Notice on Phytosanitary requirements for imports of fresh citrus from Iran

        According to the relevant Chinese laws and regulations and the Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the Phytoquarantine Requirements for Iranian Citrus Exports to China, the import of Iranian fresh citrus that meets the following requirements is allowed from now on:

        I. Basis of inspection and quarantine

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

        (2) Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine and Regulations for the Implementation of Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine;

        (3) Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China and Regulations for the Implementation of the Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China;

        (4) Measures for the Supervision and Administration of the Inspection and Quarantine of Entry Fruits;

        (5) Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Phytoquarantine Requirements for Iranian Citrus Exports to China.

        II. Name of goods allowed to enter the country

        Fresh citrus (hereinafter referred to as “Citrus”),Citrus sinensis、Citrus reticulata、Citrus limetta.

        III. Permitted origin

        Iran’s citrus region.

        IV. Approved orchards, packing plants and quarantine treatment facilities

        Citrus orchards, packing plants and cold treatment facilities exported to China shall be examined and filed by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Islamic Republic of Iran (” MJA “) and jointly approved and registered by the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (” GACC “) and MJA. The registration information shall include name, address and identification code. The registration list shall be provided by MJA to GACC before the annual export season, and GACC will publish the registration list on the official website.

        V. List of quarantine pests of concern to China

        1．Bemisia giffardi

        2．Ceratitis capitata

        3．Ceroplastes rusci

        4．Ectomyelois ceratoniae

        5．Protopulvinaria pyriformis

        6．Pseudococcus longispinus

        7．Pulvinaria aurantii

        8．Pulvinaria floccifera

        9．Candidatus liberobacter asiaticus

        10．Xanthomonas citri

        VI. Requirements before export

        (1) Orchard management.

        1. Citrus orchards exported to China should establish a perfect quality management system and traceability system under the supervision of MJA, implement good agricultural practice (GAP), maintain orchard health conditions, such as no pollution sources affecting fruit production, timely clean up fallen and rotten fruits, and implement integrated pest management (IPM). This includes regular pest surveillance surveys and physical, chemical or biological control.

        2. The monitoring and control of pests in orchards exported to China should be carried out under the supervision and guidance of MJA professionals. Technicians shall be trained by MJA or its authorized agency.

        3. Pest monitoring and control records should be kept in orchards exported to China and provided to GACC by MJA when necessary. Control records should include the name of the chemical used during the growing season, the active ingredient, the dose used, and the time of year.

        4. For pomegranate borer, citrus exported to China should be produced from non-epidemic production sites (orchards) of pomegranate borer, established in accordance with International Phytosanitary Measures Standard 10 (ISPM10), and approved by MJA and GACC. The establishment and maintenance measures of non-epidemic production sites shall include at least:

        (1) Pest monitoring. From flowering to the end of harvest, a sex trap should be set every 3 ha for monitoring (also for orchards less than 3 ha), and the results should be checked at least once every 2 weeks.

        (2) Fruit section examination. Sample and cut fruits at least once every 2 weeks. The sample fruits can be selected as suspicious or fallen fruits on trees, and the number of cut fruits should be no less than 30 fruits per hectare.

        If the pest is found during surveillance or necropsy inspection, oranges from the orchard concerned shall not be exported to China this export season.

        5. In order to reduce the population density of M. Mediterraneana, integrated field management measures should be adopted in orchards exported to China, including surveillance trapping, chemical or biological control methods. The monitoring time should be from the beginning of flowering to the end of harvesting. The density of traps in the orchards exported to China should be at least 2 traps per square kilometer (2 traps are also required for orchards less than 1 square kilometer), and the traps should be checked every 2 weeks. Once the Mediterranean fruit fly is detected, effective control is needed immediately.

        6. For mites, scale beetles and other quarantine pests of concern to the Chinese side, inspection should be carried out during the growing season, and orchard monitoring should be carried out every two weeks from flowering to harvest. Biological or chemical control measures are required if pests or their corresponding symptoms are detected during surveillance. Specific monitoring plans and integrated management measures shall be approved by the MJA and provided to the GACC upon request.

        (2) Packaging factory management.

        1. Citrus processing, packaging, storage and shipment shall be carried out under the quarantine supervision of the MJA or its authorized officers. Packaging and refrigeration facilities should be maintained in good hygiene and protected from re-infection by pests (e.g. using insect repellent nets).

        2. During the packaging process, citrus should be washed, brushed, sterilized, waxed, picked, graded, and defective fruits removed to ensure that no insects, mites, rotten fruits and branches, leaves and soil.

        3. Packaged citrus for export to China should be stored immediately and separately to avoid re-infection by pests.

        (3) Packaging requirements.

        1. The packing materials of citrus exported to China should be clean, unused and meet the requirements of Chinese plant quarantine and hygiene.

        2. Each packing case shall be marked in Chinese or English with product name, country of origin, name of orchard or its registration number, name of packing factory or its registration number and other information.

        3. Each packing case and pallet should be marked“输往中华人民共和国”or“Exported to the People’s Republic of China”。

        4. Containers for transport of Mandarin oranges must be inspected at the time of packing to ensure that they are in good sanitary conditions and inspection records shall be kept for MJA review.

        5. If wood packaging is used, the relevant requirements of International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15) must be met.

        (4) quarantine treatment requirements.

        1. All citrus exported to China should be treated with cold treatment. The cold treatment indicators are as follows:

        Lemons: 3°C or below (pulp temperature), treated continuously for 18 days or more.

        Orange, orange: 1.11°C or below (pulp temperature), continuous treatment for 14 days or more; Or 1.67°C or less (pulp temperature) for 16 consecutive days or more; Or 2.22°C or less (pulp temperature) for 18 consecutive days or more.

        2. The cold treatment shall be performed under the supervision of the MJA or its authorized personnel in accordance with the pre-export cold treatment Operating procedures (see Annex 1) or the in-transit cold treatment Operating Procedures (see Annex 2).

        (5) Quarantine before export.

        1. Within two years after the commencement of trade, the MJA or its authorized personnel shall conduct a 2% sample inspection of each consignment of citrus exported to China, with a minimum sample size of 1200 fruits, and at least 60 fruits of the 2% sample or any suspicious fruits found during the inspection shall be split and inspected. If no phytosanitary problems have occurred within two years, the sampling proportion may be reduced to 1%, but not less than 600 fruits.

        2. Once pomegranate borer is found, relevant orchards are not allowed to export citrus to China this export season. MJA should identify the cause and take improvement measures. Also, records of seizures are maintained and made available to GACC upon request.

        3. If other pests of concern to China are found, the goods shall not be exported to China. MJA should identify the cause and take improvement measures. Also, records of seizures are maintained and made available to GACC upon request.

        (6) Plant quarantine certificate requirements.

        1. For citrus that passes quarantine inspection, MJA shall issue a phytosanitary certificate indicating the name or code of orchard and packing plant and stating in the additional statement:“This consignment of citrus complies with the Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Iranian Fresh Citrus to China, and is free from any quarantine pests of concern to China.”

        2. For citrus treated with cold treatment before export, information such as treatment temperature, duration and treatment facility name or code should be indicated on the plant quarantine certificate. For Cold treatment in transit, “Cold treatment in transit” should be marked on the plant quarantine certificate, along with information such as temperature, duration, container and seal number.

        3. The MJA shall provide samples of phytosanitary certificates to the GACC prior to the commencement of trade for archival verification.

        VII. Entry inspection and quarantine and handling of disqualification

        When the oranges arrive at the Chinese port of entry, the Chinese Customs shall carry out quarantine in accordance with the following requirements.

        (1) Verification of relevant certificates and logos.

        1. Check whether the imported fruit has obtained the import Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit.

        2. Verify compliance of the phytosanitary certificate with Article 6 (6).

        3. Check whether the marking on the packing case conforms to the provisions of Article 6 (3).

        4. For the goods subject to cold treatment before export, check the cold treatment report signed by MJA and the fruit temperature probe correction record; Check the cold treatment report and fruit temperature probe correction record for the goods undergoing cold treatment in transit.

        (2) Entry inspection and quarantine.

        1. Citrus exported to China should be imported from GACC ports that allow the import of fruits.

        2. In accordance with relevant laws, administrative regulations, rules and regulations, import fruits shall be inspected and quarantined, and those that pass the inspection and quarantine shall be allowed to enter the country.

        (3) Handling of non-compliance with requirements.

        1. If they are found to be from unregistered orchards or packing plants, they will not be allowed into the country.

        2. If the cold treatment is deemed invalid, the citrus will be cold treated at the entry port (if it is confirmed to be a refrigerated container, the cold treatment can be carried out in the container), otherwise the citrus will be returned or destroyed.

        3. If the pomegranate borer is found, the batch of oranges will be returned or destroyed, and GACC will immediately notify MJA to suspend citrus exports to China from the relevant orchards and packing plants, and even Iranian citrus imports, depending on the situation.

        4. If any live Mediterranean fruit flies are found, the citrus will be returned, destroyed or quarantined, and GACC will immediately notify MJA and suspend citrus exports to China from the corresponding packing plants.

        5. If other quarantinable pests or new live quarantinable pests of concern to the Chinese side are found, the citrus will be returned, destroyed or quarantinable, and GACC will take further measures as appropriate and notify MJA in a timely manner.

        6. If it is found that the oranges do not meet the national food safety standards of China, the oranges shall be returned or destroyed.

        MJA shall find out the reasons for any of the above situations and make rectification to avoid recurrence.

        VIII. Compliance review

        During the first year of the project, with the assistance of MJA, GACC will send experts to conduct site visits or remote video inspections of citrus growing areas from Iran to China to ensure compliance with the relevant requirements specified in this quarantine requirement.

        IX. Retrospective review

        To ensure effective implementation of relevant risk management measures and operational requirements, GACC will conduct a retrospective review of the implementation of this Protocol every 5 years after the commencement of trade, including expert visits to Iran. These quarantine requirements shall be revised according to the inspection and agreed by both parties.

Article source：The General Administration of Customs