What special qualifications are required for Russian food exports?

According to the latest trade policy in 2025,agents exporting Russian food must meet the requirements of both China and Russia simultaneously:

• BasicQualifications:
  • Operationrights(registrationwithcustomsrequired)
  • FoodCirculationLicense(thebusinesscategorymustincludeimportedfood)
  • RegistrationofOverseasManufacturingEnterprises(GACCFilingbyChinaCustoms)
• Special certifications:
  • RussianEACCertification(TRCU021/2011TechnicalRegulationsonFoodSafety)
  • ChinaGBStandardTestReport(Dairyproductsrequireanadditionalhygienecertificate)
  • HalalfoodmustobtaincertificationfromtheRussianIslamicCommittee.

Which Russian food products have a competitive advantage in the Chinese market?

According to the customs data for the first quarter of 2025,the import volume of the following categories increased significantly year-on-year:

• DairyProducts:Wholemilkpowder(+23%),cheese(+18%)
• GrainandOilCategory:Sunflowerseedoil(+31%),buckwheat(+27%)
• Candycategory:Chocolate(+15%),honeyproducts(+22%)
• SpecialtyFoods:Caviar(+40%),Chagamushroom(+35%)

Please note: Meat products are still subject to the 2019 African Swine Fever ban,with exports permitted only from the six factories compliant with the China-Russia bilateral agreement.

How to choose the optimal logistics solution?

Comparison of the Main Transportation Methods for Russian Food Exports in 2025:

• Railwaytransportation(58%share):
  • Leadtime:14-18days(Moscow→Xi’an)
  • Cost:Approximately$2,800/40HQ(includingtemperaturecontrolequipment)
• +Land transportation (accounting for 32%):
  • St.Petersburg→QingdaoPort:35-40days
  • Cost:Approximately$1,950/40HQ
• Key Points of Cold Chain Transportation:
  • ThetemperaturerecordermustcomplywiththeGOSTR8.624-2025standard.
  • Frozenfoodmustbekeptbelow-18°Cthroughouttheentireprocess.

What are the risks in trade settlement?How to avoid them?

Affected by the international situation,it is recommended to adopt:

• Renminbisettlement(proportionrisesto65%):
  • DirectclearingthroughtheCIPSsystem
  • Enjoya0.2%cross-borderpaymentandreceiptsubsidy.
• Key Operation Points:
  • RequesttheRussianbanktoprovideaconfirmedletterofcreditwithaverifiableSWIFTCODE.
  • ItisrecommendedtochoosetheBankofChinaMoscowBranchastheintermediarybank.
• Risk Warning:
  • Therubleexchangeraterequirestheactivationofahedgingmechanismifitsdailyfluctuationexceeds3%.
  • Theadvancepaymentratioshouldnotexceed30%.

How to address potential market access barriers?

Three types of risks that require special attention in 2025:

• TechnicalTradeBarriers:
  • China’snewlyimplementednutritionlabelingstandard(GB28050-2025)
  • RussianAgriculturalProductExportTraceabilitySystem(requiresintegrationwithGLNglobalstandards)
• Logistics Contingency Response:
  • China-RussiaBorderPortCongestionEarlyWarningSystem(subscriptiontotheGeneralAdministrationofCustomsserviceavailable)
  • Itisrecommendedtopurchasetransportdelayinsurance(thepremiumisapproximately0.15%ofthecargovalue).
• Compliance Recommendations:
  • Engageathird-partyagencytoconductacomplianceaudit(costapproximately$2,500persession).
  • Establishaqualitytraceabilityblockchain(recommendedtouseAntChain’scross-bordertraceabilitysolution).

According to the latest data for 2025,the total value of Sino-Russian food trade is expected to exceed $42 billion.However,the key to success lies in selecting a professional agency.It is recommended to prioritize service providers who meet the following criteria: holding an AEO high-level customs certification,having an in-house customs clearance team in Russia,having handled at least 200 food-related cases,and being able to provide a full-process digital tracking system.