Seed Trade: Phytosanitary Requirement for Import into China Dr. Wu Lifeng National Agro-technical Extension and Service Center, MOA, P.R. China

Outline  Legal and administrative system in seed quarantine  Phytosanitary Requirements for Seed Import  Measures to Facilitate the Examination of Import Application

ISPM on Plants for Planting Plants for planting are generally considered to pose a higher pest risk than other regulated articles.

Managing Rules of the Phytosanitary Examination of the Application for Importing Seeds into China Legal system Law of people's Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine Seed Law Regulation on Plant Quarantine

Administrative System Forestry Entry-Exit Agriculture Examine and approve of applications for importing non- prohibited forestry seeds, field surveillance Examine and approve of applications for importing non- prohibited agricultural seeds, field surveillance Examine and approve of application for importing prohibited seeds, port inspection Safe use of imported seeds

Demarcation of Agricultural and Forestry Plants In addition to grain, cotton, oil, vegetable, sugar, tea, jute crops and pasture grass, fruits (except dry fruits e.g. chestnut and walnut), flowers (except rare wild flowers) and the Chinese traditional medicines are taken care of by the agricultural sector.

Plants Prohibited from Entering China MOA and AQSIQ promulgated the list of plants and plant products prohibited from entering into China in The list includes 7 species and genera, i.e. corn, soya bean, potato, ulmus spp., pinus spp., hevea spp., nicotiana spp.

Administrative System in Agricultural Sector Ministry of Agriculture Provincial Department of Agriculture Local Bureau of Agriculture Examining the applications for large amount of non-prohibited agricultural seed import organizing field surveillance of the imported seeds Examining the applications for small amount of non-prohibited agricultural seed import organizing field surveillance of the imported seeds in provinces Conducting field surveillance of the imported seeds in provinces

Amount Restriction on Provincial Approval of Seed Import CategoriesCropsMaximum Amount Seeds Grain: rice, wheat, corn, sorghum, beans, tubers etc. 100 KG Cash crops: rape seed, peanut, sunflower, sugar beet, cotton, jute, tobacco, broccoli, celery, onion, cabbage etc. 500 KG Turf grass, forage grass 1000 KG Seedlings Fruit trees: apple, Pear, peach, plum, apricot, leechee etc. 100 plants Tree flowers: brazil wood, Water chestnut etc. 500 plants Herbaceous (fruit) flowers: strawberry, tulip, carnation etc plants

Adminstrative System in Entry-exit Sector  35 Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureaus (CIQ)  500 more branches and local offices.  5,000 more employees

Pre-import Phytosanitary Requirements for Seed Import  New species PRA needs to be conducted  New producing areas Amount restriction is imposed. Maximum limit for seeds is for planting 0.1 hectare, for seedlings is 50 plants  Combination of species and producing areas The import permit includes a requirement that the seed consignment should not be infested by certain quarantine pests

Pre-import Phytosanitary Requirements for Seed Import The quarantine pest list is formulated by MOA and AQSIQ based on PRA and reviewed regularly. Currently there are 441 pest species and genera in the list.

During Import Phytosanitary Requirements for Seed Import  Designated ports The imported seeds can only be shipped to 45 designated ports in China.  Port inspection Local Entry-exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau conducts on spot inspection and laboratory test when necessary

Post-import Phytosanitary Requirements for Seed Import  Seeds of high risk: Need to be planted in official isolation center for inspection.  Other seeds imported: Agricultural and forestry official conduct field surveillance during growing period. If any quarantine pest is found, emergency action will be taken to suspend or prohibit future import of the host plant.

Measures to Facilitate the Examination of Import Application  Standardize the procedure: MOA promulgated two guidelines this year to standardized the examining procedure, which clearly defines what documents required and conditions for approval.

Measures to Facilitate the Examination of Import Application  Set clear the time frame:  For amount below restriction,Provnicial Plant Protection Station or Forestry Protection Station examine and decide to approve or deny the application within 15 working days.  For amount above restriction,Provincial agencies conduct preliminary examination and decide whether to forward the application to central agency within 15 working days Ministry of Agriculture and State Administration of Forestry examine and make final decision on the application within another 15 working days.

Measures to Facilitate the Examination of Import Application  Justify the requirement: Base the phytosanitary requirements on PRA

Measures to Facilitate the Examination of Import Application  Make public the requirement: Issue the phytosanitary measures by public announcement.

Measures to Facilitate the Examination of Import Application  Increase the convenience: Constructed a computer system for examining the application for seed import.

Joint Efforts to Promote International Movement of Seeds  Share more common ground under the ISPM framework  Improve the communication between the NPPOs