Announcement No. 52, 2022 of the General Administration of Customs

        In accordance with relevant laws and regulations of China and the Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of the Kingdom of Spain on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Requirements for The Export of Spanish oat to China, the import of Spanish oat meeting the following requirements is now allowed:

I. Basis of inspection and quarantine

        (1) BioSafety Law of the People’s Republic of China;

        (2) The Law of the People’s Republic of China on The Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine and its implementation regulations;

        (3) Measures for the Supervision and Administration of The Inspection and Quarantine of Import and Export Feed and Feed Additives;

        (4) Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of the Kingdom of Spain on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Spanish Oat to China.

II. Name of goods allowed to enter the country

        The term oat in this notice (Avena sativa L. and Avena strigosa Schreb) refers to oat hay grown in Spain and dehydrated at high temperatures.

III. Enterprise registration

        Oat grass to be exported to China must come from processing enterprises approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of the Kingdom of Spain (hereinafter referred to as “West”). The processing enterprise shall be recommended by the West to the General Administration of Customs, PRC (hereinafter referred to as the Chinese side), and shall be registered after being approved by the Chinese side, published on the Chinese side’s website and updated dynamically.

IV. Pests of concern

        Oat imported to China shall not carry the following pests of concern to The Chinese side:

        1. Liriomyza trifolii

        2. Clavibacter Michiganensis subsp. Michiganensis

        3. Wheat basal rot pathogen Oculimacula yallundae

        4. Maize Chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV)

        5. Barley yellow dwarf virus

        6.Perennial Ambrosia psilostachya

        7. Lolium temulentum

        8. Avena Barbata, a fine-stemmed wild oat

        9. Avena Ludoviciana, French wild oats

        10. Avena sterilis

        11. Strawberry slippery blade Nematode Aphelenchoides fragariae

        12. The stem nematode Ditylenchus dipsaci of scale corms

V. Product production and export requirements

        (1) Planting, processing, storage and transportation.

        1. The planting farm shall implement effective integrated pest management (IPM) to avoid and control the occurrence of pests of concern to The Chinese side. The processing enterprise shall establish a quality control system, implement effective management of raw material procurement, high temperature dehydration, product testing and other links, keep the processing area and equipment clean, take effective decontamination and decontamination measures before compression and baling, and shall not use metal material for baling and packaging, to ensure that yat grass meets the following requirements:

        (1) Do not bring pests and other live pests of concern to the Chinese side;

        (2) No roots, plant seeds and other plant residues and foreign bodies;

        (3) No animal excrement, animal carcass and bird feathers;

        (4) No soil;

        (5) No genetically modified ingredients;

        (6) The relevant requirements of the Chinese national Standard “Feed Hygiene Standard” (GB13078).

        2. Pre-shipment storage facilities shall meet the following requirements:

        (1) A relatively closed and independent space;

        (2) Take effective measures to prevent rodents, insects and birds from being polluted by harmful organisms.

        3. The processing enterprise shall have mechanical drying facilities, and the drying process shall be kept at 250℃ for more than 5 minutes.

        4. The planting, processing and storage sites should be isolated from animal farms and pastures to avoid contamination by animal excreta and secretions.

        5. Use clean containers and other airtight tools to pack and transport Oat grass, and carry out inspection and quarantine and quarantine treatment when necessary. Each container or other means of transport shall have at least one packaging label indicating the name of the processing enterprise, the registration number and the words “Spanish oat for shipment to the People’s Republic of China” in English. Product labels should comply with the requirements of China national Standard “Feed Labels” (GB 10648).

        (2) Requirements for quarantine and certificate before departure.

        1. Oat grass that has passed the inspection and quarantine in the West and meets the requirements of this Protocol is allowed to be exported to China.

        2. Each batch of oat exported to China shall be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Spanish government in accordance with international standards. The plant quarantine certificate shall indicate the name and registration number of the processing enterprise, the name and address of the consignor and consignee, the number of the container or means of transport and other information. In the additional statement, it was noted that “This consignment complies with the ‘Protocol on the sanitary and phytosanitary requirements for the export of Oaten Hay from Spain to China, and is free of any quarantine pest concerned by China”.

        3. A Veterinary health certificate shall be issued by the Spanish authorities.

VI. Entry inspection and quarantine

        (1) Certificate verification.

        1. Check whether there is an Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit attached;

        2. Check whether it comes from a registered enterprise;

        3. Check whether the phytosanitary certificate and veterinary hygiene certificate are true and valid.

        (2) Inspection of goods.

        In accordance with relevant laws, administrative regulations and rules, and in combination with article 4 and Article 5 of these requirements, inspection and quarantine shall be carried out on oat grass.

VII. Handling of non-conforming situations

        1. If there is no valid phytosanitary certificate or veterinary hygiene certificate, it shall be returned or destroyed;

        2. Returned or destroyed from unregistered processing enterprises;

        3. Soil or gm ingredients are found and returned or destroyed;

        4. If it is found that it does not conform to Item 1 of Article 5 (1) of this requirement, it shall be treated with disinfestation, return or destruction in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. Those that pass the processing shall be allowed to enter the country;

        5. If it is found not in conformity with Item 5 of Article 5 (1) of this requirement, it shall be corrected, returned or destroyed;

Other cases that fail to meet China’s requirements for quarantine of entry animals and plants shall be dealt with in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

Article source：The General Administration of Customs