For ASEAN countries, including Vietnam, the import of milk and milk products into the Thai market is not subject to import duty quotas and is entitled to 0% import tax rates, according to the roadmap of reduction. Its tax is in the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA).
Currently, Thailand mainly imports liquid milk from New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, the United States and the Netherlands.
Regulations on procedures for importing dairy products and milk products into Thailand
Table of Contents
For Vietnamese side
– State management agencies: In case of exporting unprocessed fresh milk, the Thai side requires a letter (providing information about Vietnamese enterprises wishing to export dairy products, information about specific dairy products to be exported). imported to Thailand) by the Department of Livestock Production, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to the Department of Livestock Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Thailand.
After receiving the document from the Vietnam Livestock Department, the Thai Livestock Development Department will send a delegation to Vietnam to check the production process of Vietnamese enterprises.
– Manufacturing or exporting enterprises: Exporting enterprises provide information to the importing side for carrying out import procedures (to be specified in the section for importing enterprises). In case of exporting unprocessed fresh milk, Vietnamese enterprises will have to work with the delegation of Thai Department of Livestock Production to check the production process and SPS requirements.
For importers in Thailand
– Before importing and circulating on the market, businesses in Thailand registered the dairy products they wanted to import from Vietnam at the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Ministry of Public Health of this country. .
– Importing enterprises follow procedures for Thai Dairy and Milk Products Management Committee to approve.
– Importing enterprises register for milk import licensing with the Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Trade of Thailand.
Procedures for importing milk and milk products into Thailand
1. Procedures for registering for import permit at the Foreign Trade Department
Including products: raw milk, instant milk, skimmed milk.
Conditions to be registered
– Legal entities producing, importing, processing, selling, packaging or self-managing dairy products are licensed by the Milk and Dairy Management Committee.
– Not belong to a legal entity whose registration has been canceled for 2 years from the date of cancellation.
– Not belong to a legal entity, but the managerial or executive personnel of the legal entity have been canceled from dairy import registration within 2 years from the date of cancellation.
– Not the legal entity is being suspended or still being unregistered as milk importer.
Documents to be submitted
– Business registration certificates or business registration certificates granted by the Enterprise Development Department of the Ministry of Trade of Thailand shall be valid for no more than 6 months from the date of registration.
– In case the certificate of registration does not specify that the legal entity registering to operate in the stated industry, it must provide evidence or documents showing that the applicant has registered for the operation, production, import and processing. turning, selling, packaging or self-managing dairy products.
– Import and use plan of the product, clearly stating the amount of milk needed for its operation.
– Map of imported milk storage location.
2. Procedures at Thailand Food and Drug Administration
Food import permit (including milk and milk products)
Imported food circulating in Thailand is required to have an import permit. FDA inspectors will visit and inspect storage facilities before licensing. Licensees may import any food item on the FDA-approved list.
In case of import for trade fair, temporary import permit is required. Exceptions are considered only for the import of food samples, for laboratory testing and review prior to purchase.
Food registration
Food importing enterprises on the list of goods subject to management are required to register their products before importing and circulating on the market. Time to complete the product registration, from the time of filing, is about 1 month. However, depending on the information declared on each record, the processing time may take longer.
Food labels and nutrition labels
For cow's milk products, the exporter must comply with the labeling regulations based on Notice No. 350 of the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand. For the remaining group of dairy products, the exporter can refer to Notice No. 194 on food labeling regulations.
Particularly for products with “premium”, the Thai Food and Drug Administration requires the exporter to submit additional documents to verify that the product meets the criteria. for quality based on Notice No. 365.
Guidelines for good manufacturing practices (GMP)
Based on Notice No. 193 (2000), Thailand requires that domestic and international manufacturers of 57 products comply with the general principles of good manufacturing practices. This includes cow's milk products, cultured milk, flavored milk and other dairy products.
In addition, enterprises and authorized importers must provide certificates of factories and production units that meet product quality criteria equivalent to Thailand's GMP.
Since November 7, 2012, the Food and Drug Administration of Thailand has set up additional GMP management measures for packaged foods. The new list includes more items of pasteurized drinkable instant milk.
Customs clearance at the border
– Sales invoice for business or authorized Thai unit.
– Bill of lading or transport documents.
– Certificate of origin or Invoice Declaration.
– Quality certification.
– Import permit issued by Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Trade of Thailand to enjoy preferential import tax rates under the ATIGA Agreement.
– Certificate of FDA.
