Perishables
CFIA licensing for fresh produce and seafood, and getting the cold chain — including dry ice — right on time-critical shipments.
Get a Perishables RateHS 07/08
Fresh fruit & vegetable chapters (this page's scope)
SFC Licence
Required for produce & seafood alike
UN 1845
Dry ice classification, frozen/cold-chain cargo
TRQ Savings
Real CPTPP savings on seasonal produce lines
CFIA Safe Food for Canadians Licence
A Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence is mandatory for commercial imports of both fresh produce and seafood
This page is scoped to fresh fruit and vegetables (HS 07–08) — the primary perishables category on this corridor, with a real CPTPP seasonal-duty story worth showing. Seafood (HS 03) shares the same CFIA Safe Food for Canadians licensing framework, required since 2019 with verification enforced at import since March 2021, but carries its own additional requirements — including, for certain species and origins, an Aquatic Animal Health Import Permit — that a produce-focused HS table doesn't capture.
Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA); CBSA Customs Notice 21-04. Last verified July 2026.
Relevant HS Codes
| HS Code | Description | MFN | CPTPP | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0701.10 | Seed potatoes | $4.94/tonne | Free | CPTPP savings opportunity |
| 0701.90 | Other potatoes, fresh or chilled | $4.94/tonne | Free | CPTPP savings opportunity |
| 0702.00.21 | Cherry tomatoes, fresh, imported during in-season tariff-rate-quota window (up to 32 wks/yr) | 4.68¢/kg but not less than 12.5% | Free | CPTPP savings opportunity; seasonal TRQ surtax applies only during the specified in-season window |
| 0702.00.91 | Tomatoes, other, fresh, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 32 wks/yr) | 4.68¢/kg but not less than 12.5% | Free | CPTPP savings opportunity; seasonal TRQ surtax applies only during the specified in-season window |
| 0703.10.10 | Onion sets | 4.23¢/kg but not less than 9.5% | Free | CPTPP savings opportunity |
| 0703.10.31 | Green onions/shallots, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 22 wks/yr) | 4.68¢/kg but not less than 10.5% | Free | CPTPP savings opportunity; seasonal TRQ surtax |
| 0703.10.41 | Dry shallots, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 46 wks/yr) | 2.81¢/kg but not less than 12.5% | Free | CPTPP savings opportunity; seasonal TRQ surtax |
| 0703.20 | Garlic | Free | Free | Already MFN Free — no CPTPP saving |
Source: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/trade-commerce/tariff-tarif/2026/html/00/ch07-eng.html
CPTPP savings on this lane
0701.10
Seed potatoes
0701.90
Other potatoes, fresh or chilled
0702.00.21
Cherry tomatoes, fresh, imported during in-season tariff-rate-quota window (up to 32 wks/yr)
0702.00.91
Tomatoes, other, fresh, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 32 wks/yr)
0703.10.10
Onion sets
0703.10.31
Green onions/shallots, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 22 wks/yr)
0703.10.41
Dry shallots, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 46 wks/yr)
0706.10.11
Baby carrots (≤11 cm), packaged ≤2.27 kg, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 40 wks/yr)
0706.10.31
Carrots (other than baby), packaged ≤2.27 kg, imported during in-season TRQ window
0706.90.21
Beets, packaged ≤2.27 kg, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 34 wks/yr)
0706.90.51
Radishes, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 26 wks/yr)
0708.10.91
Peas (Pisum sativum), not for processing, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 12 wks/yr)
0708.20.21
Snap beans, packaged ≤2.27 kg, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 14 wks/yr)
0709.20.91
Asparagus, not for processing, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 8 wks/yr)
0709.40.11
Celery (other than celeriac), packaged ≤2.27 kg, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 18 wks/yr)
0709.51.90
Mushrooms of the genus Agaricus, not for processing, imported during in-season TRQ window
0709.60.10
Fruits of the genus Capsicum or Pimenta (peppers/chilies), imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 12 wks/yr)
0806.10.11
Grapes of the species Vitis labrusca, in natural state, imported during in-season TRQ window (up to 15 wks/yr)
0806.10.99
Grapes, fresh, other (not in natural state)
Canadian Import Process
Confirm SFC licence
Confirm the Canadian importer holds a valid Safe Food for Canadians licence before booking — verified at import since March 2021, not obtainable at the border.
Check phytosanitary requirements
Confirm whether a phytosanitary certificate or Plant Protection Act import permit applies to the specific product and origin — this varies by item, not by category.
Cold chain and dry ice arrangement
Book temperature-controlled handling directly with the carrier; declare dry ice (UN 1845, PI 954) on the AWB if used for the cold chain.
CBSA examination
Goods clear against the commercial invoice, SFC licence reference, and phytosanitary certificate where required.
Customs release
Shipment released to the importer — at the CPTPP rate where a real seasonal duty saving applies, or the standard MFN rate otherwise.
Worked example
800kg of fresh mangoes, Bangkok to Toronto
A 800kg shipment of fresh mangoes (HS 0804.10–0804.50) needs to move from BKK to YYZ. The fastest confirmed routing on that pair today is Korean Air Cargo through ICN, at 1-2 business days.
Before booking, UAL confirms the Canadian importer's SFC licence covers fresh fruit, and checks whether Thai mangoes require a phytosanitary certificate for that specific shipment window — this is confirmed per shipment, not assumed from a prior booking.
Mangoes under HS 0804 are already Free at the standard MFN rate, so no CPTPP claim changes the outcome here — unlike a seasonal item such as fresh tomatoes or baby carrots, where the same shipment could carry a real per-kilogram duty CPTPP would eliminate. On arrival at YYZ, CBSA clears the shipment against the commercial invoice, the SFC licence reference, and the phytosanitary certificate if one was required.
Why ship perishables through UAL
Cold chain and time-critical, handled that way
Perishables don't tolerate delay. Temperature-controlled handling is booked directly with the operating carrier, and dry ice arrangements are confirmed before tender, not discovered as a problem at drop-off.
SFC and phytosanitary checked before booking
We verify the Canadian importer's Safe Food for Canadians licence and confirm whether a phytosanitary certificate applies to the specific product and origin — not a generic checklist applied blindly to every shipment.
IATA DGR certified
UAL holds IATA DGR certification. Cold-chain shipments using dry ice are declared and handled directly against the current DGR edition by our own trained team.
DGR Note — Frozen & Cold-Chain Seafood
Frozen seafood packed on dry ice is dangerous goods cargo — even though the fish itself isn't
The dry ice refrigerant, not the seafood, is what triggers DG handling: UN 1845, Class 9, PI 954. Vented packaging and prior carrier arrangement both apply, and a Shipper's Declaration is only required if the dry ice is also refrigerating something else that needs one.
Read the full dry ice shipping guide →Source: IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, PI 954.
Frequently asked questions
No — it depends on the specific product and origin under the Plant Protection Act and Plant Protection Regulations, not on the commodity category as a whole. Confirm the requirement for your specific product and origin before booking rather than assuming either way.
Perishables · 30 HS codes · CPTPP savings on 19 codes
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