Earlier this year the General Administration of Customs China (GACC) issued changes to Decree’s 248 & 249 which pertain to food safety in China as well as affecting foreign food exporters who export food products from their home country to China. 

 

The new regulations will require companies to register with the GACC and these decrees will take effect on January 1, 2022. Decree 248 has expanded the scope of types of foods that must register and also will require labeling changes to certain food products as well, most notably it will require companies to include their registration number on certain food product labels. 

 

The new regulations apply to “the registration management of overseas manufacturers, processors, and storage facilities (hereinafter referred to as “overseas producers of imported foods”) that export foods to China.” 

 

Nuts and seeds and more specifically, pecans, fall into this category, and will require exporters register with the GACC. The FDA has provided a helpful guide for registration under their Export Listing Module, however the Chinese government has given very little information to the USTR about the expansion of decree 248. According to one article “ Andrew Devine, Director of USTR Agricultural Affairs, reported that GACC’s engagement with USTR and USDA regarding Decrees 248 and 249 has been poor. He reported that Decrees 248 and 249 have been discussed in the Phase One agreement meetings with Chinese trade officials but have yielded few answers beyond those reported by the USDA’s Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN).”

 

The Georgia Pecan Growers Association staff has been doing a great job at keeping tabs on any new information about the changes for pecan exports and have provided helpful links for exporters to register and seek information. 

 

To find more information about how these changes could affect you, click the links below or if you are a Georgia company engaged with pecans, you can contact the Georgia Pecan Growers Association for more information. If you are a USA based company in the pecan industry you can also reach out to the American Pecan Council for information. 

Reference: 

 

https://ofwlaw.com/ustr-usda-holds-open-meeting-to-discuss-china-decrees-248-and-249/