Regarding the Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Pear from Portugal to China

In accordance with the regulations of China Customs and the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs regarding phytosanitary requirements for the import of fresh Portuguese pears into China, effective immediately, the import of fresh Portuguese pears that meet the following requirements is permitted.

 

I. Inspection and Quarantine Basis

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

(2) "Law of the People's Republic of China on Import and Export Animal and Plant Quarantine" and its implementing regulations;

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

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

(5) "Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for the Import of Fresh Portuguese Pears into China between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs of the Portuguese Republic."

 

II. Permitted Import Commodity Names

Fresh pear, scientific name Pyrus communis, English name Pear.

 

III. Permitted Origin

Pear-producing areas in mainland Portugal (excluding the Azores and Madeira).

 

IV. Registration

Orchards, packaging plants, and cold-treatment facilities for exporting pears to China must be reviewed by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs and registered with China Customs. Registration information includes name, address, and identification code to facilitate accurate traceability of exported goods if they do not comply with the relevant provisions of this announcement. Before each export season, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs shall provide the registration list to China Customs, which will be published on the website of the General Administration of Customs after review and approval by China Customs.

 

V. List of Quarantine Pests of Concern to China Customs

1. Aphanostigma piri

2. Ceratitis capitata

3. Ceroplastes rusci

4. Cydia pomonella

5. Diaspidiotus ancylus

6. Dysaphis pyri

7. Epidiaspis leperii

8. Eriosoma lanigerum

9. Hoplocampa brevis

10. Pseudococcus longispinus

11. Taeniothrips inconsequens

12. Blastobasis decolore

13. Lepidosaphes ulmi

14. Pseudococcus viburni

15. Botryosphaeria stevensii

16. Phytophthora syringae

17. Venturia pyrina

18. Erwinia amylovora

 

VI. Pre-Export Management

(I) Orchard Management.

1. Orchards exporting pears to China should, under the supervision of the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs, establish a comprehensive quality management and traceability system, implement Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), maintain orchard hygiene, such as promptly removing fallen and rotten fruit and pruning branches at the end of the season, and implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM), including regular quarantine pest monitoring and surveys, physical, chemical, or biological pest control, and agricultural practices. Fallen fruit must not be exported.

2. The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs should ensure that pear growers exporting pears are aware of the quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs and their control measures. Pest monitoring and control in orchards exporting pears to China should be conducted under the guidance of technicians with plant quarantine expertise. The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized agencies should provide training to these technicians.

3. All registered orchards must maintain records of monitoring and investigation of quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs, as well as chemical and biological control measures implemented, and provide them to Chinese Customs upon request. Chemical control records should include detailed information such as the name, active ingredient, dosage, and application schedule of the chemical agents used during the growing season.

4. The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs should ensure that registered orchards are inspected at least 20 days before fruit harvest, focusing on the presence of quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs, pest monitoring and control efforts, and field hygiene. If quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs are detected, samples should be sent to an official laboratory for identification, and control measures should be implemented immediately. Orchards that fail to meet the plant quarantine requirements for pear exports to China should have their export eligibility suspended for the current season.

5. Regarding Ceratitis capitata, pears exported to China should be produced in Ceratitis capitata-free areas approved by China Customs or orchards that are effectively controlled by systematic control measures.

(1) Pest-free areas.

Pest-free areas for fruit flies should be established and maintained based on the relevant requirements of International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 26 (ISPM26). The establishment plan and emergency response plan for the pest-free areas must be reviewed and approved by China Customs before they can be implemented by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs. Once fruit flies are found in the pest-free areas, the pest-free areas will be suspended. The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs shall notify China Customs within 48 hours and immediately initiate the emergency action plan. The pest-free areas may be restored only after the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs has eradicated the epidemic and approved by China Customs.

(2) Systematic control measures.

Orchards exporting to China must carry out Ceratitis capitata monitoring using Jackson traps baited with the sex pheromone Trimedlure from the flowering period to the harvest period. The trap density is 1 per hectare. Orchards with an area of ​​less than 3 hectares must install at least 3 traps and be inspected once a week. Once fruit flies are detected, effective control measures must be taken.

The "number of Ceratitis capitata traps per trap per day" (FTD) in the pear production area exported to China should be less than 0.5. If the FTD value is greater than 0.5, effective control measures should be taken immediately, such as pesticide treatment, mating disruption technology, mass capture, baiting, collection and destruction of infected fruits, etc. For orchards that do not thoroughly control the pests, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs shall suspend the orchard's export qualification to China and immediately notify the Chinese Customs. Upon request, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs shall provide the Chinese Customs with a pest survey report or management record.

6. For Cydia pomonella, pears exported to China should be produced in Cydia pomonella-free production areas recognized by the Chinese Customs or in orchards that have been effectively controlled through systematic control measures.

(1) Non-pest production areas.

The pest-free production area must be established and maintained by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs in accordance with the relevant requirements of the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 10 (ISPM 10). The establishment plan and emergency plan of the pest-free production area must be reviewed and approved by China Customs before they can be implemented by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs. If Cydia pomonella is found in the relevant pest-free production area, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs will suspend the pest-free production area's export qualification to China. The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs should notify China Customs within 48 hours and immediately activate the emergency plan. The pest-free production area can only be restored when the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs eliminates the epidemic and is approved by China Customs.

(2) Systematic control measures.

Pear orchards exported to China should be monitored for Cydia pomonella from the flowering period to the end of harvest. The trap setting density in the orchard is 1 per hectare. Orchards with an area of ​​less than 3 hectares must install at least 3 traps. The bait cores should be replaced once a month and the traps should be inspected once a week. If three or more Cydia pomonella are found in a trap, effective control measures, such as mating disruption techniques, must be implemented immediately. For orchards that fail to thoroughly control the pest, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs will suspend the orchard's export license to China and immediately notify Chinese Customs. Upon request, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs will provide Chinese Customs with pest survey reports or management records.

7. Regarding Hoplocampa brevis, pears exported to China must be produced in areas of low prevalence for Hoplocampa brevis recognized by Chinese Customs. These areas must be established and maintained by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs in accordance with the requirements of International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 22 (ISPM 22).

Orchards exporting to China must monitor for Hoplocampa brevis from flowering to harvest and implement effective non-chemical and chemical control measures. The trap density is one per hectare. Orchards smaller than three hectares must install at least three traps, and the traps must be inspected weekly. In autumn, orchards must be cleaned, and infested fruit must be collected and destroyed. If Hoplocampa brevis is detected, pesticides approved by Chinese Customs must be used promptly for control. For orchards that fail to thoroughly control the pest, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs will suspend the orchard's export license to China and immediately notify Chinese Customs. Upon request, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs must provide Chinese Customs with survey reports or management records regarding this pest.

8. Regarding Phytophthora syringae, orchards exporting to China must monitor for it every two weeks from flowering to harvest, and conduct targeted preventive spraying based on monitoring results. Additionally, timely pruning must be implemented to remove low-hanging branches to reduce the risk of Phytophthora syringae infestation on fruit near the ground due to splashing during rainfall or irrigation. Pears exported to China must be harvested at least 50 cm above the ground, and measures must be taken to prevent fruit above 50 cm from being mixed with fruit below 50 cm during harvest.

9. Regarding apricot fire blight, pears exported to China must be produced in apricot fire blight-free production areas approved by Chinese customs.

(1) The non-pested production areas must be established and maintained by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs in accordance with the relevant requirements of International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 10 (ISPM 10).

(2) The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs shall organize apricot fire blight monitoring in pear-producing areas throughout the country, with each area monitored at least three times a year. Orchards exporting to China shall be monitored for apricot fire blight at least three times a year, during the flowering period, young fruit period, and fruit ripening period (before harvest). If apricot fire blight is detected in an orchard in the season before the export season, a buffer zone shall be established 1,000 meters outside the non-pested production area, all susceptible hosts within the buffer zone shall be marked, and monitoring shall be carried out at least three times a year.

(3) If apricot fire blight is found in a non-pested production area or in a buffer zone, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs shall suspend the export qualification of the non-pested production area to China and immediately notify Chinese customs. Once the epidemic has been eliminated by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs and approved by Chinese Customs, the pest-free production areas may resume production.

10. For other quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs, orchards exporting pears to China must monitor them every 15 days from flowering to harvest, focusing on inspecting branches, stems, leaves, stalks, and fruit for target pests. Chemical, biological, or physical control measures must be implemented promptly based on the pest threshold level.

11. During transportation from orchards to packhouses, fruit must be transported in sealed box trucks or covered with canvas to prevent pest contamination during transportation.

(II) Packhouse Management.

1. The processing, packaging, storage, and shipping of pears exported to China must be conducted under the quarantine supervision of the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials. The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs shall ensure that only pears from registered orchards enter the packhouse for sorting and processing.

2. Packhouses must maintain good sanitary conditions. Before processing pears for export to China, the processing workshop and equipment must be kept clean and hygienic. Diseased and insect-infested fruit and debris removed from the previous processing must be promptly cleaned.

3. Pear packaging, storage, and loading areas must have measures to prevent reinfestation by live pests, such as double doors, air curtains, rubber curtains, or insect screens.

4. The packaging plant should have a separate inspection room equipped with magnifying glasses, dissecting microscopes, and other supplies. It should be located away from unsorted fruit, ventilation holes, and corridors and doors used by loading and unloading vehicles.

5. During processing and packaging, pears must be sorted, graded, and cleaned to remove diseased, insect-infested, rotten, or deformed fruit, branches, leaves, other plant debris, and soil. The fruit surface should be cleaned using effective measures such as high-pressure air or water jets, spraying, and brushing to effectively remove scale insects, eggs, and pathogenic spores attached to the fruit. If necessary, sterilization treatment against Phytophthora syringae should be performed within the packaging plant.

6. After packaging is completed, packaging plant technicians should inspect 600 fruit from each batch and select at least 60 fruit for dissection inspection. If quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs are detected, that batch of products will not be exported to China. If Cydia pomonella or fire blight is detected, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs will also suspend the pest-free status of the corresponding production area and immediately notify Chinese Customs. The pest-free status of the production area can only be restored after the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs has eliminated the infestation and Chinese Customs has approved it.

(III) Packaging Requirements

1. Packaging materials must be clean, unused, and comply with relevant Chinese plant quarantine requirements. If the packaging box has ventilation holes, each vent or the entire box should be covered with insect-proof gauze (maximum pore size 1.6 mm) or other material that can prevent reinfestation. If wooden packaging is used, it must comply with the requirements of International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15).

2. Each packaging box must be labeled in English with the fruit name, country, place of origin, orchard name or registration number, and packing plant name or registration number. Each box and pallet must be labeled in Chinese or English: "输往中华人民共和国" or "Exported to the People's Republic of China"

3. Selected and packaged fruit must be separated from unselected fruit. Packaged pears for export to China must be immediately refrigerated and stored only with pears meeting the same phytosanitary requirements, separated from other fruit, to prevent reinfection by pests.

4. Containers carrying pears for export to China must be inspected for sanitary conditions and the absence of quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs, as well as branches, leaves, and soil, before packing.

(IV) Quarantine Treatment Measures.

Pears for export to China from Ceratitis capitata-infected areas must be cold-treated under the supervision of the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials in accordance with the cold-treatment operating procedures (see Annexes 1 and 2). The cold-treatment criteria must meet any of the following conditions:

1. The core temperature of the fruit must be 1.11°C or below, and the continuous processing time must be no less than 14 days.

2. The core temperature of the fruit must be 1.67°C or below, and the continuous processing time must be no less than 16 days.

3. The core temperature of the fruit must be 2.22°C or below, and the continuous processing time must be no less than 18 days.

(V) Pre-export Inspection and Quarantine.

1. Pears exported to China must undergo quarantine inspection at the packaging plant before export.

2. During the first two years of trade, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials shall sample 2% of each batch of pears exported to China for inspection, with a minimum sample size of 1,200 fruits. At least 60 of these fruits, or any suspicious fruits found during the inspection, shall be dissected for inspection. If no plant quarantine issues occur within two years, the sampling rate may be reduced to 1%, but shall not be less than 600 fruits.

3. If live quarantine pests of concern to China are found, or any live pests whose species identification or quarantine status cannot be determined, the shipment shall not be exported to China. The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs shall investigate the cause and implement corrective measures. Inspection records shall be maintained and provided to China upon request.

4. If Cydia pomonella or fire blight is detected, the corresponding pest-free status of the production area must be revoked and Chinese Customs shall be notified immediately. The pest-free status of the relevant production area may be restored only after the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs has eliminated the outbreak and Chinese Customs has approved it.

(VI) Phytosanitary Certificate Requirements

1. If the product passes quarantine inspection, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs shall issue a phytosanitary certificate, indicating the name or code of the orchard and packing house, and in the additional declaration column, indicate: "This consignment complies with the requirements specified in the Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Fresh Pears from Portugal to China, and is free from quarantine pests of concern to China."

2. For pears subjected to pre-export cold treatment, the treatment temperature, duration, and name or number of the treatment facility should be indicated on the phytosanitary certificate. For pears subjected to in-transit cold treatment, the phytosanitary certificate should be marked "Cold treatment in transit" and the treatment temperature, duration, container number, and seal number should be indicated.

3. Before trade commences, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs should provide a sample of the phytosanitary certificate to Chinese Customs for verification and record-keeping.

 

VII. Entry Inspection and Quarantine and Disqualification Handling

Upon arrival of pears imported into China at the port of entry, Chinese Customs will verify the relevant documents and labels and conduct inspection and quarantine.

(I) Verification of Relevant Certificates and Labels

1. Verify that the imported pears have obtained the "Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit."

2. Verify that the phytosanitary certificate complies with the provisions of Article 6, Item (6) of this Announcement.

3. Verify that the labels on the packaging boxes or wooden packaging comply with the provisions of Article 6, Item (3) of this Announcement.

4. For goods that have been cold-treated before export, the phytosanitary certificate, the cold-treatment report signed and confirmed by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs, and the fruit temperature probe calibration record must be verified to ensure that they meet the requirements of Article 6, Paragraph 4 of this Announcement.

5. For goods that have been cold-treated during transportation, the phytosanitary certificate, cold-treatment report, and fruit temperature probe calibration record must be verified to ensure that they meet the requirements of Article 6, Paragraph 4 of this Announcement.

(II) Entry Inspection and Quarantine.

1. Pears imported into China must enter the country through ports approved by Chinese Customs for the import of fruit.

2. Imported pears will be subject to inspection and quarantine in accordance with relevant laws, administrative regulations, and rules. Those that pass inspection and quarantine will be allowed entry.

(III) Disqualification Processing.

1. If pears are found to originate from unauthorized orchards and packaging plants, the shipment will not be allowed entry.

2. If the cold treatment is deemed invalid, the shipment will be subject to quarantine measures such as landing cold treatment (which may be performed within the container), return, or destruction.

3. If quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs or newly emerged quarantine pests in Portugal are found, or if soil or plant debris is found, the shipment will be returned, destroyed, or quarantined.

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

 

GACC

September 22, 2025

 

Pre-export cold treatment operating procedures

 

I. Types of cold treatment facilities

1. Pre-export cold treatment can only be carried out in cold storage rooms approved by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs.

2. The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials must ensure that the cold storage rooms used by exporters meet appropriate standards and have refrigeration equipment that can enable the fruit to reach and maintain the required temperature.

3. The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials must maintain a registration file of cold storage rooms approved for pre-export cold treatment of fruit to China. The file should include the following:

(1) The location and construction plan of all facilities, including detailed contact information of the owner/operator;

(2) The dimensions and capacity of the facilities;

(3) The type of insulation of the walls, floors and ceilings;

(4) The brand, model, type and capacity of the refrigeration compressor, evaporator and air circulation system;

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

4. Before the start of the fruit export season, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs must submit a list of currently registered cold treatment facilities to the Chinese Customs.

 

II. Logger Type

The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized official must ensure that the probes and temperature loggers meet the following requirements:

1. Probe temperatures must be between -3.0°C and +3.0°C, with an accuracy of ±0.15°C;

2. They must be able to accommodate the required number of probes;

3. They must be able to record and store processing data;

4. They must be able to record all probe temperatures at least once per hour with the required accuracy for probe temperatures;

5. They must be able to print out a printout identifying each probe, time, and temperature, and indicating the logger model and cold treatment facility identification number.

 

III. Temperature Probe Calibration

Calibration must be performed using a standard thermometer approved by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs in a mixture of crushed ice and distilled water:

1. Any probe reading outside of 0°C ± 0.3°C must be replaced with another probe meeting this standard;

2. Upon completion of processing, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized official must verify the calibration value of the fruit temperature probe using the calibration method described above.

 

IV. Temperature Probe Insertion

1. The fruits on the trays must be pre-cooled and placed in the cold treatment room under the supervision of the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials.

2. Use at least two probes to measure the room temperature at the outlet and return air outlet, and insert at least four probes to measure the fruit temperature:

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

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

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

(4) One in the corner of the top layer of fruit near the return air outlet.

3. The insertion of the probes and the connection to the recorder must be completed under the supervision and guidance of the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials.

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

5. When only the minimum number of probes is used, if any probe fails for more than 4 consecutive hours, the processing is invalid and must be restarted.

 

V. Review of treatment results

1. If the treatment record shows that the treatment parameters have met the requirements, the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials may authorize the end of treatment and calibrate the probe; if the probe calibration results meet the requirements of Article 3, the treatment can be considered to have been successfully completed.

2. The probe must be calibrated before the fruit is removed from the treatment room.

 

VI. Confirmation of treatment results

1. The printed temperature record can show that the required cold treatment has been completed.

2. The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials must save the above records and statistical values ​​before confirming that the treatment is successful. Upon request from China Customs, the above records shall be provided for review.

3. If the treatment fails to meet the required cold treatment requirements, the recorder may be reconnected and the treatment may be continued if one of the following conditions is met:

(1) The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials confirms that the conditions required by Article 6 are still met;

(2) The time interval between the stop time and the restart time 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 Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials to ensure they are free of pests, and entrances must be covered to prevent pest entry.

2. Fruit must be boxed in a building with pest-proof measures; alternatively, the cold storage room exit and container entrance must be connected with pest-proof material.

 

VIII. Sealing of Containers

1. Fruit containers must be sealed with a coded seal by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials. The seal number must be indicated on the phytosanitary certificate.

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

 

IX. Storage of Fruit Not Immediately Boxed

Processed fruit not immediately boxed may be temporarily stored under the supervision of the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials.

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

2. If the fruit needs to be transferred to another storage room, the method of transfer must be approved by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs, and no other fruit may be stored in the storage room.

3. The fruit must be packed in accordance with Article 7 under the supervision of the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials.

 

X. Phytosanitary Certificate

1. The temperature and duration of the pre-export cold treatment, as well as the name or registration number of the cold treatment facility, must be stated on the phytosanitary certificate.

2. Upon importation of fruit, the phytosanitary certificate, cold treatment results report, and fruit temperature probe calibration records must be provided to Chinese Customs.

 

Cold Treatment Procedures During Transport

 

I. Container Type

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

 

II. Data Logger Type

The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized official must ensure that the probes and temperature loggers meet the following requirements:

1. Probe temperature must be between -3.0°C and +3.0°C, with an accuracy of ±0.15°C;

2. A sufficient number of probes must be available;

3. The ability to record and store process data;

4. The ability to record all probe temperatures at least once per hour with the required accuracy;

5. The printed temperature log must record the time and temperature for each probe and indicate the logger model and container number.

 

III. Temperature Probe Calibration

1. Calibration must be performed using a standard thermometer approved by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized official in a mixture of crushed ice and distilled water.

2. Any probe reading outside of 0°C ±0.3°C must be replaced.

3. A "Fruit Temperature Probe Calibration Record" signed and confirmed by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials must be produced for each container. The original copy 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. Temperature Probe Installation

1. Palletized fruit must be loaded into containers under the supervision of the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials. Pallets and cartons must be stacked loosely to ensure adequate airflow.

2. Each container must be equipped with at least three fruit temperature probes and two space temperature probes, with the following specific locations:

(1) Fruit temperature probe No. 1 is installed in the center of the top layer of the first row of fruits in the container;

(2) Fruit temperature probe No. 2 is installed in the center, 1.5 meters (40-foot container) or 1 meter (20-foot container) from the container door, and at half the height of the loaded fruits;

(3) Fruit temperature probe No. 3 is installed on the left side, 1.5 meters (40-foot container) or 1 meter (20-foot container) from the container door, and at half the height of the loaded fruits;

(4) Two space temperature probes are installed at the air inlet and return air outlet of the container respectively.

3. All probes must be installed under the supervision and guidance of the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials.

4. Before packing, the fruits must be pre-cooled in the cold storage room to a pulp temperature of 4°C or below.

 

V. Container Sealing

1. Containers loaded with fruit must be sealed with a coded seal by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Affairs or its authorized officials.

2. Seals 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 treatment records show that the parameters meet the requirements, Chinese Customs may authorize the termination of treatment. Treatment shall be considered effective if the probe calibration and placement meet the requirements of Articles 3 and 4.

 

VII. Temperature Recording and Confirmation

1. Cold treatment during transportation may begin before the fruit leaves the Portuguese port and end before or after it arrives at the first port of entry in China.

2. Recording may be started at any time, however, the treatment time will only begin when all fruit temperature probes reach the specified temperature.

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

4. China Customs will review the cold treatment records to ensure they meet relevant treatment requirements and, based on the probe calibration results, determine the effectiveness of the cold treatment.

 

VIII. Phytosanitary Certificate

1. The cold treatment temperature and duration, container number, and seal number must be indicated on the phytosanitary certificate.

2. Upon importation of fruit, a phytosanitary certificate and cold treatment report (with attached cold treatment temperature records and fruit temperature probe calibration records) must be provided to China Customs.