(Yicai Global) Jan. 9 -- Auckland-based Green Valley Dairy Co. is mulling the possibility of selling its fresh milk in Shanghai and across East China after its Chinese distributor obtained a 'quick pass' to get through customs faster.

David Ross, Green Valley's managing director, arrived in China's biggest city on Jan. 7 to look into sales avenues in the region and exploit the pass that Oravida Shanghai Food Co. obtained last week.

Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau made Oravida and four other companies eligible for the pilot scheme on Dec. 29. Under the program, the firm will be able to get Green Valley's milk onto shelves in the city in just three to four days, rather than 10 days without the quick pass.

Oravida brands its milk with the label "flown directly from New Zealand farms," and hopes to latch on to the growing popularity of fresh produce in China. However, as the milk only has a shelf life of 15 days, it is difficult to import. Until now, customs inspections took seven days and transport took three, so it only had around five days left to sell.

Two Chinese e-commerce giants, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and JD.Com Inc., have both sought to popularize fresh produce in the country with their online and offline stores, Hema Fresh (Alibaba) and 7Fresh (JD.Com).

The policy is good news for chilled products, like milk and salmon, said Xu Yanyan, Oravida's managing director. The firm is considering the release of a children's food made from dairy and fruit, which will also have a short shelf life and benefit from the program.

"The company would never have considered introducing such products before," he added.