Under the winter drizzle, four container trucks loaded with 104 tons of imported cumin were sent from Yueyang, Hunan to Tengzhou, Shandong, which was the first shipment of the New Year from the Condiment Distribution Center in Chenglingji New Port District, Yueyang.
Walking into the imported condiment warehouse in the Chenglingji Comprehensive Bonded Zone, cumin, star anise, cumin, chili pepper and other spice products are neatly placed, exuding a rich fragrance. On the banks of the Yangtze River, large and small trucks shuttle frequently, porters race against time, and the cold river breeze blows through, but everyone is getting more and more energetic.
Chen Zhuo, manager of Yueyang Yusong Food, said: "Since having this 'new passport', the total sales of the company's imported cumin and other medicinal and edible homologous products will exceed 50 million yuan in 2023. The "new passport" in his mouth has benefited from the implementation of the "Customs Clearance Facilitation Model for the Import of Medicinal and Food Homologous Commodities", which has greatly shortened the customs clearance time for enterprises to import cumin and other medicinal and edible homologous condiments, and brought the benefits of "real gold".
Prior to this, because turmeric, cumin, nutmeg and other medicinal and edible homologous commodities were both drugs and foods, they could only be used as drugs for customs clearance in the import process according to the regulatory methods at that time, and could only be imported by qualified pharmaceutical companies. However, food production enterprises are unable to apply for the "Customs Clearance Form for Imported Drugs" because they do not have the relevant qualifications, resulting in food production enterprises being unable to import such products as raw materials for food production. Food processing enterprises that produce condiments can only purchase raw materials for medicinal and edible homologous commodities in the market at a higher price, or purchase them after importing them through pharmaceutical companies, which greatly increases the production costs and operational risks of food enterprises.
In order to effectively respond to the demands of the market and enterprises, give full play to the advantages of institutional innovation in the pilot free trade zone, solve the blocking pain points in the import process of medicinal and edible homologous commodities, and promote the innovation of the first model, on January 3, 2023, the Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce, the Hunan Provincial Administration for Market Regulation, the Hunan Provincial Drug Administration, and Changsha Customs jointly issued the "Pilot Plan for the Reform of Customs Clearance Facilitation for the Import of Food, Medicinal and Edible Homologous Commodities in the China (Hunan) Free Pilot Zone", which clarifies the freedom in China (Hunan)** Non-drug production and operation enterprises registered in the pilot zone can apply this scheme to food, medicine and food homologous products imported at Yueyang Chenglingji Port.
With this new "passport", the efficiency of the import and entry process of condiments and spices such as turmeric, cumin, and nutmeg in the food processing industry has been greatly improved, which has solved the fundamental problem that food production enterprises cannot import raw materials for the production of "medicine and food homology" according to drug management. At the same time, Yueyang Customs carries out 7 24-hour appointment customs clearance services for the goods arriving at the port, so that they can be checked and stored at any time. This not only helps Hunan condiment enterprises reduce costs and increase efficiency, improves the sense of gain of enterprises, but also dredges the institutional blocking pain points that restrict industrial development, and effectively reduces the cost of the system caused by the lack of qualifications, strict inspection, and cumbersome customs clearance when non-drug-related enterprises import medicine and food homologous commodities, and truly helps enterprises to bail out, realizes convenient customs clearance and precise supervision, and is conducive to further optimizing the business environment at the port.
Now, in just one year, the total amount of imported food, medicinal and edible homologous commodities at Yueyang Chenglingji Port is nearly 3,000 tons, and Yueyang Customs is the 2315 that applies the policy5 tons of cumin and 572 tons of turmeric went through customs clearance procedures by means of special channel declaration, saving more than 800,000 yuan in freight, customs clearance, loading and unloading fees and other costs for enterprises. Yueyang's condiment products began to be sent to major wholesale markets across the country, such as Yulin in Guangxi and Shandong, and on the dining tables of more and more Chinese people.
At present, our first batch of large orders for cumin and cumin has exceeded 3,000 tons, which have been loaded overseas, and there will be chili peppers and other products purchased from India during the Chinese New Year, and it is expected that the import volume will double again this year, more than 6,000 tons is not a problem! Chen Zhuo is full of confidence in the new year.
The Pilot Free Trade Zone is a testing ground for institutional innovation. Wang Donghui, director of Yueyang Customs, said: "We will continue to focus on market concerns and industrial demands, deepen linkage innovation, continue to promote investment facilitation reform, and release the dividends of free trade reform and innovation on a larger scale." ”
Yueyang, on the bank of the Yangtze River, is expected to rise as the largest and most influential condiment distribution center in the central region, and more cumin will have a "new passport" to smooth the road of import and export.
*: Hunan** New Hunan client.