Regarding the Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Export of Fresh Stone Fruits from South Africa to China

In accordance with the regulations of the Chinese Customs and the South African Department of Agriculture concerning phytosanitary requirements for Fresh Stone Fruits, effective immediately, the import of South African Fresh Stone Fruits meeting the following requirements is permitted.

 

I. Quarantine Basis

(1) The Biosecurity Law of the People's Republic of China;

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

(3) The Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and its implementing regulations;

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

(5) The Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of South Africa on Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of South African Fresh Stone Fruits to China.

 

II. Permitted Import Commodity Names

Fresh Stone Fruits (hereinafter referred to as Fresh Stone Fruits) include peaches (Prunus persica), nectarines (Prunus persica var. nucipersica), plums (Prunus salicina), apricots (Prunus armeniaca), and prunes (Prunus domestica).

 

III. Permitted Origin

South African Fresh Stone Fruit producing regions.

 

IV. Approved Orchards and Packing Plants

Orchards, packing plants, and cold processing facilities exporting Fresh Stone Fruits to China must be reviewed by the South African Department of Agriculture and approved and registered by Chinese Customs. Registration information includes name, address, and registration code to facilitate accurate traceability in case exported goods do not comply with the relevant provisions of this announcement. Before each export season, the South African Department of Agriculture provides a list of registered companies to Chinese Customs, which is then reviewed and approved by Chinese Customs and published on its website.

 

V. List of Quarantine Pests of Concern to Chinese Customs

1. Thaumatotibia leucotreta

2. Ceratitis capitata

3. Ceratitis cosyra

4. Ceratitis quinaria

5. Ceratitis quilicii

6. Ceratitis rosa

7. Cydia pomonella

8. Epichoristodes acerbella

9. Lozotaenia capensana

10. Diaspidiotus africanus

11. Pseudococcus longispinus

12. Frankliniella schultzei

13. Brachycaudus persicae

14. Pseudomonas syringae pv. morsprunorum

15. Apscaviroid latenspruni (Plum viroid I)

 

VI. Pre-Export Management

(I) Orchard Management

1. Orchards exporting Fresh Stone Fruits to China should establish and implement Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) under the supervision of the South African Department of Agriculture, including maintaining orchard hygiene, timely removal of fallen fruit, and implementing Integrated Pest Management (IPM), such as pest surveys, monitoring, chemical or biological control, and agricultural operations, to avoid or minimize the occurrence of quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs on Fresh Stone Fruits. Specific pest monitoring plans and integrated management measures must be approved by the South African Department of Agriculture and provided to Chinese Customs upon request.

2. Orchards exporting to China must have their monitoring and investigation of quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs conducted by technicians familiar with phytosanitary procedures under the guidance of the South African Department of Agriculture. These technicians must be trained by the South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized agencies. If quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs are discovered, appropriate control measures should be taken immediately.

3. Orchards exporting to China should retain records of pest monitoring, investigation, and control for at least two years and provide them to Chinese Customs upon request. Pest monitoring and control records should include at least the monitoring time, pest name, and control measures taken; chemical control records should include detailed information such as the name, active ingredient, concentration, and application date of all chemical reagents used during the growing season.

4. For fruit flies and apple leafrollers, orchards exporting to China must implement integrated field management measures, including monitoring and trapping fruit flies (including Mediterranean fruit fly, mango leafroller, *Aegilops quinquefolius*, *Aegilops quinquefolius*, *Aegilops quinquefolius*, and *Aegilops nataliensis*) and apple leafrollers, and using chemical or biological control methods to reduce the population density of fruit flies and apple leafrollers. Monitoring should begin during the flowering period and continue until the end of the harvest period.

Orchards exporting to China should use fruit fly traps (such as triangular or barrel traps) for monitoring, using registered Mediterranean fruit fly bait. The trap density should be 2 traps per square kilometer (at least 2 traps for orchards smaller than 1 square kilometer), and the traps should be inspected weekly. If the daily fruit fly capture density per trap exceeds 0.7, effective control measures are required.

For the apple leafroller, sex pheromone traps should be used for pest monitoring within the orchard. The trap density should be 2 traps per square kilometer (at least 2 traps for orchards smaller than 1 square kilometer), and the traps should be inspected weekly. If the apple leafroller is detected, appropriate physical, chemical, or biological control measures should be implemented immediately.

5. For the codling moth, monitoring should be conducted in the Fresh Stone Fruits production area and related areas (orchards, packing plants, and surrounding production areas), with a trap density of 1 trap per 2 hectares. Monitoring will begin at full bloom and continue until the Fresh Stone Fruits packaging process is completed. The traps must be inspected at least once every two weeks, and the lures must be replaced promptly according to the instructions. If three or more codling moths are found in the traps during each inspection, immediate control measures must be taken. Orchards with incomplete control measures will have their export eligibility to China revoked for the entire export season.

6. For pathogens of concern to Chinese Customs, such as *Fructus canker* and plum virus No. 1, an orchard monitoring system must be established, and orchard management strengthened. During the growing season in the Fresh Stone Fruits production area, field monitoring surveys must be conducted at least once a month. If suspected infection symptoms are found, samples should be taken promptly and sent to the laboratory for molecular biological identification. If infection with the aforementioned pathogens of concern to Chinese Customs is confirmed, comprehensive control measures must be implemented to control the occurrence of pathogens. Orchards with incomplete control measures will have their export eligibility to China revoked.

7. For pests of concern to Chinese customs, such as the short-tailed aphid of the black peach, the African oyster scale, the South African carnation leafroller, the comb-shaped thrips, the apple leafroller, and the long-tailed mealybug, monitoring and surveys must be conducted at least once every two weeks from the flowering period to the end of the harvest, focusing on the fruit, fruit stalks, and leaves. If pests or their corresponding symptoms are found, control measures should be taken promptly to control their occurrence or maintain a low prevalence level, ensuring that Fresh Stone Fruits are free of these quarantine pests.

(II) Packing Plant Management

1. The processing, packaging, storage, and shipping of Fresh Stone Fruits must be carried out under the supervision of the South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel.

2. During post-harvest processing and packaging, Fresh Stone Fruits should undergo selection and grading to ensure they are free of any live insects, defective fruit, branches, leaves, soil, etc.

3. The receiving, processing, handling, and storage areas for Fresh Stone Fruits exported to China are relatively independent and rationally laid out, and are isolated from fruits not exported to China.

(III) Packaging Requirements

1. Packaging materials should be clean, hygienic, unused, and comply with relevant Chinese phytosanitary requirements. If wooden packaging is used, it must comply with International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15).

2. Packed Fresh Stone Fruits, if requiring storage, should be immediately placed in a warehouse and stored separately to prevent reinfection by harmful organisms. Each package must be labeled with the fruit name, country, place of origin (e.g., district, city, or county), orchard registration number, and packing plant registration number. Each package and pallet must be labeled with "输往中华人民共和国" or "Exported to the People's Republic of China" in Chinese or English.

3. Containers transporting Fresh Stone Fruits to China must be inspected for good sanitary conditions during loading, and necessary insect control measures should be taken during loading.

(IV) Quarantine Treatment Requirements

For fruit flies and apple leafrollers, Fresh Stone Fruits exported to China should undergo cold treatment or fumigation under the supervision of the South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel.

Cold treatment shall be conducted according to the pre-export cold treatment procedure (see Annex 1) or the in-transit cold treatment procedure (see Annex 2), with the following treatment requirements: -0.6°C or below (fruit flesh temperature), for 22 consecutive days or more.

Fumigation shall use methyl bromide fumigant, with the following treatment requirements: temperature at 21.1°C or above, fumigant dosage of 32 g/m³, fumigation duration of not less than 2 hours under normal atmospheric pressure; and the minimum concentration during fumigation must be not less than 26 g/m³ after 0.5 hours and not less than 16 g/m³ after 2 hours.

(V) Pre-export Inspection and Quarantine

1. The South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel shall sample 2% of each shipment of Fresh Stone Fruits exported to China, with a minimum sample size of 1200 fruits. At least 60 fruits from the 2% sample, or any suspicious fruits discovered during the inspection, shall be dissected for examination. If no phytosanitary issues arise within two years, the sampling rate may be reduced to 1%, but the sample size shall not be less than 1200 fruits.

2. If live quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs are found, the entire shipment shall not be exported to China. The South African Department of Agriculture shall investigate the cause, take corrective measures, and retain inspection records, which should be provided to Chinese Customs upon request.

(VI) Phytosanitary Certificate Requirements

1. For Fresh Stone Fruits that have passed quarantine, the South African Department of Agriculture shall issue a phytosanitary certificate, indicating the orchard registration number, packing plant registration number, and container number, and specifying "This consignment complies with the requirements specified in the Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Fresh Stone Fruits from the South Africa to China, and is free from quarantine pests of concern to China." in the supplementary declaration.

2. For goods undergoing pre-export cold treatment, the treatment temperature, duration, and name or number of the treatment facility should be noted on the phytosanitary certificate. For goods undergoing in-transit cold treatment, "Cold treatment in transit" should be marked on the phytosanitary certificate, along with the treatment temperature, duration, container number, and seal number.

For goods undergoing pre-export fumigation treatment, the dosage of methyl bromide used in the fumigation, duration, treatment temperature, and name or number of the treatment facility should be noted in the quarantine treatment section of the phytosanitary certificate.

 

VII. Entry Inspection and Quarantine and Handling of Non-conforming Goods

When Fresh Stone Fruits arrive at Chinese ports of entry, Chinese Customs will conduct inspection and quarantine according to the following requirements:

(I) Verification of Relevant Certificates and Markings

1. Verify whether the imported Fresh Stone Fruits have obtained an "Import Permit for Animals and Plants".

2. Verify whether the phytosanitary certificate complies with the provisions of Article 6, Paragraph (VI) of this Announcement.

3. Verify whether the markings on the packaging boxes and pallets comply with the provisions of Article 6, Paragraph (III) of this Announcement.

4. For goods that have undergone cold treatment before export, verify whether the phytosanitary certificate, the cold treatment result report signed and confirmed by the South African Department of Agriculture, and the fruit temperature probe calibration record meet the provisions of Article 6, Paragraph (IV) of this Announcement.

5. For goods that have undergone cold treatment during transportation, verify whether the phytosanitary certificate, the cold treatment report, and the fruit temperature probe calibration record meet the provisions of Article 6, Paragraph (IV) of this Announcement.

6. For goods that undergo fumigation treatment before export, it is necessary to verify whether the phytosanitary certificate meets the requirements of Article 6, Paragraph (iv) of this announcement.

(II) Entry Inspection and Quarantine.

1. Fresh Stone Fruits exported to China should enter through ports of entry permitted by Chinese Customs for fruit import.

2. Upon arrival of Fresh Stone Fruits at Chinese ports of entry, Chinese Customs will inspect relevant documents and markings, and conduct inspection and quarantine in accordance with Chinese laws, regulations, national standards, and the requirements of this announcement.

(III) Handling of Non-Compliant Goods.

1. If the goods are found to originate from unregistered orchards, packing plants, or processing facilities, the goods will not be allowed to enter China.

2. If cold treatment is deemed invalid or unsuccessful, the goods will be subject to onshore cold treatment (which can be carried out within the container), return, or destruction.

3. If live quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs, or newly emerging quarantine pests in South Africa, or soil, or plant residues are found, the goods will be returned, destroyed, or treated for pest control.

4. If any non-compliance with Chinese food safety laws, regulations, and national standards is found, the batch of goods will be returned or destroyed.

 

GACC

November 14, 2025

 

Pre-export Cold Treatment Procedures

 

I. Types of Cold Treatment Facilities

1. Pre-export cold treatment must be carried out in cold storage facilities approved by the South African Department of Agriculture.

2. The South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel are responsible for ensuring that the cold storage facilities used by exporters meet standards and have refrigeration equipment capable of bringing and maintaining the required temperatures for the fruit.

3. The South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel must retain registration documents for cold storage facilities approved for pre-export cold treatment of fruit exported to China. These documents should include the following:

(1) Location and construction plans for all facilities, including detailed contact information for the owner/operator;

(2) Dimensions and capacity of the facilities;

(3) Type of insulation for walls, floors, and ceilings;

(4) Brand, style, type, and capacity of refrigeration compressors, evaporators, and air circulation systems;

(5) Temperature range of the equipment, specifications and details of defrost cycle control, and any integrated temperature recording equipment, etc.

4. Before the start of the fruit export season, the South African Department of Agriculture should submit a list of registered cold treatment facilities and their addresses to Chinese Customs.

II. Recorder Type

The South African Department of Agriculture (SAA) or its authorized personnel must ensure that the probes and temperature recorders meet the following conditions:

1. Probe temperatures should be between -3.0°C and +3.0°C, accurate to ±0.15°C;

2. Capable of accommodating the required number of probes;

3. Capable of recording and storing process data until inspection by the SAEA;

4. Capable of recording the temperature of all probes at least once per hour, achieving the required accuracy for probe temperatures, and supervised by the SAEA or its authorized personnel;

5. Capable of printing out identification information for each probe, time, and temperature.

III. Probe Calibration

Calibration must be performed using a standard thermometer approved by SAEA authorized personnel in a mixture of crushed ice and distilled water:

1. Any probe with a reading exceeding 0°C ± 0.3°C must be replaced with another probe conforming to this standard;

2. Upon completion of the treatment, the SAEA or its authorized personnel must verify the calibrated values ​​of the fruit temperature probes using the mentioned calibration method.

IV. Probe Installation

1. Fruit on pallets must be pre-cooled and loaded into the cold treatment chamber under the supervision of the South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel. Pre-cooling may be carried out by the exporter.

2. At least two probes must be used to measure the room temperature at the air outlet and return air outlet respectively. At least four probes must be installed to measure the fruit temperature:

(1) One in the center of the fruit in the middle of the cold treatment chamber;

(2) One at the corner of the top layer of fruit in the middle of the cold treatment chamber;

(3) One near the return air outlet in the middle of the fruit;

(4) One near the corner of the top layer of fruit in the middle of the cold treatment chamber.

3. The installation of probes and connection to the recorder should be completed under the supervision and guidance of the cold storage operator. The South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel will verify the probe positions and carefully check the temperature downloads for approval before loading begins.

4. The recorder can be started at any time, but processing time can only be calculated when all fruit temperature probes have reached the specified temperature.

5. When using only the minimum number of probes, if any probe exceeds the temperature range specified in the protocol, the treatment is invalid and should be restarted only after all four fruit temperature probes have returned to the temperature specified in the protocol.

V. Processing Result Verification

1. If the processing records indicate that all processing parameters have met the requirements, South African Department of Agriculture officials may authorize the termination of the treatment and the calibration of the probes; if the probe calibration results meet the requirements of Article III, the treatment can be considered successfully completed.

2. The probes should be calibrated before the fruit is removed from the processing chamber.

VI. Processing Result Confirmation

1. The printed temperature records should indicate that the required cold treatment has been completed.

2. The South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel must retain the above records and statistical values ​​before confirming the successful completion of the treatment. These records are required for verification by Chinese Customs upon request.

3. If the treatment fails to meet the required cold treatment requirements, the recorder can be reconnected and treatment can continue if the following conditions are met:

(1) The South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel confirm that the treatment conditions required by this announcement are still met;

(2) The time interval between the stop and restart is within 24 hours.

In both cases, data collection can continue from the time the recorder is reconnected.

VII. Loading into Containers

1. Before loading, containers must be inspected by the South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel to ensure they are free of pests, and the entrance must be covered to prevent pests from entering.

2. Fruits must be packed in buildings with pest control measures; or the cold storage exit and container entrance must be connected with pest-proof material.

VIII. Sealing of Containers

1. The South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel shall seal the containers loaded with fruit with coded seals, the seal numbers of which must be noted on the pre-cooling certificate.

2. The seals can only be opened by Chinese customs at the port of entry.

IX. Storage of Fruit Not Immediately Packed

Treatment fruit that is not immediately packed may be temporarily stored under the supervision of the South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel.

1. If the fruit is stored in a cold treatment room, the door of the cold treatment room must be closed;

2. If the fruit needs to be transferred to another storage room, the transfer method must be approved by the South African Department of Agriculture, and no other fruit may be stored in that storage room;

3. The fruit must be packed under the supervision of South African Department of Agriculture personnel in accordance with Article VII.

X. Phytosanitary Certificate

1. The temperature, duration, name of the cold treatment facility, or its registration number before export must be specified in the phytosanitary certificate.

2. Upon importation of the fruit, a phytosanitary certificate, a cold treatment result report (with a cold treatment temperature record signed and confirmed by the South African Department of Agriculture), and a fruit temperature probe calibration record must be provided to Chinese Customs.

 

Cold Treatment Procedures in Transit

 

I. Container Type

The container must be a self-contained (integral) refrigerated transport container with refrigeration equipment capable of reaching and maintaining the required temperature.

II. Recorder Type

The South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel must ensure that probes and temperature recorders meet the following conditions:

1. Probe temperatures should be between -3.0°C and +3.0°C, accurate to ±0.15°C;

2. A sufficient number of probes are available;

3. The ability to record and store process data;

4. The ability to record the temperature of all probes at least once per hour, achieving the required accuracy for probe temperatures;

5. Printed temperature records must record the corresponding time and temperature for each probe, and indicate the recorder model and container number.

III. Probe Calibration

1. Calibration must be performed using a standard thermometer approved by the South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel in a mixture of crushed ice and distilled water.

2. Any probe with a reading exceeding 0°C ±0.3°C must be replaced.

3. A "Fruit Temperature Probe Calibration Record" signed and confirmed by the South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel must be provided for each container. The original must be attached to the accompanying phytosanitary certificate.

4. Upon arrival at the port of entry, Chinese Customs will conduct a calibration inspection of the fruit temperature probes.

IV. Probe Installation

1. Palletized fruit must be loaded into containers under the supervision of the South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel. Packing boxes should be stacked loosely to ensure sufficient airflow.

2. Each container must be equipped with at least 3 fruit temperature probes and 2 space temperature probes, specifically:

(1) Probe No. 1 should be placed in the center of the top layer of the first row of fruit inside the container;

(2) Probe No. 2 should be placed in the center of the container, 1.5 meters (40-foot container) or 1 meter (20-foot container) from the container door, at half the height of the fruit;

(3) Probe No. 3 should be placed on the left side of the container door, 1.5 meters (40-foot container) or 1 meter (20-foot container), at half the height of the fruit;

(4) The two space temperature probes should be placed at the air inlet and air outlet of the container, respectively.

3. All probes must be installed under the supervision and guidance of the South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel.

4. Fruit must be pre-cooled in a cold storage room until the flesh temperature reaches 4°C or below before loading.

V. Container Sealing

1. Containers carrying fruit must be sealed with coded seals by the South African Department of Agriculture or its authorized personnel.

2. The seal can only be opened by Chinese Customs at the port of entry.

VI. Verification of Treatment Results

1. Probes must be calibrated before the fruit is removed from the container.

2. If the temperature probe records show compliance with technical requirements, and the probe calibration and placement meet the requirements of Articles 3 and 4, the treatment should be considered valid.

VII. Temperature Recording and Confirmation

1. Cold treatment during transport can begin before the fruit leaves the South African port and end before or after arriving at the first Chinese port of entry.

2. Recording can be started at any time; however, the treatment time will only begin to be calculated when all fruit temperature probes have reached the specified temperature.

3. The cold treatment temperature records downloaded by the shipping company must be submitted to Chinese Customs. If the cold treatment is completed before the ship arrives at the port of entry, the cold treatment records downloaded on board can be transmitted to Chinese Customs en route.

4. Chinese Customs will review whether the cold treatment records comply with the relevant treatment requirements and determine the validity of the cold treatment based on the probe calibration results.

VIII. Phytosanitary Certificate

1. The cold treatment temperature and start time must be specified in the treatment section of the phytosanitary certificate. Additionally, "Cold treatment in transit" the container number, and the seal number should also be indicated on the phytosanitary certificate.

2. When fruit enters China, a phytosanitary certificate, a cold treatment report, and a fruit temperature probe calibration record should be provided to Chinese Customs.