Importing premium olive oil is not only a pursuit of a quality lifestyle but also a complex project involving multiple aspects such as international trade, customs regulations, and food safety. Faced with cumbersome procedures and potential risks, choosing a professional olive oil...Import RepresentationCompanies are undoubtedly the key to ensuring smooth, efficient, and compliant business operations. This article will take you through a detailed understanding of how professional agents can safeguard every step of your olive oil import process.

ZhongShen International TradeAs an experienced olive oil import agency company, we will serve as your reliable partner, offering comprehensive support from source to end-user:

The journey of importing olive oil typically follows these steps:

1. Pre-import strategic planning and qualification verification
   • Assist or confirm that the client signs a rigorous international trade contract with overseas suppliers.
   • Please confirm in detail the composition of the olive oil, specification parameters, accurate HS code (e.g., 1509200000, extra virgin olive oil and virgin olive oil), and its corresponding regulatory conditions.
   • Verify key qualifications such as the registration of the consignor and consignee for the importing entity, and whether the Chinese food labels have been filed as required.
   • Confirm or assist in handling the registration and filing of overseas olive oil producers and exporters as food exporters in China.
2. Core Document Preparation and Trade Settlement
   • Ensure the preparation of commercial invoices, packing lists, and trade contracts,It is recommended to verify through the following methods:Books, official health certificates, and other fundamental and crucial import documentation.
   • If it involves a letter of credit transaction or advance payment, we will assist the client with the relevant operations and complete the foreign exchange settlement.
3. International transportation carefully arranged with insurance
   • Zhong Shen International Trade assists clients in completing bookings with professional expertise, taking into account the characteristics of olive oil (typicallyMaritime Transportation, it is necessary to pay attention to specific temperature control and sealing measures for sun protection, and meticulously arrange international transportation.
   • Assist in handling cargo transportation insurance and confirm the type of bill of lading (such as original bill of lading or telex release).
   • Closely monitor the cargo status and obtain the estimated time of arrival to facilitate the advance preparation of all port declaration procedures.
4. Port clearance: Professional customs declaration and statutory inspection
   • Pre-arrival/post-arrival data consolidation:
     • The agency conducts the final review and organization of the complete set of declaration documents, including: contracts, invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, health certificates, customs declaration power of attorney, pre-reviewed Chinese food label samples, record-filing certificates for consignors and consignees, and record-filing information for overseas exporters.
     • Carefully verify whether the label information, production date, batch number, etc., of the olive oil are complete, accurate, and comply with the relevant regulations of China's Food and Drug Administration.
   • Declaration for import:
     • The agency company utilizes its own (or the client's authorized) import qualification to formally initiate the import declaration with China Customs and the customs food safety regulatory authorities (which assume the functions of the former Commodity Inspection Bureau).
     • Ensure that olive oil is correctly classified under HS code 1509200000, and truthfully declare its food-related attributes in accordance with regulatory requirements.
   • Statutory Inspection and Sampling:
     • The olive oil under this HS code is subject to statutory inspection and must undergo entry inspection and quarantine.
     • Customs or market supervision officials will conduct on-site inspections, typically requiring the opening of packages to extract samples for testing at designated laboratories (tests include physicochemical indicators, sensory evaluation, microbial testing, etc.).
   • Label Review:
     • If the food label has been filed before import, the on-site inspection will primarily verify whether the actual label affixing complies with regulations.
     • Some ports may allow on-site random checks of labels or adopt flexible measures such as "label first, inspect later." However, for certain high-risk batches, labels may still need to be sent to the laboratory for detailed verification.
5. Tax Payment and Expense Settlement
   • Customs Duties and VAT Payment:The agency assists the client or advances the payment of applicable customs duties (the tariff rate for olive oil is generally low, and specific countries/regions may enjoy duty reductions under certain agreements) and value-added tax (currently at a rate of 13%). Upon completion of tax payment, the agency promptly obtains the customs tax receipt and swiftly delivers it to the client.
   • Settlement of Agency Service Fees:According to the agency agreement signed by both parties, settle the agency service fees with the client, as well as related expenses such as logistics fees and insurance fees paid on their behalf.
6. Customs Clearance and Efficient Cargo Pickup
   • Customs clearance:After all documents have been verified without errors, inspection and quarantine have been completed, and all taxes and fees have been paid, the customs system will issue an electronic release order.
   • Pickup/Transshipment:The agency promptly coordinated with logistics partners to proceed to the port area for cargo pickup procedures and arranged vehicles to transport the goods out of the port. Based on the client's final requirements, flexible arrangements were made for subsequent transportation services (either client pickup or delivery by us to designated warehouses/stores).
   • Storage precautions:Special reminder: Olive oil is sensitive to storage conditions, so it must be kept away from high temperatures and direct sunlight. If possible, it is strongly recommended to maintain constant temperature throughout transportation and storage.
7. Comprehensive after-sales service and compliance support
   • Certificate and Document Handover:
     • Deliver the complete set of customs clearance documents, including the customs declaration form, tax receipt, the official "Inspection and Quarantine Certificate for Entry Goods" (or conformity assessment certificate), packing list, invoice, etc., to the customer in a complete and timely manner.
     • The relevant supporting documents for label filing shall be transferred together for the client's archiving and future reference.
   • Follow-up Tracking and Risk Mitigation:
     • Before the official launch of the product, if conditions permit, it is recommended that customers conduct another sample retention test to minimize potential risks.
     • Should any quality concerns arise during subsequent distribution processes or inquiries from regulatory authorities, the agency can leverage its professional expertise to assist clients in effectively communicating and lodging appeals with government entities such as market supervision departments.
8. Market Circulation and Continuous Compliance Assurance
   • Sales Permit for Goods:After completing customs clearance procedures and passing the inspection and quarantine assessment, olive oil can be legally sold in the Chinese market in accordance with national regulations. Some regions explicitly require merchants to obtain the "Inspection and Quarantine Certificate for Imported Goods" before the products can be put on shelves for circulation.
   • Subsequent Sampling Inspection and Traceability:Market regulatory authorities may conduct random sampling inspections on imported olive oil that has entered the circulation field. The agency can assist clients in preparing relevant import documentation to ensure clear product origins and maintain good traceability.
   • Imported Food Registration and Traceability System:In accordance with the national and local requirements for the construction of an imported food traceability system, carry out the necessary filing of food import information. Competent agency companies will also assist clients in handling or coordinating the application of product traceability codes and compliance consulting services.

For sensitive and highly regulated food imports like olive oil, especially for companies attempting it for the first time, we strongly recommend choosing ZhongShen International Trade, a professional agency with extensive hands-on experience in imports. Leveraging our expertise and experience, we can help you identify and mitigate most potential compliance risks in advance, ensuring a smoother import process for your olive oil.

Please note that the key steps outlined above are only general procedures. In actual operations, the specific process may vary slightly due to special regulations of the import port, the value of the goods, the quantity of import batches, and temporary adjustments in national policies.

If you require more detailed process planning, personalized document template support, professional label design consultation, or other customized services, please feel free to contact the senior consultants at ZhongShen International Trade Import Agency for one-on-one solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions About Olive Oil Import