Brazilian Pecans Granted China Market Access

On July 1, the General Administration of Customs of China announced via its website that pecans from Brazil meeting the stipulated phytosanitary requirements would be permissible for import into China.

Pecans were introduced to Brazil for cultivation in the early 20th century, and the country has now become one of the world’s major pecan producers with a total annual output of 7,000 metric tons. This makes Brazil the fourth-largest producer globally, after the United States, Mexico and South Africa. Pecan cultivation in Brazil is primarily concentrated in the southern and southeastern regions, where cold winters and hot summers provide ideal growing conditions. The state of Rio Grande do Sul has the largest cultivation area, exceeding 5,000 hectares, and accounts for approximately 70% of Brazil’s total output. It is followed by the states of Santa Catarina and Paraná.

The GACC announcement specifies that pecans destined for China must be processed within Brazil, undergoing sorting, shelling, drying and other procedures. Additionally, the pecans must be free from live insects, insect eggs, soil, weed seeds, plant residues, gravel and metallic impurities.

The entire process, from planting to transportation, must comply with the relevant food safety and hygiene requirements of both China and Brazil to prevent contamination by pathogenic microorganisms or hazardous substances. Moreover, Brazilian pecans bound for China must be labeled with traceability information, including the place of origin, the names of the producing and processing enterprises, the registration number in China, and the name and address of the exporter, in either Chinese or English.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.