How to Import Organic Japanese Tea to Singapore

How to Import Organic Japanese Tea to Singapore

While Singaporeans have been caffeine high for a long time, no one can deny that tea lovers are also on a roll. Various Singaporean local tea brands claim that they have remained 20 years behind coffee primarily because Starbucks, Coffee Club, and other independent brands have set foot into this world before tea could make its mark. But, now, many people have changed their preferences, and they are shifting to tea. So, it’s about time that Singapore should start importing organic Japanese tea to Singapore. But, how can it do that?

Brief History of Organic Japanese Tea

The production of organic Japanese tea started in the 8^th century. Still, its exportation started late, approximately in the late 1900s when tons of organic Japanese were exported to the United States and other countries. However, the production of Japanese tea started to fall when coffee and green tea emerged into the world. Many youngsters from the tea farming families moved into the cities instead of producing Japanese tea. But, as we’re moving forward, the production of organic Japanese tea is escalating, and it’s getting exported to the United States yet again along with several European countries.

Organic Japanese Tea Today

According to various studies, about 72.3% of Japanese drink Japanese tea daily, while 89.6% of people drink Japanese green tea weekly. Now, you can analyze why Japanese tea is termed as one of the most consumed beverages in the world.

Organic Japanese tea has gathered its fame due to its exotic flavor, aroma, and taste that soothes your entire palette. Around twenty varieties of organic Japanese tea are present as of now, and this limited number guarantees that you’ll get a specialized and high-quality cup of tea every time. Now, Singaporeans’ enhanced love for organic tea calls for this organic Japanese tea, but how can they import it to their country?

How to import organic Japanese tea to Singapore?

Before you import organic Japanese tea to Singapore, there are certain rules and regulations that you’ll need to abide by. Singapore’s main regulatory body is the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) which takes care of all the imports to Singapore. The government of Singapore has granted many powers to SFA. It can:

• Issue directions to the owners of the food businesses to comply with the rules of food safety.
• Demand information regarding your imported product.
• Destroy the food product that violates the rules and regulations and is harmful to the health of Singaporeans.

What will you do before importing organic Japanese tea to Singapore?

The first thing you need to do in order to import organic Japanese tea to Singapore is that you need to apply for a trader’s license. Now, you can only apply for a trader’s license if your business is registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). This authority will provide you with a Unique Entity Number (UEN) which is a 9-10 digit number. UEN enables you to import products to Singapore.

As organic Japanese tea somewhat falls into the processed foods category, you’ll need to register to Import Processed Food Products and Food Appliances in order to get a trader’s license. Once you’ve applied for the trader’s license, you need to move on to applying for an Import Permit through the TradeXchange system of the Singapore Government. In the application form of the Import Permit, you’ll need to mention the Establishment Code of the exporting country along with the Product Code that you’re importing. If you’ve provided the correct information, SFA and Singapore Customs will approve your permit, and you’ll receive a Cargo Clearance Permit (CCP) that will serve as an SFA Import Permit.

What will you have to do when your organic Japanese tea is imported to Singapore?

There are several documents that SFA may request to inspect when your organic Japanese tea arrives in the country. These documents are also kind of a record of how and where the imported goods were manufactured. It is done to ensure that all your imported products comply with the Sale of Food Act and The Food Regulations. For processed goods, SFA has a Regular Source Programme. According to this program, you should be importing goods from that establishment that is properly supervised by the regulating authorities of the exporting country. Some of the examples of the source documents are:

• Certificate of GMP (Good Manufacturing Processes
• Certificate of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point)
• Health Certificate (issued by the regulatory body of exporting country)
• Factory License (issued by the regulatory body of exporting country)
• Attestation of Export (issued by the regulatory body of exporting country)

Import Product Inspection

The SFA writes a specific approval code and message on your CCP. This message suggests whether the imported goods will be inspected or not. If the message states that your product will be inspected, we suggest you make an online booking through the Inspection & Laboratory e-Services of the SFA. At inspection, you’ll need to present these three documents:

• Cargo Clearance Permit
• All the relevant source documents
• A part of your consignment for food inspection

If your consignment doesn’t meet the rules, requirements, and regulations of SFA, you won’t be able to sell and spread those products in Singapore.

FAQs

What documents will be required to register for UEN in Singapore?

To incorporate your company in Singapore, you’ll need to provide the following information:

• The name of your company
• Brief description of your business endeavors
• Information of the Shareholders
• Information of the Directors
• Registered address
• Details about the company secretary
• Constitution of the company
• The last day of the proposed financial year-end of the company

What other agencies besides ACRA can issue UEN?

• The Ministry of Law
• The International Enterprise Singapore
• The Ministry of Defense
• The Ministry of Finance
• The Ministry of Education
• The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
• The Ministry of Health
• The Ministry of Manpower
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• The People’s Association
• The Singapore Land Authority
• The Monetary Authority
• The Registry of Societies
• The Ministry of Communications and Information
• The Ministry of National Development
• The Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth

How much customs duties and sales tax will be applied to importing organic Japanese tea?

As organic Japanese tea is a non-dutiable good, there will be no customs duty tax on the import. However, you will have to pay 7% GST of the CIF (cost, insurance, and freight) value on the import of organic Japanese tea to Singapore.

What are the regulations stipulated by The Sale of Food Act?

Whenever you import products to Singapore, the Sale of Food Act will stipulate regulations on the following things:

• Packaging
• Expiration date
• Labeling requirements
• The minimum level of certain constituents in the product

What are the labeling requirements for importing products to Singapore?

All the goods imported to Singapore must display the food content in English and the capital letters about 1/16 inch high. Even the minimum quantity should be mentioned in the net metric weight. According to the requirement, the product must also contain the name and address of the manufacturer along with the exporting country.

Conclusion

Singaporeans love for tea is escalating day by day. So, this proves to be a good opportunity to give something new and flavorsome to their taste palettes. Organic Japanese tea is very high-quality and scrumptious tea for all those people who crave a nice cup of tea. However, if you want to import organic Japanese tea to Singapore, there will be certain rules and regulations that you will have to abide by.

Need Assistance on Japanese Tea Importation?

This shipping and importation of Japanese tea in your country have been a long-standing service that we offer. Therefore, if you are interested in Japanese Tea importation either as a business or you simply want to have a taste of quality, authentic Japanese tea, you may contact us through this website, and we are more than happy to assist you. Click here to contact Green Tea Merchant.

• View our Shizuoka tea products here
• View our Kagoshima tea products here

Importing Organic Japanese Tea to Singapore — FAQ

What Singapore authority regulates tea imports? Do I need a Trader's License to import tea to Singapore? What is ACRA and the UEN? What food category does organic tea fall under in Singapore? How do I get an Import Permit for tea to Singapore?

What Singapore authority regulates tea imports?

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is the main regulatory body for all food imports to Singapore, including organic Japanese tea. The SFA has wide-ranging powers: it can issue directions to food businesses on safety compliance, demand information about imported products, and even destroy food items that violate regulations or pose health risks. Working with the SFA is the first step for anyone planning to import tea into Singapore.

Food Safety Registration for Importing Tea into the United States

Read more

Do I need a Trader's License to import tea to Singapore?

Yes. Before importing organic Japanese tea to Singapore, you must apply for a Trader's License through the Singapore Food Agency. The application requires that your business be registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), which issues a Unique Entity Number (UEN) — a 9 or 10-digit identifier that confirms your business is legally registered in Singapore. Without the UEN, you cannot apply for the Trader's License.

What is ACRA and the UEN?

ACRA is the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority — Singapore's business registry. When your business is registered with ACRA, it receives a Unique Entity Number (UEN), a 9 to 10-digit code that uniquely identifies the business across all Singapore government systems. The UEN is required for the Trader's License application and for many other regulatory filings. For tea importers, ACRA registration is the foundational step before any import-specific paperwork can begin.

What food category does organic tea fall under in Singapore?

Organic Japanese tea falls under the "processed foods" category in Singapore's import classification. This means importers must register under "Import Processed Food Products and Food Appliances" to obtain the Trader's License specific to this category. Different food categories require different licenses, so it is important to register under the correct category — registering under fresh produce or meat, for example, will not enable tea imports.

How do I get an Import Permit for tea to Singapore?

After obtaining the Trader's License, you must apply for an Import Permit through Singapore's TradeXchange system — the government's centralized trade platform. The Import Permit application requires the Establishment Code of the exporting country (the registration code assigned to the Japanese exporter), along with shipment details. Each shipment of organic Japanese tea requires its own Import Permit. The TradeXchange system processes applications digitally and connects with the SFA for inspection scheduling.

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