2025 SZ-HK Fresh Produce Courier Guide | Customs Rules & Clearance Tips

1. What Fresh Produce Can You Ship?

✅ No wasted trips! These items are allowed:

• Fruits & Vegetables: Fresh produce (regular varieties only) – Man Kam To Checkpoint supports combined loading for faster clearance 🍅
• Cooked Foods: Roast duck, braised meat, tea eggs, and all cooked meats/eggs are permitted 🤤
• Dried Goods: Mango dried, durian dried, dried shiitake, salted fish, and other dehydrated products
• Certified Seafood: Hong Kong farmed aquatic products with FEHD license and AFCD supervision certificate (for mainland bound shipments)🇭🇰→🇨🇳

2. Strictly Prohibited! Avoid These at All Costs

⚠️ Critical warnings for couriers – heavy penalties apply:

• Raw Meat/Eggs: Including preserved meat, sausages, raw eggs. Maximum penalty: HK$50,000 fine + 6 months in prison (customs sniffer dogs detect these easily!)
• Fresh Fruits: Mangoes, strawberries, grapes – banned in both directions (Shenzhen→HK & HK→Shenzhen)
• Dairy & Eggs: Milk, yogurt, cheese, fresh eggs, and bird’s nest (canned excluded)
• Live Animals: Only certified guide dogs allowed; cats/dogs prohibited
• Pro Tip: A client once asked to ship raw pork – cargo seized + HK$30,000 fine. Not worth the risk!

3. Courier’s Practical Guide: Documents & Shipping Tips

Required Documents (Missing one = delay)

• Commercial Shipments: Health certificate, certificate of origin, animal/plant quarantine license (mandatory for meat)
• Personal Small Quantities: Cooked foods need no special docs but must be declared truthfully
• Frozen Goods Extra: “Cold Storage Link” system declaration + centralized warehouse disinfection + traceability code (mandatory at Shenzhen checkpoints)

Cold Chain Standards

• Chilled Produce (0-4℃): Pork, beef, etc. – transit time ≤48 hours
• Frozen Produce (≤-18℃): Temperature fluctuation ≤±1℃; record temperature/humidity throughout
• Packaging Tips: Use food-grade vacuum bags; leave 5cm gap from container walls; don’t block vents

Declaration Hacks

• Pre-declare via “Single Window” system to skip long queues
• Pack fresh produce separately with clear labels for easy inspection
• Never hide goods! Voluntary declaration = faster processing + lower inspection rate

4. Checkpoint Guide: Which Is Fastest?

1. Man Kam To Checkpoint: Top choice! Combined fruit/vegetable loading + unified declaration/inspection
2. Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint: Ideal for large frozen shipments (smooth cold chain vehicle clearance)
3. West Kowloon Checkpoint: High foot traffic + strict inspections – avoid peak hours
4. Avoid: Luohu Checkpoint (strictest inspections for fresh produce)

5. 2025 Policy Updates (October)

• New inspection requirements for mainland-supplied chilled poultry/pork to HK (replaces 2017 regulations)
• Shenzhen Customs “Three Unities” policy: Combined loading, unified declaration, unified release – saves courier time!