Regarding the Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for the Importation of Sri Lankan Ceylon Cinnamon

In accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of our country and the provisions on phytosanitary requirements for Sri Lankan Ceylon Cinnamon exports to China agreed between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Plantation Industries of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, the import of Sri Lankan Ceylon Cinnamon that meets the following requirements is permitted as of now.

I. Basis for Inspection and Quarantine

1.Biosafety Law of the People's Republic of China;

2.Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine Law of the People's Republic of China and its implementation regulations;

3.Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and its implementation regulations;

4.Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Ceylon Cinnamon from Sri Lanka to China between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Plantation Industries of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

II. Description of the Allowed Imported Goods

Ceylon Cinnamon in this announcement refers to products processed from the bark of the Ceylon Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) tree cultivated in Sri Lanka, after harvesting and drying.

III. Enterprise Registration

Planting bases and processing and packaging factories for exporting Ceylon Cinnamon to China should be reviewed and recorded in accordance with Sri Lankan laws and regulations and registered upon approval by the Chinese side (hereinafter referred to as "Chinese party"). Registration details should include the name, address, and registration number to accurately trace any exports that do not meet the related regulations. Before trading begins, the Ministry of Plantation Industries of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (hereinafter referred to as "Sri Lankan party") should provide the Chinese party with a list of registered entities. Once approved by the Chinese party, the list will be published on the website of the General Administration of Customs.

IV. Quarantine Pest of Concern to China

- Kilifia acuminata.

V. Pre-Export Management

1. Management of Planting Bases

1. The Sri Lankan party should establish a traceability system for Ceylon Cinnamon planting bases exporting to China to ensure effective tracing of the source. These bases should implement Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), maintain hygiene conditions, such as the absence of pollution sources affecting Ceylon Cinnamon production, timely removal of plant disease residues, etc. They should also implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM), including pest monitoring, physical, chemical, or biological prevention and control, and other agricultural measures.
2. Planting bases exporting to China should, under the supervision of the Sri Lankan party, monitor and manage the quarantine pests of concern to the Chinese party.
3. Pest monitoring and prevention at the exporting planting bases should be implemented under the guidance of professional technicians. These technicians should receive training from the Sri Lankan party or its authorized institutions.
4. Exporting planting bases should retain records of pest monitoring and prevention for at least two years and provide them to the Chinese party upon request. These records should at minimum include monitoring time, pests identified, control measures taken, and details of any chemical agents used including their date of use, active ingredients, and concentration.

2. Management of Processing and Packaging Factories

1. Processing, packaging, storage, and shipment of Ceylon Cinnamon for export to China should be conducted under the supervision of Sri Lankan officials or authorized officers.
2. Processing and packaging factories for exporting Ceylon Cinnamon to China should be clean and tidy, with hardened floors, raw material areas, and finished product storage.
3. The functional areas for storage, processing, packaging, etc., of Ceylon Cinnamon for export to China should be relatively independent, reasonably arranged, and appropriately distanced from residential areas.
4. Packaged Ceylon Cinnamon should be immediately stored or use additional packaging to avoid re-infestation by pests.
5. Registered processing and packaging factories should establish a traceability system to ensure Ceylon Cinnamon exported to China can be traced back to registered planting bases. This includes recording the date of processing and packaging, name or registration number of the source planting base, quantity, export date, export quantity, destination country, transportation tool or container number, etc. These records should be retained for at least two years.

3. Packaging Requirements

1. Packaging materials should be clean, unused, and in compliance with Chinese phytosanitary requirements.
2. Each package should be labeled in Chinese or English with product name, country, place of origin (district, city, or county), name or registration number of the planting base, name or registration number of the processing and packaging factory. Each pallet should be labeled in Chinese or English as "Exported to the People’s Republic of China." If pallets are not used (such as for air cargo), the same label should be applied to each package.
3. If wooden packaging is used, it should comply with International Standards For Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15).

VI. Export Inspection and Quarantine

1. Before exporting, the Sri Lankan party should inspect and certify that the Ceylon Cinnamon products intended for export are free from the pests of concern listed in this announcement. The Sri Lankan party should provide an official phytosanitary certificate which includes the name or registration number of the planting base and processing and packaging factory.

2. If the Chinese party discovers that the exported Ceylon Cinnamon products are infested with quarantine pests during entry inspection, they will inform the Sri Lankan party and will return or destroy the products based on risk assessment results.

VII. Management of Transit and Transshipment

All consignments of Ceylon Cinnamon transiting or transshipped through third countries should maintain the original packaging and be stored in a separate area, under the surveillance of the transiting country. Any re-packaging or unsealing in transit should be conducted under the supervision of the transiting country and the original seal should be retained.

VIII. Post-Entry Inspection and Quarantine

1. Importers of Ceylon Cinnamon should apply for entry inspection and quarantine in accordance with the law.

2. The Chinese party may conduct a random inspection of Ceylon Cinnamon imports. If pests of concern are discovered during inspection, the Chinese party will handle the goods as per relevant regulations and will inform the Sri Lankan party.

IX. Feedback Mechanism and Risk Early Warning

1. The Chinese party will notify the Sri Lankan party of any non-compliance detected during entry inspection. The Sri Lankan party should investigate the cause, take corrective measures, and provide feedback to the Chinese party within 30 days.

2. If the Chinese party detects recurrent or serious violations of this agreement, they reserve the right to suspend or terminate imports from the concerned Sri Lankan enterprise or planting base.

3. If the Sri Lankan party becomes aware of any phytosanitary risks that may affect Ceylon Cinnamon exports to China, they should notify the Chinese party as soon as possible.

X. Supervision and Cooperation

The Chinese party may conduct a random supervision and verification of registered planting bases and processing and packaging factories in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan party should cooperate and provide necessary assistance.

XI. Implementation Date

This announcement will be implemented from November 1, 2023.

XII. Other

Any matters not covered in this announcement will be resolved through consultation between the Chinese party and the Sri Lankan party.

This is hereby announced.

General Administration of Customs, P.R. China

October 10, 2023

Amor Wai

Mobile:  +86 139 1318 3379 

Email: gacc@foodgacc.com