Import of fish and seafood. Practical tips
Tuesday, 24 December 2019, 19:47
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As you know, the logistic mission is as follows:
"Providing the right product in the right amount and quality at the right place at the right time for the specific consumer at the lowest cost".
"Providing the right product in the right amount and quality at the right place at the right time for the specific consumer at the lowest cost".
In order for the components of the logistics mission to be performed at the proper level, it is necessary:
• maintain and develop relationships with suppliers, taking into account mutual interests
• monitor the quality of delivery at the right time and in the required volumes with the proper level of service
• seek, test and implement modern logistics technologies where outsourcing is needed
• always maintain effective information support and communication
All these tasks are especially important when it comes to perishable goods, since their importance doubles, risks increase, and therefore the supply of goods with special requirements must be carefully thought out and organized.
In order to organize the successful operation of the supply chain with specific commodity items such as chilled, frozen fish and seafood, you can start with the following simple steps to organize the infrastructure of future processes:
In order to organize the successful operation of the supply chain with specific commodity items such as chilled, frozen fish and seafood, you can start with the following simple steps to organize the infrastructure of future processes:
1. Carry out preparatory work with a non-resident: Agree on the terms of delivery favorable to the parties in accordance with the Incoterms rules, payment terms, agree on a shipment schedule, a list and forms of required supporting documents, distribute responsibilities, risks and expenses in fulfilling their obligations.
2. Conduct thorough contract work: Fix all the agreements “in words” by signing the foreign economic contract of sale, which details the requirements for labeling, packaging of goods, take time on the clause of the contract, which describes the quality of the goods and acceptance conditions.
3. Arrange the passage of the necessary controls: A very important aspect in the supply of goods of this kind is the passage of the required controls for both imports and exports in the country of departure. For uninterrupted customs clearance, these types of controls must be completed before the actual completion of import procedures in Ukraine. Practice shows that in time agreed documents and expectations of the parties allow to cope with this task in the shortest possible time.
4. Make a choice of a carrier / warehouse: One of the important roles in the supply chain is played by a carefully checked partner for the delivery of goods, who will be ready to show flexibility in the conditions of regular changes, will be adaptive to the requirements, have modern means of communication both at home and at his performers . Given the specifics of the cargo, especially its transportation, timely communication is very important.
5. Decide on those who perform customs formalities: The partner for organizing customs formalities plays an important role in the supply chain, since the overall result of the previous steps depends on its organization and execution of customs processes and procedures.
6. Arrange delivery to the final consumer - this is the final point, the success of which depends on the coherence of all process elements
As you have already noted, the specifics of the logistics service as a component of the supply chain implies the need for careful preparation for the import of perishable goods. For these purposes, I give below a short checklist of activities that can be organized without any difficulties. Performing these simple operations and actions will save time, nerves and significant costs.
1. Import control. A simple procedure that involves the selection of the product code according to the UK FEA, checking the requirements for importation into the country of import, checking the current rate of import duty, the availability of benefits / preferences / restrictions and prohibitions. With this information you can easily prepare in advance documented for the import of products, as well as calculate the costs for the organization of this supply. Timely implemented import control allows you not to have such difficulties as returning the goods to the sender, for which it is impossible to pass the required control, inability to pay customs duties and taxes in full or other troubles that the importer may not be ready for.
2. Verification and approval of the TSD. One of the most vital stages of preparation for delivery. Vital, because due to inconsistency of documents, those products that are supplied in a refrigerated form may lose freshness and become illiquid. Thousands of cases of vehicle non-standard downtime are known due to incorrect preparation / filling of shipping documents drawn up and not verified at the right stage, which entailed large financial losses, and for suppliers who import products for sale in retail - to additional fines on the part of the buyer . Having the correct agreed documents and timely delivery of goods to the destination customs office, you are doomed to success and being “first in line” with a specific product, which in essence already opens many doors - it will not be difficult
3. Detailed instructions for force majeure. It is important to provide all participants in the supply chain with instructions for cases of unforeseen difficulties, inconsistencies, force majeure situations, as well as provide contact persons 24/7, who at any time can quickly respond and make a decision. Such support allows us to prevent situations when force majeure plays a decisive role in the delivery, thereby jeopardizing the result and delivery time of the goods.
4. It is always worth remembering the features of transportation, storage and delivery of goods. They are specific and the product, being demanding of storage conditions, is subject to the influence of temperature changes. This can significantly affect the quality and, as a consequence, the disruption of supply to the final consumer.
5. An important role can be played by membership in public and specialized organizations, associations (American Chamber of Commerce, European Business Association, EMS, Retail associations, etc.), associations of importers or enterprises engaged in foreign trade activities. As a member of several such organizations, I always have a home front for clients, thanks to which I can “lean”, escalate B2G issues, express my opinion on certain processes or proposals. For companies involved in the import and sale of chilled and frozen fish and seafood, the Association of Ukrainian importers of fish and seafood may become such a rear. Moreover, on the page of this site, in the section for customs officers, information on customs value indicators for products is open, which greatly facilitates the import procedure.
In conclusion, I want to quote Robert Heinlein, who said: “Luck” comes after careful preparation, and “bad luck” is the result of negligence. ” Get ready, analyze, formulate strategies and choices for your renewable energy operations and deliveries, and then luck will always accompany you.
We will always be happy to help solve your customs issues and configure efficiently the processes of interaction with the links of the supply chain
VITA MIROSHNICHENKO
foreign trade expert, general director of the CAPITAL Group of Companies (CPTL), speaker at the Ukrainian CCI, LVBS, KPMG Academy, League of Laws, Kyiv Logistic School
foreign trade expert, general director of the CAPITAL Group of Companies (CPTL), speaker at the Ukrainian CCI, LVBS, KPMG Academy, League of Laws, Kyiv Logistic School