On Sept. 22, the General Administration of Customs of China announced via its website [3] the phytosanitary requirements for macadamia nuts [4] from Myanmar.

In Myanmar, macadamia nuts are primarily grown in Shan State, followed by Kachin State, Chin State and the Mandalay region, covering a total cultivation area exceeding 12,000 acres. In Shan State’s Ywangan township, macadamia nuts are harvested twice a year, in spring and autumn.

The GACC announcement specifies that macadamia nuts permitted for import must be edible in-shell nuts, produced from macadamia fruits grown in Myanmar and processed locally through peeling, drying and sorting.

A total of four quarantine pests of concern have been identified by China. These include the khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium), bitter vine (Mikania micrantha), southern sandbur (Cenchrus echinatus) and blue mistflower (Chromolaena odorata). The nuts should be dehydrated using ovens or drying machines and must be free of live insects and other impurities. During processing, damaged or moldy nuts, husks, and weed seeds must be removed.

Myanmar’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation should inspect the production, processing and storage facilities of macadamia nuts intended for export to China in accordance with China’s requirements. Facilities that meet these standards should be recommended to the GACC, which will then register the eligible enterprises.

Macadamia nuts destined for China must be packed in clean, hygienic and compliant materials that meet food safety and plant quarantine standards, with measures in place during transportation to prevent spillage. Prior to shipment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation should inspect the transport vehicles, which must meet sanitary and quarantine requirements and may not contain quarantine pests or other restricted items, such as weed seeds, live insects, plant debris, soil or other contaminants.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article [5].