In the early morning of May 1st, a batch of fresh oranges weighing 516 tons and originating from Egypt was successfully released after completing all customs clearance procedures under the supervision of the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Port Area Customs (hereinafter referred to as "Waigaoqiao Customs") affiliated to Shanghai Customs. In order to expand high-level opening-up and promote common development between China and Africa, from May 1st, 2026 to April 30th, 2028, zero tariffs will be implemented for 20 African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China and do not belong to the least developed countries. This implementation of zero tariffs is another major measure following the implementation of zero tariffs on all least developed countries that have established diplomatic relations with China, including 33 African least developed countries, on December 1st, 2024. This batch of fresh oranges is the first Egyptian goods to enjoy this zero tariff measure nationwide.

Egypt consistently ranks first in global fresh orange exports. Thanks to ample sunshine and optimal temperature variations, Egyptian oranges are plump, juicy, and delightfully sweet, offering a fresh choice for Chinese consumers' fruit plates. However, due to the short shelf life of fruits, there is a high demand for timely customs clearance. After the implementation of zero tariffs, this batch of oranges faced the challenge of "the certificate of origin not yet being in place" due to the time difference.

"We rely on the 'french window - customs enterprise liaison' mechanism to conduct a full coverage investigation of the main African fruit importers within the customs area, and 'lock in' relevant imported goods in advance. At the same time, we proactively connect with shipping companies and declaring enterprises to accurately grasp the ship's arrival plan, and provide 'one-on-one' guidance to enterprises to prepare complete and standardized declaration materials. When the batch of fruits arrived at the port, the enterprise's certificate of origin was still in the processing process, and fresh fruits are not suitable for long-term storage. In response to this situation, we guided the enterprise to adopt the 'supplementary declaration + tax guarantee' model for advance release, and after the enterprise completed the certificate of origin, the preferential procedures were handled in accordance with regulations. This supported the enterprise to enjoy the zero tariff dividend at the first time, effectively avoiding the risks of demurrage, storage fees, and spoilage of fresh goods due to waiting for the certificate," said Jiang Yizhong, the chief of the First Comprehensive Business Section of the Outer Port Customs.

"I never expected the customs to anticipate our needs and provide proactive services to alleviate our concerns. This batch of fresh oranges arrived at the port during the May Day holiday, and fresh fruits have high requirements for timeliness. Customs officers took the initiative to connect with us and guide us through the tax guarantee procedures, ensuring an efficient process from declaration to release. Taking this batch of Egyptian fresh oranges as an example, the tariff reduction for this single shipment alone is approximately 320,000 yuan. Our company expects to import a total of 6,000 tons of fruits from Africa this year, and the cumulative tax reduction for the whole year will exceed 4 million yuan, which has truly reduced our operating costs! With the cost reduction, we can not only benefit the majority of consumers but also have more confidence in introducing more high-quality African specialty fruits. Next, we will continue to import products such as South African apples, grapefruits, and Kenyan avocados, further enriching the domestic market supply," said Zhang Panjun, the person in charge of customs affairs at Zhejiang Ouheng Import and Export Co., Ltd.

On the same day, another batch of 24 tons of avocados from Kenya also entered the country through the Waigaoqiao Port and were smoothly released under the efficient support of the Waigaoqiao Customs, enjoying a tariff reduction of 26,000 yuan. According to statistics from Shanghai Customs, in the first quarter of this year, Shanghai port's import and export to Africa amounted to 124.05 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 36.7%. Among them, imports were 49.78 billion yuan and exports were 74.27 billion yuan, up 62.2% and 23.7% year-on-year respectively. The zero-tariff measure implemented this time will further stimulate new momentum in China-Africa trade, making the "big Chinese market" a real import accelerator for "good products from Africa". Shanghai Customs will continue to strengthen the promotion and implementation of measures benefiting enterprises, provide service guarantees, and promote the quality improvement and expansion of China-Africa trade.