Regarding the Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Export of Alfalfa from Mozambique

In accordance with the regulations established by China Customs and the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries of Mozambique regarding the sanitary and phytosanitary requirements for the export of Mozambican alfalfa to China, effective immediately, the importation of Mozambican alfalfa that meets the following relevant requirements is permitted:

I. Basis for Inspection and Quarantine

(1) *Biosecurity 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 its Implementing Regulations;

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

(4) *Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries of the Republic of Mozambique on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Mozambican Alfalfa to China*.

II. Name of Permitted Commodity for Entry

Alfalfa (*Medicago sativa* L.) refers to alfalfa pellets or bales grown within the territory of Mozambique and subjected to high-temperature dehydration and compression processing.

III. Enterprise Registration

Alfalfa exported to China must originate from processing enterprises that have been assessed and approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries of Mozambique. These processing enterprises shall be recommended to China Customs by the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries of Mozambique; upon passing an on-site inspection or document review conducted by China Customs, they shall be officially registered and listed on the Customs website.

IV. Pests of Concern

Alfalfa exported to China must not be infested with the following pests of concern to China Customs:

1. Bruchidius atrolineatus

2. Spodoptera littoralis

3. Tuta absoluta

4. Ditylenchus africanus

5. Meloidogyne ethiopica

6. Rotylenchulus parvus

7. Orobanche minor

V. Requirements for Product Production and Export

(I) Cultivation, Processing, Storage, and Transportation.

1. The Ministry of Agriculture, Environment, and Fisheries of Mozambique shall ensure that alfalfa cultivation farms exporting to China implement effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM) measures to prevent and control the occurrence of pests of concern to China Customs. The Ministry of Agriculture, Environment, and Fisheries of Mozambique shall require approved processing enterprises to establish and effectively operate a robust Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system and a traceability management system, or to implement management practices in accordance with the principles thereof.

2. The processing facilities, as well as the cultivation, processing, and storage sites for raw alfalfa materials intended for export to China, shall be isolated from animal rearing farms, pastures, and similar locations, to ensure that the raw materials are not contaminated by the excreta, secretions, or other substances of cloven-hoofed animals. During the harvesting, drying, storage, and transportation of the alfalfa, care shall be taken to prevent the admixture of stray roots, soil, or other foreign matter.

3. The drying process employed by processing enterprises shall maintain a temperature of 170°C for a minimum of 15 minutes to ensure the quality and safety of the alfalfa. Alfalfa processing facilities shall meet the specific requirements for mechanical drying.

4. Processing enterprises shall establish an effective quality control system to implement effective controls over stages such as raw material procurement, high-temperature dehydration, and product inspection; maintain the cleanliness of processing areas and equipment; adopt effective measures for the removal of impurities and contaminants prior to compression and baling; and refrain from using metal materials for baling and packaging. These measures are intended to ensure that alfalfa hay exported to China complies with the following requirements:

(1) It shall be free from pests of concern to China Customs, as well as other live harmful organisms;

(2) It shall be free from grass roots, plant seeds, other plant residues, and foreign matter;

(3) It shall be free from animal feces, animal carcasses, and poultry feathers;

(4) It shall be free from soil;

(5) It shall be free from genetically modified (GM) ingredients that have not been approved by China Customs;

(6) It shall comply with the relevant requirements of the Chinese National Standard *Hygienic Standard for Feeds* (GB 13078).

5. Storage facilities used prior to shipment shall meet the following requirements:

(1) They shall consist of a relatively enclosed and independent space;

(2) They shall employ effective measures to prevent infestation by rodents, insects, and birds, thereby preventing contamination by harmful organisms.

6. Clean containers shall be used for transportation; where necessary, inspection, quarantine, and quarantine treatment measures shall be implemented. Each container shall contain at least one package label indicating the name of the processing enterprise, its registration number with China Customs, and the characters "莫桑比克苜蓿草输往中华人民共和国/Alfalfa from Mozambique export to the People's Republic of China"(in both Chinese and English).

The product label for each batch of alfalfa hay exported to China shall comply with the requirements of the Chinese National Standard *Feed Labeling* (GB 10648).

(II) Pre-departure Quarantine and Certification Requirements.

Prior to export, the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment, and Fisheries of Mozambique shall conduct inspection and quarantine of the alfalfa hay intended for export to China. For shipments that meet the specified requirements, the Ministry shall issue a Phytosanitary Certificate and a Sanitary Certificate that comply with international standards. The Phytosanitary Certificate and Sanitary Certificate shall include information such as the name and registration number of the processing enterprise, the names and addresses of the consignor and consignee, and the container number. The Additional Declaration on the Phytosanitary Certificate shall state "This consignment complies with the Protocol on the sanitary and phytosanitary requirements for the export of alfalfa from Mozambique to China, and is free of any pest of concern for China"; the Sanitary Certificate shall state "Does not contain any hazardous substances that pose a risk to public or animal health and complies with China's safety and hygiene standards, does not contain GMOs that are not authorized by China".

VI. Entry Inspection and Quarantine

(I) Verification of Certificates and Documents.

1. Verify whether the consignment originates from a registered enterprise.

2. Verify the authenticity and validity of the accompanying Phytosanitary Certificate and Sanitary Certificate.

(II) Inspection of Goods.

In accordance with relevant laws, administrative regulations, rules, and other provisions—and in conjunction with the requirements of this Announcement—inspection and quarantine shall be conducted on the incoming alfalfa; upon passing inspection, entry shall be permitted.

(III) Handling of Non-compliance.

1. If goods are found to be non-compliant with the requirements specified in Item 6, Sub-paragraph (I), Article V of this Announcement, they shall be subject to rectification, return, or destruction.

2. If the consignment lacks a valid Phytosanitary Certificate or Sanitary Certificate, it shall be subject to return or destruction.

3. If the consignment originates from a processing enterprise that is not registered, it shall be subject to return or destruction.

4. If soil or unauthorized genetically modified ingredients are detected, the consignment shall be subject to return or destruction.

5. If non-compliance with Item 4, Sub-paragraph (I), Article V of this Announcement is detected, the consignment shall be subject to disinfestation, return, or destruction in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. If the consignment passes inspection following such treatment, entry shall be permitted.

6. In the event of other instances of non-compliance with China's laws and regulations regarding the entry quarantine of animals and plants, or with feed sanitary standards, the matter shall be handled in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws and regulations.

Upon detecting the aforementioned violations, China Customs will notify the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment, and Fisheries of Mozambique and, depending on the severity of the violations, take measures ranging from suspending the export eligibility of the relevant processing enterprises or production areas to suspending the entire trade of alfalfa hay to China, until China Customs confirms that the issues have been effectively rectified.

GACC