Food & Agro
Customs clearance for food & agro
Do you import or export vegetables, fruit, plants, seeds or other food and agricultural products? Then customs documents, product information, certificates and any required inspections must be aligned before departure or arrival. We determine in advance what your product and trade route require. This gives you earlier clarity on which documents, certificates and inspections are needed and reduces the risk of delays, additional storage costs or disruption to delivery.
products, paperwork and planning all need to be correctly alinged
The product description, quantities, weight, origin or other details on a certificate differ from the invoice, packing list or the actual goods. For certain plant products, additional product-specific information may also be required.
The documents must be reassessed or corrected before processing can continue. If information or an amended certificate is required from the country of departure, valuable time is lost.
Only when the goods are already in transit or have arrived does it become clear that an additional inspection or examination is required, or that supporting documents are still missing.
The goods cannot move on immediately. For fresh or perishable products, this means extra waiting time, storage and handling, while the available time for processing, delivery or sale continues to shrink. That is disastrous for the margin.
It may not sound logical, but it happens often. The invoice, packing list, transport document, certificate and customs declaration use different product descriptions, quantities, weights or origin details.
This can raise questions about what is actually being imported or exported. That may lead to additional inspections, amended documents or corrections to the declaration, resulting in delays to the release of the goods.
It is assumed that similar products are subject to the same rules, while requirements can differ depending on the type of product, commodity code, origin, destination or the way in which the product has been processed.
A required certificate or additional inspection may be identified too late, the wrong commodity code may be used, or it may only become clear during processing that additional information is required.
Your documents need to match what is actually arriving
With food and agro products, proper customs clearance starts with the product itself. What exactly is it? Where does it come from? How has it been processed? What quantity is arriving? And which requirements apply to this combination of product, origin and destination?
We then check whether the documentation matches. This includes the commercial invoice, packing list, transport documents, commodity code, origin details and any certificates. For plant products, phytosanitary requirements and inspections may apply. For food products of animal origin, veterinary requirements may apply instead.
Small differences in particular deserve attention. Does one document show a different weight, number of packages or product description from another? We prefer to find out in advance where that difference comes from. The same applies when a supplier prepares a certificate that does not match the goods that are ultimately shipped.
This means our role goes beyond submitting a customs declaration. You get clarity sooner on what is required, which party still needs to provide something and where delays or additional costs may arise. We check whether the product, documents, inspections and logistics planning form one consistent process. This gives you earlier clarity on what still needs to be arranged and reduces the risk of only discovering it once the goods are already in transit.
We check your shipment before time becomes the problem
With food and agro products, customs planning is part of your logistics planning. That is why we determine in advance what is required, check the available documents and coordinate the declaration, any required inspection and transport as effectively as possible.
We map out your product and flow of goods
We look at what you are importing or exporting, where the product comes from, how it has been processed, where it is going and how it is being transported. This allows us to identify at an early stage which customs, documentation and inspection requirements may apply to your shipment.
We determine which requirements apply
We assess which declaration, commodity code, certificates and any required inspections are needed. The type of product, origin, destination and processing may make a difference. This helps prevent a requirement from only being discovered after your supplier has already shipped the goods.
We check your documents before departure
We compare, among other things, the invoice, packing list, transport documents and certificates. Product descriptions, quantities, weights and origin details must be consistent. Any discrepancies can then still be corrected before they delay the declaration, inspection or release.
We coordinate inspections and planning
If an inspection or examination is required, we coordinate this with the parties involved and take arrival, transport and further processing into account. Especially for fresh or perishable goods, this helps limit unnecessary waiting time, handling and storage.
We prepare the declaration and support the release
We submit the required customs declaration and monitor the process. If questions arise or information is still missing, we coordinate with the parties involved. This gives you a single point of contact and keeps it clear what is still required before your goods can move forward.
What our customers say
"The word Service in the name Flevo Trade is a fitting reflection of the services they provide. The service is always very well organised. Dirk and Kees are true professionals, and the staff are always friendly, helpful and knowledgeable in their work."
Ankie de Boer
Norwegian Seafood
Everything arranged for an error-free flow
Before your goods are in transit
Know in advance what your food or agro shipment needs to comply with
