Fresh Zambian Blueberries Approved for Import into China

On Sept. 9, China’s General Administration of Customs announced that fresh blueberries from the Republic of Zambia meeting the stipulated phytosanitary requirements are now permissible for import into China.

Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern Africa that features political stability, strong economic growth and rapid development of transportation and infrastructure. Zambia also boasts a high level of urbanization among African countries, with nearly half of the population living in cities.

According to the announcement, only fresh blueberries originating from the Chisamba region of central Zambia will be allowed to enter China. Exports to China may be conducted by either air or sea. However, considering the fact that Zambia is an inland country, most of its exports are shipped to overseas markets by sea from Cape Town in South Africa or Walvis Bay in Namibia.

Cold treatment requirements were also included in the announcement. Fresh Zambian blueberries destined for China must be subjected to cold storage at less than 1.11 degrees Celsius for 15 consecutive days, less than 1.67 degrees Celsius for 17 consecutive days or less than 2.22 degrees Celsius for 21 consecutive days.

Although Zambia lies within the tropics, its climate is relatively cool owing to the high altitude, making the country very agreeable for human settlement and agricultural development. Taking advantage of key strengths such as this favorable climate, fertile land and the third-largest water resource on the African continent, two out of every three people in Zambia live on agriculture. In recent years, the growing trend within the country has been witnessing a gradual shift from crops such as maize, soybeans, rice, wheat, cotton, sugar and tobacco to higher-value items such as macadamia nuts, ground nuts, avocados, blueberries and chilies.

The agricultural potential of Zambia has also attracted global berry giants to extensively invest in the country. For example, OZblu, a world-renowned blueberry brand featuring a range of premium varieties, has selected Zambia as a crucial hub for its commercial production in Africa.

With respect to the bilateral relationship between Zambia and China, the African country attaches great significance to its collaboration with China, which is believed to benefit people on both sides. According to Zambia’s domestic media, in addition to blueberries, China is also very interested in importing lambs from Zambia.

Image: Pixabay

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

The official announcement from China’s General Administration of Customs regarding the import approval of fresh Zambian blueberries can be found here (in Chinese).