Northwest Horticultural Council

Country Alerts

Israel Alters Export Rule for Apples Grown in Pest-Free Counties

Current situation: The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) informed the Northwest Horticultural Council (NHC) that Israel made a change to their export requirements for apples. Going forward, if the apples were grown in a pest-free county for apple maggot, then the production county must be named in the appropriate additional declaration on the phytosanitary certificate.

Example:

“The fruit originated in an area free from Rhagoletis pomonella in [COUNTY], [STATE].”

Unchanged is that the fruit may also be cold treated prior to or in transit.

There are no changes to the pear protocol.

Contact: For more information contact Fred Scarlett, Vice President for Export Programs at (509) 453-3193.

Posted: 3/24/2022

Northwest Horticultural Council

Country Alerts

The Philippines Requires a Genetically Modified (GM) declaration for Apples

Current situation: A Genetically Modified (GM) declaration is now required for apples shipped to the Philippines. Under this requirement, importers complete and sign the declaration after the arrival of the shipment. The declaration states whether a shipment contains a GM product. Shippers are advised to communicate with their customers regarding this requirement.

Background: Since 2003, the Philippines has had a GM declaration requirement that predominately applied to bulk commodities. In July of 2021, the Philippines Bureau of Plant Industry expanded the GM declaration requirement to 35 commodities, including apples.

Posted: 1/13/2022

Northwest Horticultural Council

Country Alerts

Taiwan Announces Enhanced Border Inspection for U.S. Apples

Current situation: Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) announced that it is increasing its border inspection rates for fresh apples imported from the United States.  The new inspection rate is 20 percent to 50 percent. This announced enhanced inspection rate will be effective from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. The enhanced inspection is an increase from the normal two to ten percent inspection range.

The NHC has requested a meeting with USDA Foreign Agricultural Service officials in Taipei and Washington, D.C., to obtain an explanation for the increased inspection level and engage in problem-solving efforts.

Background: TFDA announces its enhanced border inspection list for food and related products annually. Products on the list will have an enhanced inspection rate of up to 50 percent. TFDA 2022’s enhanced inspection list removed 10 products from 2021’s list and added 15 new products to the list. For 2022, “fresh apple” (H.S. code: 0808.10.00.00.2) from the United States will be subject to the higher inspection rate effective from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. The United States did not have any products on the 2021 list. Apples from Chile are also subject to the same enhanced inspection in Taiwan for 2022.

Click here for more information from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service.

Posted: 12/17/2021

Northwest Horticultural Council

Country Alerts

Mexico Implements New Organic Certification and Labeling Standards

Current situation: Starting January 1, 2022, apples, cherries, and pears must be certified and labeled according to Mexico’s Organic Products Law (LPO) to be sold in Mexico as organic. Packers and shippers are encouraged to work with their LPO certifier to obtain compliance details with Mexico’s law.

Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is providing LPO certification through an agreement with Oregon Tilth and has distributed information on the labeling requirements. Stickers, or amended labels, may be applied to consumer packages with information required by the LPO.

Required carton marks:

• Packer name and LPO client number
• Certifier code number

Additionally, the following information must appear in Spanish:

• Name of product
• Country of origin
• Net weight
• “Distributed by” followed by the packer name and LPO client number
• “Certified organic by” followed by “Oregon Tilth” and the certifier code number
• Ingredient statement (if used)
• One of the non-GMO statements (“libre de organisms geneticamente modificados”, “No OGM”, “Producto sin OGM”)

Use of the LPO seal or logo is optional

USDA organic labeling may also appear on the export carton in addition to the LPO required marks.

Washington state packer/shippers interested in exporting organic fruit to Mexico are advised to allow sufficient time to obtain the required registration numbers.  For more information contact WSDA at organic@agr.wa.gov, or telephone 360-902-1805. Oregon and Idaho packer/shippers should contact an LPO certifier. A list of whom can be found here.

Background: On December 26, 2020, Mexico published a measure (the Measure) stating products which will be marketed as organic in Mexico will need to show compliance at the border with Mexico’s organic law (LPO).

The deadline for enforcement of this Measure was June 26, 2021, which was extended to January 1, 2022.

Despite ongoing USDA efforts, Mexico will not recognize USDA organic certification after January 1, 2022.  U.S. organic products exported to Mexico must be certified according to the LPO.  WSDA provides certification through Oregon Tilth to exporters in Washington state. A list of other certifiers accredited by Mexico’s National Service of Health, Safety, and Agro-food Safety (SENASICA) can be found here.

Product already certified to the USDA’s organic standards may be “recertified” under the LPO by a SENASICA-accredited certifying body, e.g. Oregon Tilth.  (WSDA has a compliance agreement with Oregon Tilth to provide recertification.) WSDA advised that the USDA certification process takes 105 days, and estimated the LPO recertification process to be shorter, entailing a short application form, WSDA confirmation, and virtual interview.

Posted: 12/15/2021

Northwest Horticultural Council

Country Alerts

China Implements New Registration Requirement for Exporters

Current situation: The General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) issued Regulations on the Registration and Administration of Overseas Producers of Imported Food (Decree 248) that is scheduled to enter into force on January 1, 2022.

This decree does not apply to U.S. apple, pear, and cherry packers.

December 1, 2021, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) published GAIN Report CH2021-0143 with updated Decree 248 information stating verbal confirmation that “Fresh fruit producers do not need to register or label registration numbers on packages,” and is located here.

USTR and FAS will continue to provide updated information as it is received.

Background: Northwest Horticultural Council discussions with FAS began in 2020 regarding China’s intent to require registration of overseas production facilities. Decree 248 was published April 12, 2021.

Over the past year, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) have sought clarification on the registration process for the produce industry. GACC was slow to provide guidance and to confirm or deny that fresh fruit packers are subject to Decree 248.

November 10, FAS published GAIN Report CH2021-135 entitled Decree 248 Unofficial Self-Registration Guide for Overseas Food Facilities that provided guidance on how to self-register using the GACC website and is located here.

November 16, USTR reiterated its current interpretation that, according to Decree 248 Article 11, apple, pear, and cherry packers are exempt from this new registration process as they are already registered with GACC per phytosanitary work plan requirements.

December 1, FAS also published GAIN Report CH2021-0150 entitled Decree 248 HS Codes Published in GACC Single Window and is located here. HS codes for fresh apple, pear, and cherry fruits are not included in the list of items covered by Decree 248.

Updated: 12/3/2021
Posted: 11/16/2021