imported corn has added a new access country. Recently, the General Administration of Customs issued the "Announcement on Plant Quarantine Requirements for imported Serbian Corn" (Announcement No. 17 of the General Administration of Customs 2021). The following will help you to understand the specific inspection and quarantine requirements.

1. imported products are allowed

Corn (scientific name Zea mays L., English name maize or corn) in this article refers to corn seeds produced throughout Serbia and exported to China for processing, not for planting purposes.

2. Quarantine pests of concern to China

Serbian corn exported to China must not contain the following quarantine pests of concern to China:

A.Maize dwarf mosaic virus
B.Sugarcane mosaic virus
C.Wheat streak mosaic virus
D.Tribolium destructor Uyttenboogaart
E.Liposcelis bostrychophila
F.Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say)
G.Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.
H.Avena sterilis L.
I.Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.
J.Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. (Johnsongrass and its cross breeds)
K.Xanthium spinosum L.
L.Xanthium italicum Moretti

3.Business registration requirements

Corn exporters and warehousing enterprises should be registered with the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the "Chinese party") to ensure that they meet China's inspection and quarantine requirements. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia (hereinafter referred to as "Serbia") shall submit the list of exporters and storage companies to China in advance. (The list of overseas export and warehousing companies can be found on the portal website of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China at http://www.customs.gov.cn; click on "Customs Profile" to enter the page of "Animal and Plant Quarantine Department" and click on the "Enterprise Information" column View in).

4. Processing, storage and transportation conditions

The Serbian side shall supervise the enterprises to take cleaning measures such as screening during the purchase, storage and transportation of corn exported to China or before shipment to make it meet the requirements of relevant Chinese national standards.

5. Pre-export quarantine and certificate requirements

A.The Serbian side should implement inspection and quarantine on corn before exporting to China.
B.If live insects are found, the goods should be fumigated before export or during transportation.
C.For goods that meet the requirements of the Protocol, a phytosanitary certificate shall be issued, and the additional statement shall be marked in English: "The consignment is in compliance with phytosanitary requirements described in the Protocol of maize from Serbia to China between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia, and free from the quarantine pests concerned by China." Quarantine pests of concern).

6.Quarantine approval requirements

A.Corn importers should apply for the "Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit" before signing the trade contract.
B.Corn exported to China should be inspected and quarantined at a supervision site designated by the Chinese side, and produced and processed in a designated processing plant.

7.import requirements

A.Check whether the imported corn is accompanied by the "Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit"; check whether it comes from a registered enterprise; check whether the phytosanitary certificate is authentic and valid.
B.In accordance with relevant laws, administrative regulations, rules, etc., in conjunction with the relevant requirements of the Protocol, implement inspection and quarantine on imported corn. Those who pass the inspection and quarantine shall be allowed to enter the country.
C.Serbian corn exported to China shall be loaded, unloaded, transported, stored and processed under customs supervision. The above process shall comply with relevant Chinese phytosanitary requirements; it shall not enter the circulation market directly without processing and is strictly prohibited for seed use.

8.Treatment of non-conformities

A.If the quarantine pests of concern to China are intercepted, the relevant goods shall be allowed to enter the country after passing the quarantine treatment; if there is no effective quarantine treatment method, they shall be returned or destroyed.
B.If other quarantine pests are intercepted, they shall be dealt with in accordance with the relevant provisions of the "Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine Law of the People's Republic of China" and its implementation regulations.
C.If serious violations are found, the Chinese side will suspend the import of corn from the relevant registered enterprises, relevant producing areas and even all producing areas in Serbia until the Chinese side confirms that the Serbian side has taken effective improvement measures.

Customs Tips

At present, our country allows the import of corn from the following 16 countries, namely Thailand, Laos, Argentina, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Brazil, Cambodia, South Africa, Hungary, the United States, Peru, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Uruguay, and this new addition Serbia.

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