• There is currently no mutual recognition agreement in place for organic certification between Australia and China. Nonetheless, China is a significant market for Australian exports of organic products.
  
  
• Products labelled organic can only be exported to China via certification to China’s national organic standard, GB/T 19630-2019 (this is in addition to certification to Australia’s National Standard for Organic and Bio-Dynamic Produce).
  
  
• GB/T 19630-2019 was jointly published on 30 August 2019 by the State Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Standard Administration of China (SAC), based on previous standards. SAMR is the responsible competent authority for managing organic food certification and accreditation, including the issuance of national standards and certification regulations for organic food.
  
  
• The certification body utilised by the exporter must be accredited by the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA). Both the product’s organic certification and the CNCA-accredited certifying body must be registered in the CNCA online certification and accreditation platform.
  
  
• It is the exporter’s responsibility to verify the full set of import requirements with their China-based representatives or importers prior to shipping.

Labelling – Chinese organic logo

• The Chinese organic product logo is as below:
  
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• The Chinese organic logo must be presented on the minimum marketing unit (i.e. the smallest sales package) of the organic products.

Labelling – other organic terms/ logos

• Organic products that have not been certified to GB/T 19630-2019 cannot be labelled as ‘organic,’ ‘in-conversion to organic,’ or other labelling terms claiming to be organic. This includes foreign organic logos or marks.
  
  
• If imported organic products have not received a Chinese organic certificate, but display ‘organic’ on product packages, labels, instructions, or promotion materials, this is treated as a significant non-compliance issue.
  
  
• However, labels of Chinese organic certified products are allowed to also present other organic logos and descriptions, provided these comply with China’s Administrative Measures on Organic Product Certification (AQSIQ Decree No. 155). Certifiers should be able to provide further details if required.
  

Labelling – name of certification body

• The name of the certifying body must be presented on the minimum marketing unit (i.e. the smallest sales package) of the organic products.

Labelling – organic traceability label

• When compared with other organic standards, GB/T 19630-2019 places a significant emphasis on traceability throughout the entire supply chain.
  
  
• To this end, all organic products for retail sales must have a unique organic traceability code applied to the product label. The organic traceability code must be issued by the CNCA-accredited certifying body and in the format provided for in China’s Implementation Rules for Organic Product Certification (CNCA Decree No. 21, 2019). Certifiers should be able to provide more information if required.
  
  
• However, a traceability code is not required for organic processing materials that are not directly retailed.
  
  
• The organic traceability code provides access to information showing the product's journey through the supply chain, the name of certification body and its logo.
  
  
• The information provided by the organic traceability code must be kept updated in the CNCA online certification and accreditation platform.
  
  
• The Organic Product Certification Label of China shall be either affixed to packages as a sticker (examples below), or printed directly on the product or the smallest selling package.
  
  
• There will be the organic code (an 18-digit number) displayed if the coating is scratched off.
  
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• These are examples below of stickers affixed to product labels.
  
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• As previously stated, another option is to print the China organic logo, certification body logo and name, as well as 18 -digit number directly on the package.

Organic content

• Under GB/T 19630-2019, the content (weight or volume) of organic ingredients must not be less than 95 per cent of the final product.

Transaction certificates

• A Chinese transaction certificate must be issued for each consignment to China of organic goods by an operator’s CNCA-accredited certifying body. The transaction certificate must be in the format provided for in Implementation Rules for Organic Product Certification (CNCA Decree No. 21, 2019).
  
  
• A copy of the transaction certificate must be attached with the consignment of organic products (the original transaction certificate should be handed over to the importer).
  
  
• In cases where the receiver of products is the holder of the organic certificate, a transaction certificate is not required for declaration, however a proof issued by the certification body must be submitted to CIQ (China Inspection and Quarantine).

China’s e-commerce platforms

• Organic products (including those produced internationally) sold via online retailers and domestic Chinese e-commerce platforms (utilizing domestic logistics and payments only), still need to be certified to GB/T 19630-2019, as per the requirements for organic products sold at on-site stores.​

Cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) platforms

• In the case of CBEC platforms (cross-border e-commerce involves cross-border and domestic logistics, cross-border payment and customs clearance), while compliance and certification with GB/T 19630-2019 is encouraged, it is not mandatory.
  
  
• However, sellers are required to inform consumers, in the advertising for the product on the platform, that:
  
  
  • the goods meet the requirements of the relevant quality, safety, health, environmental protection, labelling and other standards or technical specifications of the place of origin, however these may differ from China’s standards. Consumers bear the associated risks,
    
    
  • the goods are purchased directly from overseas; as such there may be no Chinese labels. Consumers can check the Chinese electronic labels of the products through the website, and
    
    
  • the goods purchased by consumers are limited to personal use and cannot be sold again.
  
  
• Consumers should only be able to place orders after confirming their consent to the above.
  

Inclusions/ exclusions

• Certification to GB/T 19630-2019 applies to agricultural raw materials and food products, as per China’s Organic Product Certification Catalogue (CNCA Decree No. 16, 2022). This includes:
  
  
  • plant and edible mushrooms, such as field crops, edible mushrooms and flowers, wild harvest plants,
    
    
  • aquaculture and aquatic products,
    
    
  • alcoholic beverages,
    
    
  • confectionary,
    
    
  • condiments,
    
    
  • egg and egg products,
    
    
  • food for special dietary uses,
    
    
  • fruit and vegetables,
    
    
  • grain and grain products,
    
    
  • infant formula,
    
    
  • meat and meat products,
    
    
  • milk and milk products,
    
    
  • oil and oil products,
    
    
  • nuts and seeds,
    
    
  • bean and bean products,
    
    
  • textile products (cotton, linen and other fibres), and
    
    
  • TCM processing (plant-based Chinese traditional medicinal processing products).
  
  
• Please note that China’s Organic Product Certification Catalogue is updated at irregular intervals.
  
  
• The Chinese government has placed restrictions on the use of ‘organic’ and related terms on cosmetic labels.
  
  
• Honey is not included in China’s Organic Product Certification Catalogue (CNCA Decree No. 16, 2022).
  
  
• Wolfberry (goji berry) is included in China's Organic Product Certification Catalogue. However, a special set of requirements applies for its certification, including:
  
  
  • the provision of detailed environmental data such as altitude, neighbouring farm pesticide use, wind conditions, and geographical coordinates, and
    
    
  • production volumes and tree density are also specified, with limits on the number of wolfberry trees per unit area and corresponding yield expectations over several years.
    

Prohibitions

• ​Genetically engineered organisms (GMOs) and their derivatives are prohibited from being introduced into or used in organic production units, as well as in conventional units where organic production also takes place.
  
  
• No use of radiation technology during organic production is permitted.
  
  
• Food inputs listed in Appendix A and B of GB/T 19630-2019 are allowed to be used in organic production. Food additives and processing aids allowed are listed in Appendix E.1 to E.6.
  
  
• Use of chemically synthesized plant protection products, fertilizers and municipal sludge are prohibited.
  
  
• Prohibited substances in organic production must not be detected in organic products.

• Products that are certified as ‘in conversion to organic’ can only be sold as conventional, and the China Organic Product Seal, words and patterns such as ‘有机’ or ‘Organic’ must not be used on such products.
  
  
• Conversion periods vary, for example:
  
  
  • ​the conversion period for annual plants is at least 24 months prior to sowing,
    
    
  • the conversion period for pasture and perennial forage crops is at least 24 months prior to harvest,
    
    
  • newly cultivated land that has been abandoned for more than 36 months, or has sufficient evidence to prove that prohibited substances have not been used for at least 36 months, is subjected to a conversion period of at least 12 months,
    
    
  • sprout production is exempt from the conversion period.
  
  
• Conversion periods may also be exempted when:
  
  
  • an overseas organic farm has been certified as fully organic at least four consecutive years (not including a conversion period) and on-site inspection confirms that the farm meets the requirements of GB/T 19630-2019.