Regarding the Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Coconut from Vietnam to China

According to the regulations of the Customs of China and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on the plant quarantine requirements for the export of fresh coconuts from Vietnam to China, from now on, the import of fresh coconuts from Vietnam that meet the following relevant requirements is allowed.

I. Inspection and quarantine basis
(I) "Biosafety Law of the People's Republic of China";
(II) "Law of the People's Republic of China on Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine" and its implementing regulations;
(III) "Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China" and its implementing regulations;
(IV) "Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Inspection and Quarantine of Inbound Fruits";
(V) "Protocol on Plant Quarantine Requirements for the Export of Fresh Coconuts from Vietnam to China between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam".

II. Names of commodities allowed for entry
Fresh coconut (including green coconuts with fruit stalks ≤ 5cm and peeled coconuts, hereinafter referred to as coconut), scientific name Cocos nucifera, English name Coconut.

III. Permitted origin
Vietnamese coconut producing areas

IV. Approved orchards and packaging plants
Orchards and packaging plants exporting coconuts to China must be reviewed and filed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam) and approved for registration by the Chinese Customs. Registration information includes name, address and registration number, so that the export goods do not comply with relevant regulations. Before the start of trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam shall provide the registration list to the Chinese Customs, which will be published on the website and updated regularly after review and approval by the Chinese Customs.

V. Quarantine pests of concern
1. Aleurodicus dispersus
2. Aulacaspis tubercularis
3. Brontispa longissima
4. Coptotermes curvignathus
5. Dysmicoccus lepelleyi
6. Dysmicoccus neobrevipes
7. Milviscutulus mangiferae
8. Opisina arenosella
9. Palmicultor palmarum
10. Planococcus lilacinus
11. Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
12. Vinsonia stellifera
13. Lasiodiplodia theobromae
14. Rigidoporus microporus
15. Chromolaena odorata
16. Mikania micrantha

VI. Pre-export Management
(I) Orchard Management.
1. Coconut orchards exported to China should establish a sound quality management system and traceability system under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, implement good agricultural practices (GAP), maintain sanitary conditions in the orchard, such as no pollution sources affecting fruit production in the surrounding area, timely clean up fallen leaves and fruits, and implement integrated pest management (IPM), including regular pest monitoring surveys, physical, chemical or biological pest control, and agricultural operations and other prevention and control measures to avoid or minimize the occurrence of quarantine pests of concern to Chinese customs on coconuts.
2. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam should formulate a management plan for quarantine pests of concern to Chinese customs in accordance with the requirements of the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 6 (ISPM 6) and organize and implement orchard monitoring. In addition to visual inspection, physical or chemical methods should also be used to trap and monitor pests. For scale insects, orchard monitoring must be carried out at least once every 15 days to check whether there are scale insects on fruits, stems and leaves.
3. If target pests or their corresponding symptoms are found during monitoring, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam shall take integrated management measures including chemical, physical or biological control to ensure that coconuts exported to China do not carry quarantine pests of concern to China Customs. Integrated management measures for quarantine pests of concern to China Customs must be approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and provided to China Customs upon request before trade begins.
4. Pest monitoring and control should be carried out under the guidance of professional technicians. Technicians should receive training from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam or its authorized agencies.
5. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam shall keep records of pest monitoring and control in orchards and provide them to China Customs when necessary. Control records should include information such as the name, active ingredients, dosage and time of chemical agents used during the growing season.
(II) Packaging plant management.
1. The processing, packaging, storage and shipment of coconuts exported to China must be carried out under the quarantine supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam or its authorized officials.
2. The packaging factory for coconuts exported to China should be clean and hygienic, with hardened ground, and have a raw material storage area and finished product warehouse; the processing, handling, storage and other functional areas of coconuts exported to China should be relatively independent and reasonably laid out, and isolation measures should be taken from the living area and at an appropriate distance.
3. During the processing and packaging process, coconuts exported to China should be manually selected, graded and cleaned, and diseased fruits, insect fruits, rotten fruits, deformed fruits, branches and leaves or other plant residues and soil should be removed.
4. If the packaged coconuts need to be stored, they should be immediately put into storage and stored separately to avoid reinfection by pests.
5. Registered packaging factories should establish a traceability system to ensure that coconuts exported to China can be traced back to registered orchards, and record information such as the processing and packaging date, the name of the source orchard or its registration number, quantity, export date, export quantity, country of export, container number or vehicle number.
(III) Packaging requirements.
1. The packaging materials should be clean and hygienic, unused, and meet the relevant plant quarantine requirements of China. 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 marked in Chinese or English with information such as the fruit name, variety, origin (country and province), orchard and packaging factory name or its registration number. Each packaging box and pallet must be marked in Chinese or English with "输往中华人民共和国" or "Exported to the People's Republic of China".
3. Containers or carriages loaded with coconuts exported to China must be checked for good sanitary conditions before packing. Containers or carriages should be sealed and their seals should be intact when arriving at the Chinese entry port.
(IV) Pre-export inspection and quarantine.
1. Before export, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam shall conduct sampling inspections on each batch of coconuts exported to China at a rate of 2%. If there are no plant quarantine issues within two years, the sampling rate will be reduced to 1%.
2. If branches, leaves, soil or quarantine pests of concern to the Chinese Customs are found, the entire batch of goods shall not be exported to China, and the relevant orchards and packaging factories shall be investigated and coconut exports to China shall be suspended depending on the situation. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam shall find out the reasons and take corrective measures; at the same time, it shall keep the records of seizure and provide them to the Chinese Customs upon request.
(V) Requirements for plant quarantine certificates.
For goods that have passed the quarantine, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam shall issue a plant quarantine certificate in accordance with the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 12 (ISPM 12), indicating the name of the orchard and the packaging factory or its registration number, and fill in the following additional statement: "This consignment complies with requirements specified in the Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Fresh Coconuts from Viet Nam to China, and is free from the quarantine pests of concern to China."

VII. Entry inspection and quarantine and handling of unqualified products
When coconuts exported to China arrive at the Chinese entry port, the Chinese Customs will verify the relevant documents and labels and implement inspection and quarantine in accordance with the following requirements.
(I) Verification of relevant certificates and labels.
1. Verify whether the imported coconuts have obtained the "Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit".
2. Check whether the plant quarantine certificate complies with the provisions of Article 6, paragraph (e) of this Announcement.
3. Check whether the markings on the packaging boxes or pallets comply with the provisions of Article 6, paragraph (iii) of this Announcement.
(ii) Entry inspection and quarantine.
1. Coconuts exported to China should enter the country from ports where the Chinese Customs allows the import of fruits.
2. According to relevant laws, administrative regulations, rules, etc., imported coconuts shall be subject to inspection and quarantine. If they pass the inspection and quarantine, they shall be allowed to enter the country.
(iii) Disqualified treatment.
1. If it is found that the goods come from unregistered orchards or packaging plants, the batch of goods shall not be allowed to enter the country.
2. If quarantine pests of concern to the Chinese Customs or other newly occurring quarantine pests in Vietnam are found, or if soil, branches and leaves, other plant residues, etc. are found, the batch of goods shall be treated with pest control, returned or destroyed.
3. If it is found that the goods do not meet the national food safety standards of China, the batch of goods shall be returned or destroyed.
4. If the above-mentioned non-compliance is found, China Customs will notify the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and suspend the import of coconuts from the relevant orchards and packaging plants as appropriate. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam should find out the reasons for non-compliance and urge the relevant orchards and packaging plants to make rectifications until the relevant rectification measures are effectively implemented and approved by China Customs.