Qingdao kimchi exports are booming
In the cold winter, walking into the workshop of Qingdao New Hometown Food Co., Ltd., workers are evenly spreading fiery red sauce on green and translucent Chinese cabbage. After metal testing, packaging, and pre cooling, this batch of kimchi will go through regulatory clearance procedures and be sent to the Korean market.
Qingdao, Shandong is the largest kimchi production and export base in China, with more than 20 large-scale kimchi enterprises. The annual export of kimchi to South Korea has maintained over 200000 tons and a value of over 1 billion yuan, accounting for about 70% of the country's kimchi exports to South Korea.
We closely follow the trend of light diet and have developed low salt and low sugar kimchi, which is very popular in European, American, and Southeast Asian markets outside of the Korean market. Export orders have increased by about 10% year-on-year, "said Shi Xiuming, General Manager of Qingdao New Hometown Food Co., Ltd. Behind the surge in orders is the strong support of customs policies. Previously, our products were selected by customs and had to undergo inspection, sampling, and laboratory testing before they could be exported. The waiting time was relatively long. Thanks to the customs' 'batch inspection', our kimchi can arrive in the Korean market as early as the next day, ensuring the taste and quality of the products, "said Shi Xiuming.
From workshop production to overseas dining tables, Qingdao Customs continuously innovates regulatory measures, builds an efficient service system, and enables the export of "Qingdao kimchi" to more than ten countries and regions around the world.
In order to continuously optimize the business environment at the port and help enterprises solve difficulties, Qingdao Customs has taken the lead in implementing a "batch inspection" supervision mode for exported pickled vegetables nationwide. By selecting enterprises with good management conditions and high integrity in the jurisdiction, the previous practice of batch by batch inspection of all selected products is changed. For products produced using the same batch of raw materials, of the same quality, and exported to the same country (region), customs only conducts one inspection, which can achieve production, declaration, and release within the same working day, shortening the average inspection cycle by at least 5 working days.
Only by placing equal emphasis on supervision and service can kimchi exports go steadily and far, "said Zhang Yong, Deputy Director of the Qingdao Customs Port Supervision Department. Customs has established a" one enterprise, one policy "portrait database to guide enterprises in improving self inspection processes such as raw material pesticide residue screening and microbiological monitoring, ensuring that products meet the standards of the exporting country.
At the same time, Qingdao Customs has been empowered through the combination of "cloud issuance" and "Sample Jietong", enabling the rapid issuance of inspection and quarantine certificates online, and samples can be delivered to the laboratory on the same day. In response to the export of fresh and perishable products such as kimchi, the customs has opened a green channel, implemented the "immediate reporting, inspection, and release" mechanism, coordinated smart customs clearance measures, and achieved "strict management and fast access".
According to statistics, Qingdao Customs has supervised and released 286000 tons of kimchi for export in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 11.6%. Next, Qingdao Customs will steadily expand the coverage of reform pilot projects, continuously optimize regulatory service models, allow more enterprises to enjoy policy dividends, and help export "Chinese flavor" to more countries and regions, injecting strong momentum into the high-quality development of foreign trade. (Wang Xiaolong, Ni Peng, Ge Lan/Wen)