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Customs Clearance for Fruits and Vegetables
We take on the entire cargo journey — from the contract with the supplier through to release at the bonded warehouse (SVKh). By sea via Novorossiysk, St. Petersburg, and Vladivostok, by road, rail, and air — one operator instead of a chain of contractors.
✔ Release on the day the declaration is submitted with a complete document package
✔ Multimodal transport: sea, road, rail, air
✔ Over 10 years in the market
✔ We work throughout Russia and the EAEU
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Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dried fruit are cargo that cannot tolerate delay. Every extra hour at the border reduces the shelf life and marketable condition of the shipment. WestComTrans clears fruit and vegetable products (HS groups 07 and 08) by sea via the ports of Novorossiysk, St. Petersburg, and Vladivostok, by road from Turkey, Iran, and CIS countries, and by rail and air — taking on the entire cargo journey from the contract with the supplier through to release at the bonded warehouse (SVKh). One operator instead of a chain of contractors — fewer points where something can go wrong.
Special Considerations for Customs Clearance of Fruits and Vegetables
Perishable products are cleared differently from ordinary cargo, for three reasons.
First, time works against the cargo: EAEU law grants fruit and vegetable products priority in declaration processing, but that priority is only realized with a flawless document package — any error means placement at the bonded warehouse (SVKh), and that means loss of quality and storage costs.
Second, the cargo is checked not only by customs but also by Rosselkhoznadzor: quarantine phytosanitary control with verification of certificates and, if necessary, sampling for pests and plant diseases.
Third, restrictions by country and crop change quickly and without a transition period. For example, as of June 12, 2026, Rosselkhoznadzor completely banned the import into Russia of all quarantined products from Armenia — vegetables, fruits, nuts, and dried fruit — after gradually restricting individual categories starting in May. No date has been set for lifting the ban. A route that worked a month ago may not work today, so checking current restrictions is part of preparing every shipment we handle, done before dispatch.
Clearance Procedure: From Application Submission to Cargo Release
Preparation begins before the cargo arrives at the border, not after.
- We check the contract, country of origin, and crop for any current Rosselkhoznadzor restrictions.
- We prepare the declaration and submit preliminary information in advance — by the time the cargo arrives, the documents are already in progress.
- We support the phytosanitary inspection at the border crossing point and monitor sampling timelines.
- We submit the declaration through the Electronic Declaration Center with a note on the perishable nature of the goods, and secure priority processing.
- We release the cargo on the day the declaration is submitted — without placement at the bonded warehouse (SVKh), provided the document package is in order.
Documents for Customs Clearance of Fruit and Vegetable Products
- phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country — original, for the specific shipment (copies and scans are not accepted; without the original, the cargo goes to the bonded warehouse);
- contract, invoice, packing list, transport documents;
- declaration of conformity with TR TS 021/2011 “On the Safety of Food Products”;
- certificate of origin CT-1 — for tariff preferences on shipments from CIS countries;
- indication of the transport temperature regime in the transport documents for refrigerated cargo.
Phytosanitary Control at the Border
Customs clearance of fruit and vegetable products is only possible at border crossing points with a specialized laboratory. The procedure includes document verification, a visual inspection of the cargo, and, if necessary, a laboratory analysis of samples. Clearance takes place only in the presence of a Rosselkhoznadzor representative, and the manufacturer must be included in its register.
HS Code and Customs Payments for Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts, and Dried Fruit
| HS Group | What’s Included | Duty | VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07 — vegetables | potatoes, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers | 5–15% | 10%* |
| 08 — fruits and nuts | apples, citrus fruits, bananas, nuts, dried fruit | 0–10% | 10%* |
| 20 — processed products | juices, jams, canned goods, purées | 10–15% | 10–20%* |
*As of January 1, 2026, the standard VAT rate in Russia was raised to 22% (Federal Law No. 425-FZ dated November 28, 2025), but the reduced rate of 10% on staple food products, including most fruits and vegetables, remains unchanged. For CIS countries, with a CT-1 certificate of origin, the duty is reduced to zero — only VAT is payable.
We calculate the exact code and payment amount for your item free of charge — it takes no more than an hour.
Certification and Cargo Labeling
A declaration of conformity under TR TS 021/2011 is issued for fruits and vegetables, and packaging is labeled under TR TS 022/2011: sender, recipient, batch number, and country of origin — all mandatorily duplicated in English. The most common cause of delay at the border isn’t customs, but a discrepancy in addresses and weight between the phytosanitary certificate, the invoice, and the CMR. We cross-check the document package before the cargo arrives at the border crossing point, giving us time to correct errors while the truck is still en route.
Fruit and Vegetable Logistics: How We Deliver Perishables Without Losing Quality
Unlike customs brokers, WestComTrans handles the entire cargo journey — from procurement to the recipient’s warehouse.
| Mode of Transport | From | What It’s Suited For |
|---|---|---|
| Sea reefer containers via Novorossiysk, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok |
Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Spain, Thailand, India | Large shipments of citrus fruits and vegetables, stable temperature control throughout the route |
| Road transport (refrigerated) | Iran, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkey | Medium-sized shipments, shortest delivery leg from CIS and neighboring countries |
| Rail (refrigerated railcars) | CIS countries, China | Large-volume regular deliveries |
| Air delivery | Any country | Urgent and especially perishable items — berries, exotic fruits |
Multimodal transport allows different legs of the route to be combined, optimizing both cost and timeline: for example, sea to the port plus road delivery to the recipient is faster and cheaper than a single mode of transport for the entire distance.
What Changed in 2026 for Fruit and Vegetable Imports
- VAT has been raised to 22%, but the reduced 10% rate on vegetables and fruit remains in effect — we check applicability for each code during the calculation.
- As of June 1, 2026, the SPOT system applies to road imports from EAEU countries (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus): before crossing the border, a document on the upcoming shipment must be submitted and a QR code obtained, and as of July 1, 2026, a VAT security deposit must be made (a transition period applies for Belarus until November 1, 2026).
- Copies and scans of the phytosanitary certificate are not accepted — only the original for the specific shipment.
- Rosselkhoznadzor restrictions by country and crop are introduced without a transition period — we check the current status before every shipment.
Why Clients Choose Us
- Over 10 years in international logistics — we know the practical nuances of working with perishables, not just the theory.
- One operator instead of a chain of contractors: fewer inconsistencies, and responsibility isn’t spread across different companies.
- Multimodal transport as a practical tool, not just a slogan: we select the combination of transport suited to a specific crop’s shelf life and your budget.
- Door-to-door delivery with updates at every stage — you don’t have to call for status, we tell you.
- Free payment calculation and route consultation before signing the contract.
If you have any questions about the shipping container transportation process or would like to get advice, do not hesitate to contact us. We are ready to help you at every stage of your cargo delivery!
WestComTrans is an international logistics company.
COST OPTIMIZATION
Optimization of clearance and freight costs
Savings on terminal services
Adjustment of customs value
Optimization of final costs
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SERVICE
24/7 communication with manager
Deferred payment
We work with and without VAT
Electronic document flow
Correspondence with sender
No hidden fees
Cargo insurance
Full support from purchase to delivery
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WE ARE ALREADY TRUSTED
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Ответы на частые вопросы
No. Without the original certificate, the cargo is placed at the bonded warehouse (SVKh) until it’s provided — this means a direct loss of time and quality for perishable goods.
With a complete and correct document package — up to one day, often just a few hours. Priority processing for fruit and vegetable products only applies when there are no errors in the documents.
The original phytosanitary certificate for the shipment, contract, invoice, packing list, transport documents, declaration of conformity with TR TS 021/2011, and, for CIS preferences, a CT-1 certificate of origin.
We check the current status of the country and crop against Rosselkhoznadzor data before every shipment — this is part of the preparation we take care of.
