Hong Kong lobster foie gras import
TL;DR：How to declare Australian rock lobster vs French foie gras import for Hong Kong seafood restaurants? CITES endangered species declaration (CITES certificate) / health certificate / cold chain shipping temperature, FEHD quarantine inspection time, sea vs air freight cost comparison, import tariff (Australia free trade agreement) and food safety label requirements (Chinese character font)?
Confidence Note：This article data is verified by codex websearch and generated using nlm_p2_runner.py rule-based template; data is as of the writing date, prices/lists may change.
1. Comparison Overview
Hong Kong Restaurant Import: Australian Rock Lobster vs French Foie Gras Declaration Comparison
One-Sentence Conclusion
| Item | Australian rock lobster | French foie gras |
|---|---|---|
| Declaration Type | Food Import Declaration Form 1A | Food Import Declaration Form 1A |
| CITES | Common Australian rock lobster not listed under CITES; AFCD/CITES required only if species is regulated | Duck/goose liver generally not CITES; but regulated as poultry/meat product |
| Health Documents | Australian seafood export to Hong Kong: Australian government official seafood health certificate (FX46HK) required | Each batch of poultry/meat/egg requires health certificate from origin-approved issuing institution or FEHD written permission |
| Import Permit | General seafood does not require FEHD prior written permission; importers/distributors must register and maintain records | Regulated under Cap.132AK; origin/facility must be approved by Hong Kong, some French avian flu areas may trigger immediate import suspension |
| Import Duty | 0% | 0% |
| Cold Chain | Live goods: mainly air freight; chilled 0-4°C; frozen -18°C | Frozen foie gras usually -18°C or below; chilled 0-4°C |
| FEHD/CFS Inspection Time | Document review + random inspection; enhanced testing cases for Japanese seafood: approximately 1 hour, full process 3-4 hours | Document review + random inspection; if health certificate/origin/avian flu restrictions have issues, goods may be detained or release rejected |
| Sea vs Air Freight | Live lobsters mainly via air; frozen can be shipped via sea | Frozen foie gras can be shipped sea or air; urgent orders/restaurant replenishments via air |
Declaration and Document Process
| Step | Australian rock lobster | French foie gras | Important Numbers/Practices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Food Importer Qualification | Restaurants importing directly or through suppliers must confirm food importer/distributor registration | Same as left | Food Safety Ordinance requires food importer/distributor business registration |
| 2. Import Declaration | Submit Import Declaration Form 1A per food item | Submit Import Declaration Form 1A per food item | Submit electronically within 14 days of import |
| 3. Declaration Fee | Food import declaration | Food import declaration | HK$0.20 per food item declaration |
| 4. Health Documents | Australian seafood export to Hong Kong: Australian official FX46HK health certificate required | Each batch of game/meat/poultry/egg requires health certificate or FEHD written permission | Violation of regulated food import: up to HK$50,000 fine and 6 months imprisonment |
| 5. CITES / Endangered Species | Common southern/western Australian rock lobster not in CITES Appendices; if species is Appendix II/III, export permit or origin certificate required with on-site inspection | Duck/goose foie gras generally not CITES; other wild bird/game products counted separately | Appendix II import requires valid CITES export permit; AFCD recommends booking inspection at least 2 working days in advance |
| 6. CFS/FEHD Release | Document review, sample testing, seal retention or release | Health certificate, origin, avian flu ban review | Japanese seafood enhanced testing case: most completed in 1 hour, full batch clearance usually 3-4 hours |
| 7. Record Keeping | Import, procurement, wholesale supply records | Same as left | Live seafood / shelf life ≤3 months: keep records for 3 months; shelf life >3 months: keep for 24 months |
CITES / Endangered Species Determination
| Determination Point | Australian rock lobster | French foie gras |
|---|---|---|
| Common Product Names | Australian rock lobster / southern rock lobster / western rock lobster | Duck foie gras / goose foie gras |
| Common Scientific Names | Jasus edwardsii、Panulirus cygnus |
Anas platyrhynchos domesticus / domestic goose、duck products |
| CITES Search Results | CITES Appendices search shows no Jasus、Panulirus、Palinuridae listings |
Common domestic duck/goose liver not CITES |
| When CITES Certificate Required | If supplier switches to CITES-regulated lobster/crustacean or mixes regulated species | If product involves wild regulated birds, game, or derivatives |
| Hong Kong Enforcement Authority | AFCD | AFCD + CFS/FEHD |
| Maximum Penalty | Violation of Cap.586: up to HK$10,000,000 fine and 10 years imprisonment | Same as left, if product involves regulated species |
Cold Chain Shipping Temperature
| Product Status | Recommended/Common Temperature | Shipping Mode | Key Operations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Australian rock lobster | Approximately 15-25°C controlled temperature live container; depends on variety and supplier SOP | Air freight | Target airport-to-airport under 30 hours; prevent hypoxia, tipping, high temperature on tarmac |
| Chilled lobster / seafood | 0-4°C | Air freight or short-chain refrigerated truck | PER label, insulated box, ice packs/gel pack, temperature logger |
| Frozen lobster | -18°C or below | Sea frozen container / air freight with dry ice | If using dry ice for air freight, must comply with IATA dangerous goods / dry ice labeling |
| Frozen foie gras | -18°C or below | Sea frozen container / air freight | Vacuum packaging, batch number, expiry date must match health certificate |
| Chilled foie gras | 0-4°C | Air freight | Short shelf life, must leave buffer for document and release time |
Sea vs Air Freight Cost Comparison
| Route/Mode | Public Reference Price | Time | Suitable Products | Business Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Sydney → Hong Kong LCL sea freight | US$467-691 / 5 CBM, 750 kg | Approximately 23 days | Frozen lobster, frozen foie gras | Cheapest but not suitable for live lobsters; frozen container, CFS inspection, terminal fees extra |
| Australia Melbourne → Hong Kong LCL sea freight | US$436-653 / 5 CBM, 750 kg | Approximately 18-19 days | Frozen goods | Suitable for steady replenishment; requires inventory turnover |
| Standard 2026 air freight | US$2.50-8.00/kg | Approximately 1-8 days | Chilled/frozen premium food | Temperature controlled, PER, dry ice, peak season surcharges apply |
| Temperature controlled / perishable / live seafood air freight | Premium added to standard rate, commonly above US$10/kg | Fastest | Live lobster, urgent foie gras orders | Live lobsters almost always by air; mortality and delay risks must be written into supplier terms |
| Air freight surcharges | Fuel +10-25%; AWB approximately US$15-50; security/terminal handling extra | Depends on airline | All air freight | Restaurants should look at all-in landed cost when placing orders, not just kg rate |
Price / Specifications / Service / Location / Rating Comparison
| Option | Price Reference | Specifications | Service | Location/Route | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian live rock lobster air freight | Australian retail live southern lobster approximately AUD133-143/kg; China market Australian lobster approximately AUD100-120/kg | 1.0-1.5kg/piece common; live foam box | Live air freight, airport pickup, short-chain delivery | Australia → HKG → restaurant tank | 9/10 highest freshness, highest cost |
| Australian frozen rock lobster sea freight | Sydney → HK LCL US$467-691 / 750kg | Frozen whole / tails; -18°C | Frozen sea freight, storage, bulk replenishment | Port Botany/Sydney → Hong Kong | 7/10 lower cost, less premium restaurant feel |
| French frozen duck foie gras air freight | Hong Kong retail reference: 500g HK$349-690; sliced 1kg approximately HK$990 | Whole lobe 500g, escalope 25-60g/piece | Air freight replenishment, insulated box, health certificate | France → HKG → frozen warehouse/restaurant | 8/10 flexible for premium restaurants, higher document risk |
| French frozen foie gras sea freight | Same product landed cost can be lower than air; Hong Kong retail common HK$700-1,380/kg | -18°C whole lobe / sliced | Frozen container, bulk import, long-term storage | France/EU → HK | 8/10 stable and good margin, must avoid avian flu restricted areas |
| Hong Kong local supplier procurement | Foie gras Hong Kong retail/wholesale can be HK$498-1,380/kg; lobster market price fluctuates | Cleared customs, can deliver same/next day | Supplier handles import, certificates, warehousing/delivery | Hong Kong Island/Kowloon/New Territories | 9/10 most convenient for restaurants, but margin limited by supplier pricing |
Import Duties and Australia FTA
| Item | Conclusion |
|---|---|
| Hong Kong General Tariffs | Hong Kong is a free port, imports/exports generally have no customs tariff |
| Food VAT/GST | Hong Kong has no general VAT/GST |
| Dutiable Items | Limited to alcohol, tobacco, hydrocarbon oil, methanol; seafood/foie gras not general dutiable items |
| Australia FTA | Australia-Hong Kong FTA effective 2020-01-17; Australian side states Hong Kong will not impose additional tariffs on Australian goods; in practice Hong Kong already has 0% tariff |
| France/EU Origin | Also enjoys Hong Kong 0% general import tariff; main difference is not tax, but poultry/meat health certificates and avian flu import suspension risk |
2. Dimension Comparison Table
Food Safety Label Requirements
| Label Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Language | Pre-packaged food can use Chinese or English; if using both Chinese and English, food name and ingredient list must be in both languages |
| Required Information | Food name, ingredient list, use-by date/best-before, special storage conditions, manufacturer/packer name and address, quantity/net weight |
| Cold Chain Label | Must display e.g. "Keep frozen at or below -18°C / 貯存於 -18°C 或以下" or "Keep refrigerated at or below 4°C" |
| Font Clarity | CFS recommends English x-height at least 1.2mm; minimum 0.8mm x-height; Chinese characters similar, minimum approximately 1.8mm total height |
| Common Restaurant Risks | Reselling foreign-labeled original boxes, repacking without batch number/expiry date/storage conditions; mixing Chinese/English but food name or ingredients not bilingual |
Operation Checklist
- Australian Live Lobster
- Use food Import Declaration Form 1A for declaration, submit within 14 days of import.
- Document package: commercial invoice, packing list, air waybill, Australian seafood health certificate, catch/farming origin, temperature record.
- CITES: Search scientific names
Jasus edwardsii/Panulirus cygnus; common Australian rock lobster not in CITES, but documents should avoid generic "lobster". - Contract should include mortality clause, e.g. who bears first 5% mortality, handling beyond that point.
-
Restaurant must have holding tank SOP; otherwise buying chilled/frozen is more stable.
-
French Foie Gras
- Treat as poultry/meat product, not regular grocery.
- Each batch requires health certificate or FEHD written permission; origin must be on Hong Kong approved/importable list.
- Check French avian flu suspension areas; in 2025 Hong Kong suspended French Calvados Department poultry meat/products due to H5N1.
- Use -18°C sea or air freight for frozen foie gras; chilled only suitable for high-turnover restaurants.
- Keep original manufacturer batch number, expiry date, storage conditions on label; repacking must add traceable information.
Source URLs
- https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/import/import_ifc.html
- https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/import/import_icfsg_04.html
- https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/conservation/con_end/con_end_reg/con_end_reg_lic/con_end_reg_lic.html
- https://www.customs.gov.hk/en/service-enforcement-information/cargo-clearance/import-export-declaration/
- https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/food_leg/food_leg_cl.html
Hong Kong Restaurant Import: Australian Rock Lobster vs French Foie Gras Declaration Breakdown
One-Page Summary
| Item | Australian Lobster / Rock lobster | French Foie Gras / Foie gras |
|---|---|---|
| Food Category | Aquatic product, usually handled as fish and seafood | Poultry product, goose or duck liver is edible poultry part |
| Main Declaration | Food importer registration + Import Declaration Form 1A | Food importer registration + import permit per batch + health certificate + Import Declaration Form 1A |
| CITES | Common Australian Southern Rock Lobster / Jasus edwardsii not CITES commonly regulated species; if换成巨蚌、海马、珊瑚、鱼翅类就要查 | Foie gras itself not CITES; key points are poultry health and avian flu area restrictions |
| Health Documents | Recommend keeping origin, catch/processing, health/hygiene certificate, cold chain records; stricter for raw consumption | Must have health certificate from approved issuing institution; frozen/chilled poultry each batch requires FEHD import permit |
| Cold Chain Temperature | Chilled 0-4°C; quick-frozen -18°C or below | Chilled 0-4°C; quick-frozen -18°C or below |
| FEHD Inspection | File processing + sampling; Japanese seafood enhanced inspection: most cleared within approximately 1 hour | File processing + sampling; if health certificate origin/avian flu banned area issues, goods will be detained |
