1.1. Prohibited
Unless specified within the commodity list below, the Department is not aware of any edible non-prescribed goods (NPG) prohibited for export to China.
1.2 Conditions
Chinese government registration is required for all food processing and storage facilities handling food exported to China.
Effective 1 January 2022, the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) implemented changes to registration and labelling requirements for food processing and storage facilities handling food exported to China in accordance with both:
This means all food products must have a registration with GACC before export to China through either the process described in section A or section B.
A. Food processing and storage facilities handling products for export to China that require Departmental recommendation for registration with China
Article 7 of Decree 248 requires the following foods to come from GACC registered food processing and storage facilities:
- Meat and meat products, casings, aquatic/seafood products, dairy products, eggs and egg products*, bee products, edible fats and oils, stuffed pasty products, edible grains, milled grain products and malt, fresh-kept/ preserved and dehydrated vegetables and dry beans, plant spices, nuts and seeds, dry fruits, frozen fruit, unroasted coffee and cocoa beans, food for special dietary uses, and health foods.
*Australia does not have market access for eggs and egg products
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published a list of HS codes for foods (XLSX 570 KB) for which processing and storage facilities are required to be registered with GACC.
Refer to the relevant Micor pages for registration requirements for:
If your product is listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods then you should contact the Therapeutic Goods Administration about registering with China at complementary.medicines@health.gov.au.
Facilities requiring registration with GACC are:
- food processing facilities that carry out the final processing step
- cold storage facility before export.
Each physical facility (location) needs to be registered.
Facilities not considered to be processing or storage facilities and do not require registration with GACC are:
- freight forwarders that do not store products for extended period
- brokers
- other export business or brand owners that do not handle or store food.
Applications for recommendations for registration with GACC
Applications from Australian food facilities submitted to the Department by 15 December 2021 were assessed, collated and submitted to GACC on 20 December 2021.
The Department will soon publish information about the process for new applications for registration for bee products, edible fats and oils, stuffed pasty products, dehydrated vegetables, plant spices, dry fruits, frozen fruit, food for special dietary uses and health foods.
GACC confirmation of registration required prior to export
Facility registration must be approved and published on GACC Registration information of overseas manufacturers of imported food (CIFER) before a food can be exported to China. This information will be used by GACC border officials as the basis for border clearance.
Food labelling requirements for products registered with GACC
In addition to the existing labelling relevant to the product type, the processing facility registration number is required on label. The storage facility registration number is not required on label.
The processing facility registration number can be either the:
The processing facility registration number must be on both the:
- inner packaging (smallest sale unit)
- outer packaging (transport packaging).
Bulk goods in containers or vessels with no packaging, must include the processing facility number on commercial documentation accompanying the export.
For all foods, except foods for special dietary uses and health foods, the processing facility registration number can either be:
- printed on original packaging
- affixed using a stick-on/adhesive label.
For foods for special dietary uses and health foods, the processing facility registration number must be printed on the original packaging only. Stick-on/adhesive labels will not be accepted.
B. Food processing facilities requiring businesses to self-register with GACC through the China Import Food Enterprises Registration (CIFER) Single Window System
Article 9 of Decree 248 requires the food processing facility producing food other than those listed in Article 7 (Section A, to be self-registered with GACC (that is, Article 9 foods).
The USDA has published a list of HS codes of foods for which processing and storage facilities are required to be registered with GACC.
Facilities that only handle Article 9 foods must be self-registered through the GACC Single Window System. The registration can be completed by the facility or through an agent.
Guidance on the self-registration process is provided in the China International Trade Single Window - user manual for the Single Window (PDF 4.75 MB).
Facilities that are registered with GACC for Article 7 foods (refer to Section A) must use the login details provided by the department to access the GACC Single Window System to register Article 9 foods. If you do not have your login details, contact ExportListing.agriculture.gov.au
GACC confirmation of registration required prior to export
Facility registration must be approved and published by GACC before a food can be exported to China. This information may be used by GACC border officials as the basis for border clearance.
Food labelling requirements for food self-registered with GACC through the Single Window System
In addition to the existing labelling relevant to the product type, the processing facility registration number is required on the label. The storage facility registration number is not required on the label.
Facility registration number can be either the:
- competent authority issued registration number (that is either the department establishment number, domestic government food business registration, ABN or ACN)
- GACC issued registration number provided through the GACC Single Window System.
The facility registration number must be on both the:
- inner packaging (smallest sale unit)
- outer packaging (transport packaging)
The facility registration number can be either:
- printed on original packaging
- affixed using a stick-on/ adhesive label.
Government certification
Some processed plant products such as pancake mix require a phytosanitary certificate.
For further information refer to Micor Plants – China.
