Not taking this step might result in your goods being "lost forever"?

On the grand stage of global trade, commodities are like "actors" shuttling back and forth, moving from the place of production to markets all over the world. However, before this "performance" officially begins, there is a crucial procedure, that is, pre-shipment inspection and quarantine. It is like a meticulous "goalkeeper", ensuring that each commodity about to embark on its journey meets the relevant standards and requirements. Today, let's unveil its mysterious veil together.

Pre-shipment inspection and quarantine, simply put, is an activity in which professional inspection and quarantine agencies inspect and identify the quality, specifications, quantity, packaging, as well as safety and hygiene aspects of the goods before they are shipped for export, and issue inspection and quarantine certificates. This work is an important link in safeguarding the rights and interests of both buyers and sellers in international trade. Taking exported clothing as an example, inspection and quarantine personnel will check whether the fabric composition of the clothing is consistent with the label, whether the workmanship is fine, and whether there are any quality problems that affect wearing. At the same time, they also need to ensure that safety indicators such as the formaldehyde content of the clothing meet the standards of the importing country.

For importing countries, pre-shipment inspection and quarantine is a solid line of defense. It can prevent unqualified products from flowing into the domestic market and protect the health and safety of domestic consumers. Imagine if a large number of substandard foods were imported, it would likely trigger a series of health problems. Meanwhile, it also helps maintain a reasonable competitive environment for domestic industries and avoid the impact on relevant domestic industries due to the influx of a large number of low-quality and low-price products.

For exporters, this is also an opportunity to improve the quality and reputation of their own products. Through inspection and quarantine, exporters can detect problems existing in their products in advance and make improvements, reducing the risk of goods being returned or claimed due to being unqualified after arriving at the destination, thus safeguarding their own economic interests and establishing a good brand image. For example, the toy export enterprise run by Mr. Zhang, because it attached great importance to pre-shipment inspection and quarantine and promptly improved the design defects of the products, not only successfully opened up the international market but also received long-term orders from many overseas customers.

• First is the inspection application. The exporter needs to submit an inspection application to the local inspection and quarantine agency and provide relevant documents such as contracts, invoices, and packing lists.
• Next is the inspection. Inspection and quarantine personnel will inspect the goods according to relevant standards and requirements. There are various inspection methods, including sensory inspection, physical inspection, and chemical inspection. For example, for a batch of exported electronic products, it may be necessary to check whether the appearance is damaged and test its various performance indicators.
• Finally, if the goods pass the inspection, the inspection and quarantine agency will issue the corresponding inspection and quarantine certificates, and the goods can be smoothly shipped for export; if not, the exporter needs to make rectifications as required and apply for inspection again after rectification.

Pre-shipment inspection and quarantine plays an indispensable role in international trade. Whether it is importing countries, exporters, or the entire trade ecosystem, all can benefit from it. At a time when global trade is becoming increasingly intertwined, all parties should actively attach importance to and cooperate with this work. As an export enterprise, it should continuously improve the quality of its products and actively understand the inspection and quarantine requirements of importing countries; inspection and quarantine agencies also need to continuously improve their work efficiency and service quality. Let's work together to safeguard the healthy development of international trade through strict and scientific pre-shipment inspection and quarantine.