PROTOCOL OF PHYTOSANITARY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE EXPORT OF CITRUS FRUIT FROM SOUTH AFRICA TO CHINA BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA AND GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OF QUALITY SUPERVISION, INSPECTION AND QUARANTINE OF THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA In order to safely export fresh citrus fruit from the Republic of South Africa (hereinafter referred as “South Africa”) to the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter referred as “China”), the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of South Africa (hereinafter referred to as DOA) and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as AQSIQ), on the basis of the pest risk assessment, exchanged views and reached consensus as follows:
Article 1
(1) The following varieties of citrus may be exported from South Africa to China:
Orange ( Citrus sinensis ); Lemon ( Citrus limon ); Grapefruit ( Citrus paradisi ); Mandarin ( Citrus reticulata ).
Article 2
The orchards, packinghouses, storage and cold treatment facilities involved in the citrus export to China must be registered with DOA, and designated by both DOA and AQSIQ.
Article 3
(1) Citrus exported must come from the production sites (orchards) free from Cryptophlebia leucotreta and Ectomyelois ceratoniae. If these pests are found in orchards, packinghouses and export quarantine inspections the involved orchard will be suspended for the duration of the export season.
(2) Under the direction of DOA, South Africa will undertake effective monitoring, precaution and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in the orchards from where citrus will be exported to China in order to avoid and control the occurrence of other pests that are of concern to China (see annex 1).
(3) Upon request by AQSIQ, DOA will send AQSIQ the information about the procedures and results of the above-mentioned pest monitoring and IPM programmes.
Article 4
(1) The process of packing, storage and shipment of citrus fruit for export to China will be subject to strict quarantine supervision by DOA. The citrus fruit certified for export to China shall be free of insects, mites, rotten fruit, leaves, twigs and soil.
(2) Before the packing of the citrus fruit to be exported to China, such fruit will be manually sorted, defective fruit removed, germs killed, washed, dried and waxed.
(3) The citrus fruits to be exported to China will be separately packed and stored from citrus not for China.
Article 5
(1) Each package of citrus to be exported to China will have the following Chinese words clearly displayed :( for the People’s Republic of China) and the following information in English: Place of production, the name or register number of orchard, packinghouse and storage facility.
(2) The citrus fruit export to China must be packed into new and clean packing materials, which will meet the phytosanitary requirements of China.
Article 6
(1) Citrus fruit for export to China must be treated by cold disinfestation to mitigate the fruit flies. Cold treatment may be conducted in transit in special containers with the pulp temperature at 0.5°C or below for not less than 15 consecutive days.
(2) The facilities of the cold treatment should be evaluated and approved by AQSIQ. The specifications of cold treatment are in Annex 2.
Article 7
(1) DOA will conduct a quarantine inspection for each consignment to be exported to China on a 2% sample. If quarantine pests of concern to China are found, the consignment will not be exported to China.
(2) After making sure that the consignment meets all relevant requirements by inspection, DOA will issue a phytosanitary certificate for each consignment with the following statement as an additional declaration:
“The consignment is in compliance with requirements described in the Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Citrus Fruit from South Africa to China signed on 29 June 2004 and is free from the quarantine pests of concern to China.”
(3) DOA will provide AQSIQ with the model of the phytosanitary certificate for confirmation and keeping record.
Article 8
(1) Ports of entry for the import of citrus fruit into China from South Africa shall be the following: Dalian, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao, Nanjing.
Article 9
(1) When the citrus fruit arrives at the designated ports, the port branch of AQSIQ will examine relevant certificates, labels, and records of cold treatment and conduct a quarantine inspection.
(2) If citrus fruit originating from unapproved orchards, packinghouses, storage or cold treatment facilities is found, the consignment will not be allowed entry.
(3) If a live specimen of Ceratitis capitata or Ceratitis rosa is found on arrival, the consignment will be returned or destroyed and AQSIQ will immediately notify DOA that the importation of citrus fruit from South Africa is suspended.
(4) If Ectomyelois ceratoniae or Cryptophlebia leucotreta, is found, the consignment will be returned or destroyed and AQSIQ will immediately notify DOA that the importation of citrus fruit from the relevant orchard and packinghouse is suspended.
(5) If other pests of quarantine concern to China are found, the citrus fruit will be treated in accordance with the relevant articles of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine and its regulations for implementation. AQSIQ will take further measures based on the relevant situation and notify DOA duly.
Article 10
Article 11
(1) Prior to the programme initiation, AQSIQ will dispatch quarantine officials to the producing areas in South Africa to review and pretest the quarantine condition in cooperation with DOA, including pests monitoring, the system of quarantine management practices and the phytosanitary conditions of the orchards, packinghouses and storage facilities. The initiative of the exporting program will be approved by AQSIQ based on the official documents and technical information provided by DOA as well as the Chinese inspectors’ inspection results.
(2) After the programme initiation, AQSIQ will send biennially quarantine officials to South Africa to conduct pre-inspections and examine the implementation of the Protocol.
(3) The expenses for all of the trips described above in this article will be funded by South Africa.
Article 12
(1) During the process of trade, AQSIQ will develop a risk analysis based on the situation of pest occurrence in South Africa and interceptions of such pests. In consultation with DOA, the list of quarantine pests and the relevant quarantine measures may be adjusted.
(2) To ensure the execution of the risk management and cold treatment requirement effectively, DOA and AQSIQ may undertake a comprehensive audit and assessment of this Protocol.
This Protocol will enter into effect on the date of signature thereof. Done in Pretoria on 29th June 2004 in duplicate in both English and Chinese. Both texts have equal force. Minister A T DidizaOn behalf of the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of South AfricaMinister Li Changjiang On behalf of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China Annex 1: The pests of quarantine concern to China
Any dispute between the Parties arising out of the interpretation or implementation of this Protocol will be settled amicably through consultation or negotiation between DOA and AQSIQ.
This Protocol will remain valid for two years from the date of signature. If neither side gives notice to amend or terminate this Protocol at least two months prior to the expiry date, it will be extended automatically for an additional one year.
Annex 2: Requirements of cold treatment for the Citrus export from South Africa to China 1. Container type
1.Ceratitis capitata
2.Ceratitis rosa
3.Cryptophlebia leucotreta
4.Ectomyelois ceratoniae
5.Prays citri
6.Pantomorus cervina
7.Chrysomphalus pinnulifera
8.Ischnaspis longirostris
9.Ceroplastis destructor
10.Saissetia somereni
11.Paracoccus burnerae
12.Penicillium uliaense
13.Iiberobacter africanum
Containers must be self refrigerated (integral) shipping containers and have refrigerator equipment capable of achieving and holding the required temperatures.
2. Recorder types
Official quarantine organization of export country must ensure that the combination of temperature probes and temperature recorders are:
(a) Sensors should be accurate to ± 0.1°C in the range of -3.0°C to +3.0°C,
(b) able to accommodate the required number of probes,
(c) capable of recording and storing data for the period of the treatment,
(d) capable of recording all temperature sensors at least hourly to the same degree of accuracy as is required of the sensors, and
(e) capable of producing printouts which identify each sensor, time and the temperature, as well as the identification number of the recorder and the container.
3. Calibration of temperature sensors
3.1 Calibration must be conducted using a slurry of crushed ice and distilled water, using a certified thermometer approved by quarantine organization.
3.2 Any sensor which records more than plus or minus 0.3°C from 0°C must be replaced by one that meets this criterion.
3.3 A “Record of calibration of fruit sensors” must be prepared for each container and signed and stamped by quarantine officer. The original must be attached to the phytosanitary certificate which accompanies the consignment.
3.4 On arrival AQSIQ/CIQ will check the calibration of the fruit sensors using the method referred to in ‘Section 3.1’.
4. Placement of temperature sensors
4.1 Packed fruit must be loaded into shipping containers under quarantine officer supervision. Containers should be packed in a manner which ensures that there is equal airflow under and around all pallets and loose stacked boxes.
4.2 At least three fruit sensors and two air sensors are necessary for each container. The location of sensors is:
(a) Sensor 1 (in pulp of fruit): Top layer of cartons of fruit in middle row, front of container.
(b) Sensor 2 (in pulp of fruit): Approximately 1.5 meters (for 40 feet container) or 1 meter (for 20 feet container) from door, center of load, Center box, half way between top and bottom of load.”
(c) Sensor 3 (in pulp of fruit): Approximately 1.5 meters (for 40 feet container) or 1 meter (for 20 feet container) from door, left wall, half way between top and bottom of load.
(d) The other two air temperature sensors should be placed in the delivery air to the cargo and the return air respectively.
4.3 All sensors must be placed under the direction and supervision of an authorized inspector.
4.4 Fruits to be shipped must be kept in cold storage until such time when the pulp temperature is dropped to a minimum of 4° C.
6.Temperature records and confirmation of treatment
5.Sealing of containers
(a) A numbered seal must be placed on the loaded container door by an authorized officer.
(b) The seal must only be removed by a CIQ officer at the port of arrival in China.
(a)The in-transit arrangement is for the cold dis-infestation treatment to be completed during the voyage between the port of export country and the first port of call in China.
(b)Records may commence at any time, however the treatment time will be deemed to have begun only after all fruit sensors have attained the nominated treatment temperature.
(c)The Shipping Company will download the computer records of the dis-infestation treatment and forward them to CIQ of first port of call in China.
(d)Some sea voyages may allow the cold dis-infestation treatment to be completed by the time the vessel arrives at a port en-route to China. It is permissible for treatment records to be downloaded en-route and sent to CIQ for verification. It is however a requirement that the treatment is not deemed to have been effected until CIQ have completed the re-calibration of the temperature sensor probes. It is therefore a commercial decision whether the fruit should be “conditioned” (i.e. gradually raising the carriage temperature) prior to arrival in China.
(e)CIQ will verify that the treatment records meet Chinese dis-infestation requirements, subject to calibration of sensors, the treatment is complete.
7. Documents
Temperature, duration of the cold dis-infestation, container number and the seal number of the container must be included in the treatment section on the Phytosanitary Certificate.
