CEREAL IMPORT PROCEDURES

Cereals are very popular commodities in our country. However, when importing grain, businesses still face many problems. Therefore, when carrying out the import procedure of cereals, it is required to apply for a declaration of conformity for food safety regulations issued by the Food Safety Department before circulating on the market, doing plant quarantine and registering for food hygiene and safety inspection.

 

Cereal is the common name of a food made from 5 different grains studied by the experts to bring many nutritional values to the elderly and young children. Generally, whole grains are made from 5 common nuts: sesame, glutinous rice, tedious rice, wheat and legumes.

 

I. Announce products when importing grains

CASE 1: For products that already have technical regulations: declaration of conformity.

1.Publication of conformity based on the certification results of the conformity certification organization. The dossier includes:

• The declaration of conformity;

• Product detail information;

• Certificate of conformity certification of the certification organization (copy);

• The certificate conforms to HACCP or ISO 22000 certification or equivalent (if any) (copy).

2. Self-publishing of conformity. The dossier includes:

• The declaration of conformity;

• Product detail information;

• Product test results within 12 months, including the criteria required by the respective technical regulations; (copy);

• The developed and applied Quality Control Plan;

• Periodic monitoring plan;

• The report on conformity assessment;

• The certificate conforms to HACCP or ISO 22000 or equivalent (if any) (copy).

CASE 2: The product does not have technical regulations: published in accordance with food safety regulations.

• Declaration of conformity/conformity with food safety regulations;

• Product detail information;

• Product test results within 12 months: including the main quality indicators, safety indicators (copy) or Certificate of Analysis of the product on the main quality indicators, safety indicators. (original or notarized copy).

• Periodic monitoring plan;

• Samples of product labels circulating in the country of origin and secondary labels (Vietnamese);

• Complete product samples for products imported into Vietnam for the first time;

• Business registration papers with food business lines / legal certificates for organizations and individuals importing food. (copy);

• Certificate of food safety eligibility establishment for importing establishments subject to issuance of certificates of food safety eligibility establishments as prescribed (copy);

• The certificate conforms to HACCP or ISO 22000 or equivalent (if any) (copy).

Cereal flour publication time

• The completion time for standard publication is 20 days.

• The validity period of the receipt form for product standard announcement is 03 years.

The product must be published to one of the following means (under the control of the Ministry of Industry and Trade):

• Mass media.

• Business website.

• Publicly listed at the headquarters of organizations, individuals and published on the Updated Data System on Food Safety.

Based on:

• Food Safety Law No. 55/2010/QH12

• According to Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP issued on February 2, 2018

 (Note: All copies must be legal, certified by organizations and individuals.)

II. Registration for food hygiene and safety inspection

Step 1: When importing, it should be undergone state quality inspection of food hygiene and safety before customs clearance, including:

• 04 copies of the registration form for inspection of imported food according to the form. (form No. 04, Appendix I issued together with Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP)

• Product self-publishing;

• 03 notices of result confirming food meet import requirements (original);

• Packing list; Bill of Lading; Invoice;

• The trader's authorization papers are responsible for the quality of goods for organizations and individuals doing the work of importing food products (if any).

• In addition, customers can provide additional: Import contracts; Manufacturer's Analysis Slip (CA), Free Sales Certificate or Health Certificate of the product.

Step 2: Sampling and testing (for strict inspection)

After the goods return, the enterprise notified the receiving employee to check and take samples. The Institute will send the one to check and take samples as prescribed.

Step 3: Return test results

After the customer submits the customs declaration, there are test results (for strict inspection): The Institute will announce the results of the certification of imported food. Customers come to receive notifications (or registration) at the letter department or at the specialized inspection reception points of the Institute.

Step 4: Processing time

• For the case of regular inspection: within 03 working days from the receipt of the full dossier.

• For the case of close inspection: within 07 working days from the receipt of sufficient dossiers, sampling and testing.

III. Registration of imported Phytosanitary certificates

1. Dossiers of plant quarantine registration when importing grains include:

• Phytosanitary certificates registration

• A copy of the photograph or the original of the Phytosanitary certificates issued by the competent plant quarantine agency of the exporting country.

• The original or certified copy of the import Phytosanitary certificates (in case of provisions, a permit must be obtained).

2. Procedures for registration of Phytosanitary certificates

Step 1: According to Clause 2, Article 1 of Circular No. 34/2018/TT-BNNPTNT, the subject owner submits (submits) 01 set of dossiers of import plant quarantine registration at the plant quarantine agency either by post or through the VietNam National Single Window (online).

Step 2: Receive and check the application:

The plant quarantine agency shall immediately receive and check the validity of the dossier as prescribed. In case the dossier is invalid, the subject owner shall be requested to supplement and complete the dossier.

Step 3: Check the object.

Based on the results of the examination of dossiers, the plant quarantine agency shall decide the location and arrange civil servants to immediately inspect the batch of objects in the following order:

• Preliminary inspection

Inspect the exterior of batches of objects, packaging, means of transport; slits, interstitials and places where harmful organisms can hide, collect flying insects, crawl or cling to the outside of the object lot.

• Check the details

Internal inspection and sampling of shipments as prescribed in QCVN 01-141:2013/BNNPTNT National Technical Regulation on plant quarantine sampling methods; collect objects with harmful symptoms and harmful organisms; analysis of specimens and harmful organisms collected.

Step 4: After examining dossiers and objects, the competent authority shall issue Phytosanitary certificates to enterprises.

After obtaining the Certificate of Temporary Issuance of Results, the shipment is allowed to be transported to the storage warehouse and only put into production and business after being granted the Phytosanitary certificates of imported, transit and domestic transportation. Based on the results of inspection of the entire batch of objects, the plant quarantine agency shall issue Phytosanitary certificates of imported, transit and domestic transport for the object batch.

 

IV. Customs dossiers when importing grain

The customs dossier on grain imports includes the following documents:

• Certificate of food hygiene and safety inspection.

• Customs declaration

• Sales contract

• Commercial invoice

• Packing list

• Bill of lading

• Certificate of Origin (if any).

• Phytosanitary Certificates.

V. Summary of grain import process:

Step 1: Enterprises shall check the list of goods they import and determine the HS code of the product. (Enterprises must have a grain import license)

Refer to preferential import tax according to information according to the latest tariff schedule 30.12.2021: https://tuonghoa-imex.com/kien-thuc-nganh/bieu-thue/bie-u-thue-xnk-2022-ca-p-nha-t-2021-12-30.html 

 

Step 2: Publish cereal products in your mass media. Immediately after self-announcing the product, the enterprise takes full responsibility for the safety of that product.

 

Step 3: Register for state quality inspection of food safety. Since grains belonging to the item are required to check the state quality when importing, enterprises need to submit the previous registration dossier to the competent authority. After the port will be carried out for sampling testing.

Step 4: Register for Phytosanitary certificates for imported grains. After the goods arrive at the port, Phytosanitary certificates will be carried out as prescribed. Usually within 2 days, from the receipt of the quarantine application, the enterprise will be issued a quarantine certificate.

 

Step 5: Carry out import procedures and customs clearance of goods. Enterprises shall submit customs dossiers to customs offices, then take quarantine samples and notify state quality inspection sampling agencies. If the quality of goods meets the standards, enterprises shall submit more quarantine papers, certificates of state quality and customs clearance of goods brought to their warehouses.

 

For more information on the Import Procedure "CEREAL" please contact 028.7302.0880 for the fastest and most accurate advice.