I. Legal and Regulatory Basis
(I) The Biosecurity Law of the People's Republic of China;
(II) The People's Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine and its implementing regulations.
II. Types of Plant-Derived Fertilizers
Plant-derived fertilizers as required hereof refer to fertilizer products derived from plant materials. While processed, these products may still carry risks of transmitting plant pests and diseases and must not contain any animal-derived components. An example includes fertilizers manufactured from processed crop straw.
III. Applicable Countries and Regions
The requirements apply to imports from all countries and regions.
IV. Requirements for Enterprise Registration
Plant-derived fertilizers must be produced and stored under conditions that prevent contamination or infestation. Production, processing, and storage enterprises of the plant-derived fertilizers must be registered with the plant quarantine authority of their country or region and be recommended to the General Administration of Customs of China. The recommendation materials must include the enterprise name and its official registration number from the competent authority of the country or region, address, product name and composition, production and processing techniques and treatment technical indicators, epidemic prevention management measures, and packaging labels (in both Chinese and English). Where fertilizer product registration is required by Chinese law, relevant registration documents issued by the competent Chinese authorities shall also be provided. For products exempt from registration, official proof of such exemption must be provided.
The General Administration of Customs shall conduct a review of the application. Upon successful review, the enterprise will be registered and the registration will be published on its website. The registration is valid for five years, and the plant quarantine authority of the exporting country or region must re-submit the recommendation to the General Administration of Customs in China no later than three months before the expiry date. Upon successful review by the General Administration of Customs, the validity period will be extended for a further five years.
V. Product Requirements
Imported plant-derived fertilizers must comply with Chinese laws, regulations, and standards concerning fertilizer safety, hygiene, and environmental protection. Furthermore, they must meet the following requirements:
(I) Do not carry any pests listed in the List of Quarantine Pests for Imported Plants of the People's Republic of China and other pests as well as foreign species that are seriously harmful to agricultural and forestry production and the ecological environment;
(II) Do not carry any soil, animal carcasses, and other prohibited items stipulated by relevant laws and regulations, or any other biosecurity risk materials.
(III) Do not carry any animal feces, feathers, or any other animal-derived ingredients.
(IV) Materials from plant-derived fertilizers must be composed solely of those that are incapable of propagation.
VI. Product Packaging, Storage, and Transportation Requirements
(I) If plant-derived fertilizers are packaged and transported, the packaging materials should be used for the first time and should be clean. The products should be sealed and each package must be labeled in both Chinese and English with the name of such plant-derived fertilizer, country of origin, and the name as well as registration number of the producer, processor, and storage facility.
(II) The storage places of plant-derived fertilizers before export should be relatively independent, clean, and hygienic. Effective measures should be taken to prevent pests from contamination.
(III) The means of transport should be kept clean, hygienic and free of pests and other foreign objects. The packaging should not be opened or changed during transportation.
(IV) If it is packed with wood, it must comply with the requirements of the International Standard
for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) No. 15.
VII. Pre-Export Quarantine Requirements
The official authorities for plant quarantine of the exporting countries or regions should quarantine the plant-derived fertilizers before they are exported to China. For plant-derived fertilizers that meet these requirements, a plant quarantine certificate shall be issued in accordance with ISPM No. 12, and the statement of “this batch of goods complies with the plant quarantine requirements for plant-derived fertilizers entering China” shall be presented in the claims. The name(s) of the relevant production, processing, and storage enterprise(s) and their registration number(s) in China must be indicated. For plant-derived fertilizers that have been treated for pests, the treatment technical indicators including temperature, humidity, pesticides used, and concentration, shall be indicated in the plant quarantine certificate.
VIII. Import Declaration Requirements
The importer or its agent within China must legally declare the goods to Customs, entering "Fertilizer" in the "Purpose" field of the Customs declaration form. Required documents, including the Phytosanitary Certificate, must be submitted.
IX. Quarantine Procedures Upon Entry and Handling of Non-Compliance
(I) Document Verification.
Customs should verify the authenticity and validity of the Phytosanitary Certificate and check for consistency with the declaration and the physical shipment.
(II) Physical Inspection.
The plant-derived fertilizers, their packaging, and transport vehicles will be subject to quarantine inspection. Samples may be taken for laboratory analysis if necessary. Qualifying shipments will be cleared for entry.
(III) Handling of Non-Compliant Shipments.
1. Absence of a valid Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the plant quarantine authority of the exporting country or region shall result in the shipment being returned or destroyed.
2. Detection of soil, animal carcasses, or other articles whose entry is prohibited by Chinese laws and regulations shall result in the shipment being returned or destroyed.
3. If live quarantine pests or other live pests that pose a serious threat to agricultural and forestry production or the ecological environment are discovered, the shipment may be permitted entry only after undergoing effective disinfection treatment and being confirmed as compliant. If no effective treatment method is available, the shipment shall be returned or destroyed.
4. Any other non-compliance with China's phytosanitary laws, regulations, or national standards targeting imported items shall be governed by the relevant provisions.
In the case of any violations detected, the General Administration of Customs will notify the plant quarantine authority of the exporting country or region. Depending on the severity of the case and in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, the General Administration of Customs may take measures such as suspending the eligibility to export to China for the concerned enterprises or specific types of plant-derived fertilizers.
X. Other Provisions
The General Administration of Customs shall conduct further risk assessments for imported plant-derived fertilizers based on factors such as pest interceptions and may dynamically adjust the list of permitted plant-derived fertilizer types and the list of eligible exporting countries and regions.
Samples of plant-derived fertilizers imported for the purpose of applying for fertilizer product registration in China shall be exempt from the registration requirements for the production, processing, and storage enterprises upon the submission of relevant supporting documents. For such samples, it is not mandatory to indicate the registration number on the product packaging or in the Phytosanitary Certificate.
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