How to Import Food Products to the USA from Turkey

Turkey and the USA are allied countries with long-standing and extensive relations. Turkey and America relations, especially after World War II, strengthened and expanded both economically and politically. In fact, the bilateral trade volume exceeded 27 billion dollars in 2020. The common aim between the two countries is to increase the trade volume to 100 million dollars. Also, the USA is an important market for Turkey’s food industry. According to current data, the USA ranks fourth in the list of countries importing food from Turkey. The USA realizes record levels of food imports from Turkey every year. In this article, we have compiled for you all the details of how you can import food products from Turkey to the USA.

The US Food and Drug Administration

The USA imports food products from many countries of the world. Turkey is an important commercial partner of the USA in the food sector. FDA is a substantial institution to be known when importing food products from Turkey to the USA. The FDA is responsible for any regulation regarding the import process of food products entering the United States.

The most important criterion is to deliver the products safely to the USA. All import processes in the food industry must be carried out under the import regulations set by the FDA. It is possible to access the extensive rules set for each food product on the FDA website. It is possible to import food products to the USA from Turkey following these regulations.

Process of Importing Food Products from Turkey to the USA

Import processes are carried out according to certain rules and regulations. Each country sets its standards and rules. The sending country is obliged to carry out the import process by all the rules of the relevant country. In case of a break of the determined rules, the import process may be delayed or the import may not occur. In order to import food products from Turkey to the USA, it is essential to know the legal regulations of the USA well. Let’s examine these rules and learn how to import food products.

Step One: Prior Notice

The most important step after learning the regulations on the FDA website is to file a Prior Notice. Prior Notice is an electronic application filed through the FDA’s website. There is important information that should be stated in the application. Examples of these are country of production, estimated arrival details, shipper’s information, carrier and method of transportation, and FDA product code.

The Prior Notice must be completed at least 2 hours before arrival and at the latest 30 days before. If Prior Notice is not reported or there is incorrect information, you may have a problem with the entry of food products. And also, food products may be denied entry into the country. The most important first step in importing food products to the USA from Turkey is to send the Prior Notice promptly. Therefore, this step should not be skipped.

Step Two: FDA Registration

All foreign partners must be registered with the FDA for the smooth processing of food product imports. Registration in the FDA system is required according to the regulations of the FDA’s system specified in the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP). All foreign manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors must register with the FDA system. The FSVP system enables foreign partners to realize the import process following all FDA requirements.

Step There: Prepare Bill of Lading

A Bill of lading is an important document regarding import processes. This document has multiple purposes. Examples of these aims are determining the title of the goods, the contract of carriage, and the proving receipt of the goods. The bill of lading must be prepared by the sender or the shipping company.

Step Four: Commercial Invoice

One of the most important documents in commercial transactions is undoubtedly the invoice. A commercial invoice must be present during the import process. The commercial invoice contains detailed information about the sale of the shipped food products. All information shown on the commercial invoice is controlled by the US Customs and Border Protection agents. CBP agents check these commercial invoices to calculate and verify import duties. Incorrect information on the commercial invoice will result in a longer inspection period.

Step Five: Packing List

The packing list contains most of the information found on the commercial invoice. A packing list is needed when importing food products from Turkey to the United States. The packaging contains shorter and specific information. In particular, the sizes and quantities of food products sent should be included in this list. The information that should be included in the packing list is as follows:

• Specific dimensions of each package,
• Number of packages in the shipment,
• Quantity and description of goods,
• Total weight of all combined packages,
• Invoice numbers of shipped products. 

All this information should be transmitted electronically to CBP.

Step Six: Customs Bond

In order to import food products to the USA from Turkey, the import must be covered by a customs bond. CBP requires customs bonds for all commercial shipments to the USA. A customs bond is a financial guarantee that all import taxes and fees will be paid to CBP.

Last Step: Entry Summary

The last document required to import food products from Turkey to the USA is the entry summary. The entry summary is officially called CBP Form 7501. This document includes a combination of almost all the information found in the commercial, invoice, bill of lading, and packing list. In addition, it contains additional information such as the type of receipt of goods, type of bond, and estimated tax. This document is a critical document for the import process. Therefore, it should be fully completed.

Import of Packaged Food Products to the USA from Turkey

If you are importing packaged food products from Turkey to the USA, you must comply with the labeling rules. These rules are set by the FDA. Food products such as all types of packaged products, baked goods, and seafood should be labeled with appropriate information. This information includes country of origin, nutritional information, and ingredient information. Depending on the packaging size of the product, the labeling format also varies.

Import Food Products from Turkey to the USA with Turkish Goods’ Quality Service

Each country has its own legal regulations and rules in international trade. The Import must be carried out in accordance with these rules and laws. Therefore, the import process is complex and difficult in many respects. Turkish Goods supports you at every stage of your import process with its expert teams and experience. By working with Turkish goods, you can carry out your import process without any problems. Click here to get support from our expert team for any questions.