Philippine companies exporting food and agriculture products to China are required to register and secure accreditation online to ensure entry of their products to the huge market.
“All goods to enter Mainland China (fishery, feeds, processed food & beverages and fresh fruits, etc.) require registration (new and old) and accreditation. For new (exporters), this may involve site inspections and product tests/sampling,” said Christine dela Cruz, commercial officer of the Philippine Trade and Investment Centre in China.
Dela Cruz said China’s Decree 55 requires all exporters and agents, as well as Chinese importers, to complete a web-based registration process.
Such decree covers a wide range of products under the jurisdiction of China’s State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine or SAQSIQ Food Safety Bureau.
These include food commodities such as meat and meat products, aquatic products, egg and egg products, dairy products, bee products, and other non-prescribed foods such as biscuits and beverages.
“Exporters are encouraged to work closely with their importers to provide the required information,” she advised.
China is implementing the electronic certification (e-cert) system to establish a unified data exchange platform and achieve automatic data exchange and one-to-one certification.
When Chinese authorities finish inspecting and quarantine, they will issue the certificate which include the electronic certificate and printed certificate.
All the data of electronic certificate can be viewed in the e-cert system. The printed certificate will be transmitted to the import authority along with the goods and delivered to the exporter.
Measures for inspection, quarantine, supervision and safety management are applicable to import and export food, as well as on food-related products, grains, fruits and edible live animals.
Exporters need to establish a quality safety management system; prepare a purchase inspection and record system for raw materials, auxiliary materials, food additives, packaging material and containers; and establish production records about safety management of exported food.
For foods imported for the first time that have no national safety standard, the consignee shall submit the permit certificate issued by the health administration department of the State Council to the inspection and quarantine agency.
Likewise, China is undertaking label inspection regulations for import and export pre-packaged foods.
Foods found substandard shall have technical process under the supervision of inspection and quarantine agencies. Those who could not have technical process or those still found substandard after process are not allowed access to China. — PHILEXPORT News and Features
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