AQSIQ Announcement No.48, 2013 on Ghana Tapioca Inspection & Quarantine

 
Based on Chinese analysis on pest risks of Ghanaian tapioca, the AQSIQ hereto and Ghana Ministry of Food & Agriculture have jointly signed a Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Tapioca from Ghana to China.

From April 1, 2013, China shall permit the import from Ghana of tapiocas that are in compliance with Chinese Requirements for Plant Inspection & Quarantine over Tapioca from Ghana.


The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection & Quarantine (AQSIQ)

April 1, 2013


Annex:
Requirements for Plant Inspection & Quarantine over Tapioca from Ghana


1. Legal Ground:

P. R. China Law and its Enforcement Regulations on Quarantine of Entry-Exit Animals & Plants;

P. R. China Law and its Enforcement Regulations on Food Safety;

P. R. China Law and its Enforcement Regulations on Inspection of Import & Export Goods

The Protocol between the AQSIQ and Ghana Ministry of Food & Agriculture on Requirements for Plant Inspection & Quarantine over Tapioca Exported from Ghana to China

2. The Import Goods Permitted:

Tapioca (scientific name: Manihot esculenta crantz), including its slices and grains.

3. The Origin Permitted:

The territory of Ghana

4. List of Quarantine Pests Concerned:

(1) Prostephanus truncatus (Horn)

(2) Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton)

(3) Cryptolestes spp. （non-Chinese species）

(4) Phenacoccus manihoti (Matije-ferrero)

(5). Selenaspidus articulatus (Morgan)

(6) Mononychellus tanajoa Bonda

(7) Leptoglossus gonagra (Fabricius)

(8) Meloidogyne arenaria (Neal) Chitwood

(9) Meloidogyne incognita (Kofold & White) Chitwood

(10) Meloidogyne javanica (Treub) Chitwood

(11) Cenchrus echinatus L.

(12) Datura stramonium L.

(13) Solanum torvum Sw.

5. Pre-shipment Requirements

(1) Management of Origin

The Ghanaian Ministry of Food & Agriculture shall conduct effective field measures on prevention and control of the quarantine pests concerned in the tapioca producing area of Ghana to minimize the occurrence of the pests; where necessary, the Ministry shall also monitor agricultural chemical residues and heavy metal pollutants in the tapioca producing area.

The Ministry shall maintain relevant work logs for the Chinese party to review.

(2) Registration

The Ghanaian Ministry shall maintain registrations of the export-to-China tapioca processing and warehousing firms.

The registered firms shall ensure the tapioca compliant with safety and sanitary requirements by measures including rat proofing, pest killing and cleaning.

The Ghanaian Ministry shall in advance deliver the list of registered firms to the AQSIQ, and the AQSIQ may real-time release the list on its website.

The registered firms shall decontaminate and wash the tapioca during harvesting and processing courses so as to avoid interfusion with pests, soil, plant residues, and weeds or seeds.

(3) Package and Transport

If containers are to be used for shipment, the tapioca may be placed in bulk or in package into a container;

If the goods are to be in bulk on a vessel, they must be packaged for transport;

If the goods are to be packaged for transport, the packing materials shall be sanitary, fresh, and compliant with Chinese plant-quarantine requirements;

Each package shall be marked with clear phrases for export to the P. R. China and English information such as the names and addresses of registered Ghanaian firms for identification.

The goods shall be airtight for transport, and the means of transport shall be compliant in terms of safety and sanitation; where the transport by land goes through any third country/region, the goods shall be kept airtight and from unloading or transfer to other vehicles.

(4) Quarantine Treatment

If any live worms are found in the goods before export, the goods must be fumigated by using aluminum phosphide under the supervision by Ghanaian quarantine authority, and the entire fumigation shall be completed prior to the shipment.

Specific technical indicators: aluminum phosphide, 3.8g/m3, 72h, ≥21℃

(5) Export Quarantine and Certification

Before the export, the Ghanaian Ministry shall conduct inspection and quarantine of the tapioca.

Regarding the compliance with the Protocol aforesaid, the Ghanaian quarantine authority shall issue relevant Phytosanitary Certificates and indicate in the separate statement thereof: ”The consignment is in compliance with requirements described in the Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of tapioca from Ghana to China and is free of the quarantine pests concerned by China”.

Regarding the fumigation process, the Phytosanitary Certificates shall be provided with the indicators as fumigating agents, duration and temperature; or formal certificates for fumigation shall be issued by the Ghanaian quarantine authority or a recognized third party.

6. Entry to China

The tapioca entry to China shall be in compliance with P. R. China Laws and Regulations on Quarantine of Entry-Exit Animals & Plants, Food Safety, and Inspection of Import & Export Goods, respectively.

(1) Approval of Quarantine

Before the import, the tapioca importer shall apply to the AQSIQ for the License for Quarantine of Entry Animals & Plants;

After their entry, the goods shall be processed and stored at Chinese-designated places.

(2) Review of Certificate

To review the Phytosanitary Certificates for their incompliance with the Item (5)/Article 5 regulations herein;

To review the presence of the License for Quarantine of Entry Animals & Plants issued by the AQSIQ

(3) Entry Inspection, Quarantine & Supervision

The entry tapioca shall be inspected and quarantined, especially over the pests concerned in the Article 4 herein;

After their entry, the goods shall be processed and stored at Chinese-designated places and shall not be directly put into market circulation.

The local inspection-quarantine agencies shall keep monitoring the epidemic situation of any weeds existing in the entry tapioca.

7. Disposal of Incompliance

Where the import tapioca fails in Chinese inspection and quarantine:

(1) If any live worm or the concerned quarantine pests are found, the goods may be permitted to enter only when they are qualified through their effective quarantine treatment; or they shall be returned or destroyed when no effective treatment is available.

(2) If any other quarantine pests are found, the goods shall be disposed in accordance with P. R. China Law and Regulations on Quarantine of Entry-Exit Plants.

(3) If any agricultural chemical residues or heavy metal pollutants are found beyond China national standards, the goods shall be returned or destroyed.

As regards any incompliance of great gravity, the tapioca imports from certain Ghanaian firm and producing area or even the country shall be immediately suspended until achievement of relevant solutions.