All fresh pear fruit to be exported from SA to China will have to meet all agreed and applicable phytosanitary requirements, as well as all food safety rules and health standards as defined by GACC.
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) has announced that fresh pear fruits from South Africa can now be exported to China.
The South African government and the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) have signed the protocol of phytosanitary requirements for the export of fresh pears from South Africa to China, effective January 17, 2022.
“The signed protocol for phytosanitary requirements gives guidance on procedures and processes to be followed for the exportation of the fruit,” the department said.
The initial request for market access of fresh pears started simultaneously with that of apples in 2008. However, the pest risk analyses (PRAs) for these products were separated and the GACC started with apples.
The pears PRA started in 2015 after the conclusion of the apple protocol in 2014. Since then, there have been bilateral exchanges of technical information between DALRRD and GACC.
The draft protocol was finalised in 2020 after the department and GACC agreed on technical issues and later last year, the final protocol was signed by ministers of the two countries.
“All fresh pear fruit to be exported from SA to China will have to meet all agreed and applicable phytosanitary requirements, as well as all food safety rules and health standards as defined by GACC. The fruit must also be free of the quarantine pests of concern to China as listed in the protocol.
“Pear orchards, packhouses and cold-storage facilities wishing to export their fruit to China must be registered with the DALRRD and approved by both the GACC and DALRRD,” the department said.
“There is a need to open more markets for SA commodities because it will benefit the economy of the country by earning foreign exchange and creating more job opportunities”.