AQSIQ Updates Approved Fruits for Chinese Import

May 11, 2017, the Chinese General Administration of Quality Inspection (AQSIQ) published an updated list of approved fruit imports from specific regions. Last updated in February, this announcement adds Costa Rican pineapples and Italian citrus fruits to the official list of qualified fruit imports. To receive AQSIQ’s approval, exporters need to complete a series of official procedures. Likewise, Chinese companies can now import the latter products after acquiring the import license. The list of exporting companies and regions from both Costa Rica and Italy are available on AQSIQ’s official website—the list includes 19 Costa Rican companies and 3 Italian companies.

Produce Report has repeatedly referred to Costa Rica as the world’s largest fresh pineapple exporter—pineapple cultivation area has reached 45,000 hectares. According to data from the Costa Rican Government, pineapple exports increased by 6% in 2016, reeling in a 5-year high export value of USD 873,000,000. Costa Rica is the fourth pineapple exporting country to gain access to Chinese domestic markets. Previously, pineapple imports were only granted to the Philippines, Thailand, and Taiwan, with Malaysia actively bidding for market access.

This time around, Italian oranges and lemons were also granted official import status. The Italian citrus exporters include a Sicilian company and two businesses from Basilicata. The CSO of the Italian Fruit and Vegetable Association told Produce Report that the popular Sicilian Tarocco Blood Orange is citrus strain cross-bred from blood oranges and tangerines—the texture and color of its meat make it a widespread favorite. Sicilian Tarocco Blood Orange sales can last until March every year.

The AQSIQ permitted fruits list is typically published with the Chinese, English and Latin names of each variety of fruit. The following table copies verbatim the English and Latin names as published by AQSIQ, while omitting the Chinese names.

THAILAND
Tamarind (Tamarindus indica), Sugarapple (Annona squamosa), Papaya (Carica papaya), Carambola (Averrhoa carambola), Guava (Psidium guajava), Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), Rose apple (Syzygium samarangense), Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), Long kong (Lansium parasiticum), Pineapple (Ananas comosus), Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota), Banana (Musa sp.), Passion fruit (Passiflora caerulea), Coconut (Cocos nucifera), Longan (Dimocarpus longan), Durian (Durio zibethinus), Mango (Mangifera indica), Litchi (Litchi chinensis), Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), Citrus [Mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata), Orange (Citrus sinensis), Pomelo (Citrus maxima)]

MALAYSIA
Longan (Dimocarpus longgana), Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), Litchi (Litchi chinensis), Coconut (Cocos nucifera), Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), Pawpaw (Chaenomeles sinensis), Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum)

INDONESIA
Banana (Musa nana), Longan (Dimocarpus longan), Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), Salacca (Salacca zalacca)

PHILIPPINES
Pineapple (Ananas comosus), Banana (Musa sp.), Mango (Mangifera indica), Papaya (Carica papaya)

VIETNAM
Mango (Mangifera Indica), longan (Dimocarpus longan), Banana (Musa sp.), Litchi (Litchi chinensis), Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), Pitaya (Hylocereus undulatus)

MYANMAR
Longan (Dimocarpus longan), Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), Litchi (Litchi chinensis), Mango (Mangifera indica), Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), Melon (Cucumis melo), lndian jujube (Zizyphus mauritiana)
(The final four kinds of fruits can only been imported to China through the port of Daluo, in Ruili, Yunnan)

LAOS
Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)*, Banana (Musa supientum)*

NEPAL
Citrus [Orange (Citrus sinensis), Mandarin (Citrus reticulata), Lemon (Citrus limon)]*

INDIA
Mango (Mangifera indica), Grape (Vitis vinifera)

PAKISTAN
Mango (Mangifera indica), Citrus [Mandarin (Citrus reticulata), Orange(Citrus sinensis)]

SRI LANKA
Banana (Musa supientum)*

TURKEY
Cherry (Prunus avium)*

ISRAEL
Citrus (on trial import) [Orange (Citrus sinensis), Pomelo(Citrus maxima), Mandarin (Citrus reticulata), Lemon (Citrus limon), Grapefruit (Citrus paradise)]

TAJIKISTAN
Cherry (Prunus avium)

KYRGYZSTAN
Cherry (Prunus avium)

JAPAN
Apple (Malus domestica), Pear (Pyrus pyrifolia)

NORTH KOREA
Sweetberry/honeysuckle (Lonicera caerule L. var. edulis Turcz. ex Herd.), Lingonberry (Vaccinium sp.) (only for processing)

SOUTH KOREA
Grape (Vitis vinifera)

TAIWAN, CHINA
Pineapple (Ananas comosus), Banana (Musa sp.), Coconut (Cocos nucifera), Sugar apple/Sweet sop(Annona squamosa; Annona cherimola × Annonasquamosa; Atemoya), Pawpaw (Chaenomeles sinensis), Papaya (Carica papaya), Fruit of Carambola (Averrhoa carambola), Mango (Mangifera indica), Guava (Psidium guajava), Rose apple (Syzygium samarangense), Betel nut (Areca catechu), Plum (Prunus salicina), Loguat (Eriobotrya japonica), Persimmon (Diospyros kaki), Peach (Prunus persica), Indian jujube (Zizyphus mauritiana), Japanese apricot/Mei (Prunus mume), Pitaya (Hylocereus undulatus, Hylocereus polyrhizus, Hylocereus costaricensis), Melon/Cantaloupe (Cucunmis melo), Pear (Pyrus pyrifolia), Grape (Vitis vinifera., Vitis labrusca and its hybrid species, mainly Kyoho grape Vitis vinifera × Vitis labrusca na Bailey cv. Kyoho), Citrus [Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and its hybrid species, Pomelo (Citrus maxima), Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), Lemon (Citrus limon), Orange (Citrus sinensis)]

UNITED STATES
Plum (Prunus salicina, Prunus domestica, only from California), Cherry (Prunus avium, only from WA, OR, CA, ID), Grape (Vitis vinifera, only from CA), Apple (Malus domestica), Citrus (Citrus spp., only from CA, FL, AZ, TX), Pear (Pyrus communis, only from CA, WA, OR), Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa, only from CA)

CANADA
Cherry (Prunus avium, only from British Columbia), Blueberry (Vacciniumspp., only from British Columbia)

MEXICO
Avocado (Persea americana Var. Hass), Grape (Vitis vinifera), Blackberry (Rubus ulmifo-lius), Raspberry (Rubus idaeus), Blueberry (Vaccinium spp)*

PANAMA
Banana (Musa sp.)

ECUADOR
Banana (Musa sp.), Mango (Mangifera indica)

COLUMBIA
Banana (Musa sp.)

COSTA RICA
Banana (Musa AAA), Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

URUGUAY
Citrus (Citrus sp., except lemons), Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.)

ARGENTINA
Citrus [Orange (Citrus sinensis), Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), Mandarin (Citrus reticulata and its hybrid species)], Apple (Malus domestica), Pear (Pyrus communis), Grape (Vitis vinifera)*

CHILE
Kiwi fruit (Actinidia chinensis, Actinidia deliciosa), Apple (Malus domestica), Grape (Vitis vinifera), Plum (Prunus salicina, Prunus domoestica), Cherry (Prunus avium), Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.), Avocado (Persea americana), Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nectarine)

PERU
Grape (Vitis vinifera), Mango (Mangifera indica), Citrus [Grapefruit (Citrus × paradisii), Mandarin (Citrus reticulate) and its hybrid species, Orange (Citrus sinensis), Key lime (Citrus aurantifolia) and Tahiti lime (Citrus latifolia)], Avocado (Persea americana), Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.)
[Note: Corresponding Eglish names for Key lime and Tahiti lime are provided in the AQSIQ list. They have been added by Produce Report based on the Latin names]

FRANCE
Apple (Malus domestica), Kiwi fruit (Actinidia chinensis, Actinidia deliciosa)

SPAIN
Citrus [Mandarin (Citrus reticulata), Orange (Citrus sinensis), Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), Lemon (Citrus limon)], Peach (Prunus persica), Plum (Prunus salicina, Prunus domoestica)

ITALY
Kiwi fruit (Actinidia chinensis, Actinidia deliciosa), Citrus [Orange (Citrus sinensis cv. Tarocco, cv. Sanguinello, cv. Moro), Lemon (Citrus limon cv. Femminello comune)]

CYPRUS
Citrus [Orange (Citrus sinensis), Lemon (Citrus limon), Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), Mandora (Citrus sinensis × Citrus reticulata)]

BELGIUM
Pear (Pyrus communis)

GREECE
Kiwi fruit (Actinidia chinensis, Actinidia deliciosa)

HOLLAND
Pear (Pyrus communis)

POLAND
Apple (Malus domestica)

SOUTH AFRICA
Citrus [Mandarin (Citrus reticulata), Orange (Citrus sinensis), Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), Lemon (Citrus limon)], Grape (Vitis vinifera), Apple (Malus domestica)

EGYPT
Citrus (Citrus sp.), Grape (Vitis vinifera)*

MOROCCO
Citrus [Orange (Citrus sinensis), Mandarin (Citrus reticulata), Clementine (Citrus clementina), Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi)]

AUSTRALIA
Citrus [Orange(Citrus sinensis), Mandarin (Citrus reticulata), Lemon (Citrus limon), Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), Lime (Citrus aurantifolia, Citrus latifolia, Citrus limonia), Tangelo (Citrus tangelo), Sweet grapefruit (Citrus grandis × Citrus paradisi)], Mango (Mangifera indica), Apple (Malus domestica, only from Tasmania), Grape (Vitis vinifera), Cherry (Prunus avium), Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nectarine)

NEW ZEALAND
Citrus [Mandarin (Citrus reticulata, Citrus deliciosa, Citrus unshiu), Orange(Citrus sinensis), Lemon (Citrus limon, Citrus meyeri)], Apple (Malus domestica), Cherry (Prunus avium), Grape (Vitis vinifera), Kiwi fruit (Actinidia chinensis, Actinidia deliciosa, Actinidia deliciosa×Actinidia chinensis), Plum (Prunus salicina, Prunus domestica), Pear (Pyrus pyrifolia, Pyrus communis), Japanese apricot/Mei (Prunus mume), Persimmon (Diospyros kaki)*

*Import protocols are in place, but admittance protocals are not yet complete and, therefore, cannot currently by imported.