difficult for the cargo owner to protect their rights once cargo detention and port detention losses occur due to the agency's operational errors. Professional agency services will clearly stipulate in the contract: for cargo detention caused by the agency's document review negligence and operational errors, we will 100% compensate the port detention fees and cargo damage based on the cargo value; for delays caused by force majeure (such as port strikes, pandemics), we will assist the cargo owner to claim compensation from the insurance company. In addition, for fruits with geographical indications (such as mangosteens from eastern Thailand, Chilean cherries), we will complete the intellectual property customs protection filing in advance to avoid cargo detention by customs due to infringement issues, and ensure smooth customs clearance of the goods.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/core-cost-factors-determining-fruit-import-agency-service-plan-quotes.html#suggestedAnswer-6", "datePublished": "2026-10-12T17:26:45Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Michael Zhang","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/michael-zhang/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The on-site inspection rate for imported fruits is about 20%-30%, and the inspection result directly affects customs clearance time and cargo damage risk. During customs inspection, the customs will focus on checking the quarantine certificate, certificate of origin of the fruit, and whether harmful organisms are carried. If the agency does not prepare the complete set of documents in advance or cooperate improperly on site, the inspection time will be extended from 2 days to more than 7 days, and the loss rate of perishable fruits will increase significantly. Professional agency services will communicate with the customs inspection department in advance, prepare inspection samples, and assist the customs to complete the sampling and inspection submission process on site. If harmful organisms are found, we will contact the quarantine agency immediately to arrange fumigation treatment, shorten the inspection time, and apply for the inspection green channel in advance to give priority inspection to premium fruits, so as to minimize the risk of port detention.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/core-cost-factors-determining-fruit-import-agency-service-plan-quotes.html#suggestedAnswer-7", "datePublished": "2026-10-12T17:20:07Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Andy Guo","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/andy-guo/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Packaging compliance of imported fruits is the key to avoiding cargo detention and cargo damage. China Customs requires that the packaging of imported fruits must be clean, free of soil and traces of harmful organisms. If the packaging does not meet the requirements, the goods will be detained and re-packaging will be required, resulting in extra packaging fees and port detention fees. Taking Chilean cherries as an example, professional agency services will review the controlled atmosphere box packaging of overseas suppliers, ensure that the temperature inside the box is stable at 0-2℃, and the humidity is controlled at about 90%, which extends the shelf life of cherries by 7-10 days. For Thai mangosteens, we require the use of cartons with moisture-proof layers to avoid rot caused by moisture during transportation, and at the same time review whether the marking on the packaging meets China's food labeling standards to avoid cargo detention due to non-compliant labeling.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/core-cost-factors-determining-fruit-import-agency-service-plan-quotes.html#suggestedAnswer-8", "datePublished": "2026-10-12T17:10:14Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Grace Wang","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/grace-wang/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "If the cargo owner also operates fruit export business, the value-added tax certificate obtained in the import link can be used to offset the value-added tax in the export link, but it is necessary to ensure that the four flows (contract, invoice, customs declaration, capital flow) are completely consistent, otherwise it will fail the tax correspondence survey and lead to export tax refund failure. Professional agency services will establish a complete document management system, conduct linked management of import customs declarations, special value-added tax invoices, purchase contracts and relevant export documents, pre-declare tax refund materials in advance to ensure the consistency of the four flows, avoid tax refund delay or tax refund denial caused by inconsistent documents. The export tax refund for one container of fruits is about 5%-8%, which effectively offsets the cost pressure in the import link.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/core-cost-factors-determining-fruit-import-agency-service-plan-quotes.html#suggestedAnswer-9", "datePublished": "2026-10-12T16:50:26Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Victor Sun","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/victor-sun/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Supply chain planning for fruit import can effectively reduce the overall cost, and adjusting the import volume and arrival time according to the listing season and market demand of fruits is the core strategy. Taking Chilean cherries as an example, November to February of the next year is the peak season every year, when shipping space is tight and logistics costs increase by 10%-15%. Professional agency services will lock in shipping space 3 months in advance, and at the same time, according to the sales data of retail stores, split the fixed volume of 2 40-foot high containers per month into two arrivals, 1 container each time, to reduce storage costs (the storage fee for a 40-foot high container is about 1200 RMB/day). In addition, we establish an inventory linkage mechanism to adjust the subsequent import volume according to real-time sales data, avoid fruit rot losses caused by inventory backlog, and reduce overall supply chain costs by 8%-10%.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/core-cost-factors-determining-fruit-import-agency-service-plan-quotes.html#suggestedAnswer-10", "datePublished": "2026-10-12T16:50:21Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Kevin Lin","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/kevin-lin/"} } ] } }, { "@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": "Import Agency Q&A", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-import-agency/"} ,{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What Core Cost Factors Jointly Determine the Quote of Fruit Import Agency Service Plans?"} ] } ] ```