# Exporting Fresh Fruit to China: Rules, Checks, Documents *Source: https://eximagent.ai/blog/exporting-fresh-fruit-to-china · Published: April 22, 2025 · Updated: October 11, 2026 · Category: Global Trade* > What fruit exporters need for China: market-access protocols, registered orchards and packhouses, phytosanitary checks, labels, documents and the HS code. **Exporting fresh fruit to China is only possible when China has approved that specific fruit from your country under a bilateral protocol, and when your orchard and packhouse are registered under it.** After that, each shipment needs to meet the protocol's pest, packaging and labelling rules and travel with a phytosanitary certificate. Get any of those wrong and the shipment can be refused at the border. This guide covers each step, using passion fruit, durian and pomelo as examples, for exporters from any origin. ## Step 1: Check that market access exists China treats fresh fruit market access country by country and fruit by fruit. A fruit that is approved from one country may not be approved from another, and approval for frozen fruit doesn't cover fresh. Access usually follows a long process: the exporting country's plant protection authority applies, China's customs authority (the General Administration of Customs of China, GACC) runs a pest risk analysis, and the two sides sign a protocol setting out the conditions. Other importing countries work the same way. Australia, for example, publishes formal pest risk analyses before it opens its market to a new fruit from a new origin, and those can add state-level rules on top. The common framework is the [WTO agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary measures](https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/sps_e/sps_e.htm), which lets countries set science-based plant health rules for imports. **What to do:** ask your national plant protection organisation whether a protocol with China exists for your fruit, and get a copy of its conditions. GACC also publishes lists of fruits approved for import by origin. ## Step 2: Registered orchards and packhouses Protocols typically require that both the growing areas and the packing facilities are registered with the exporting country's authority and approved by China. Registration usually means: - **Orchards:** good agricultural practice, integrated pest management (monitoring, traps, records), and the ability to trace fruit back to the plot. - **Packhouses:** separate, clean areas for receiving, sorting, cleaning and packing; pest control; and records that tie each lot to a registered orchard. Each registered site gets a code that must appear on the cartons. The same idea applies to other food products: China also requires overseas food manufacturers to register with GACC under [Decree 280](https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName?fileName=Decree+280+-+GACC+Update+to+Overseas+Food+Facility+Registration+_Beijing_China+-+People%27s+Republic+of_CH2025-0204), in force since 1 June 2026, which replaced Decree 248 (summary and unofficial translation by USDA FAS). If you're unsure how your fruit is classified, ask Compliance for the HS code and import rules. [Start free](https://chat.eximagent.ai) (free plan, no card). ## Step 3: Pest control and treatment Protocols list the pests China is concerned about for that fruit and origin, and the measures required: field monitoring, pest-free areas, post-harvest treatments such as cold treatment or fumigation, or a "systems approach" that combines several measures. Shipments found with live pests, soil or leaves can be rejected, and repeated problems can lead to a registered orchard or packhouse being suspended. **Durian example:** fresh durian exports to China depend on a protocol for each exporting country, with requirements on registered orchards and packhouses, pest controls and inspection. Frozen durian is covered by different rules from fresh, so check which one your protocol covers. ## Step 4: Packaging and labels Typical protocol requirements: - new, clean packaging; - labels in Chinese or English, as the protocol specifies, showing the product name, country of origin, and the registered orchard and packhouse codes; - wording such as "for export to the People's Republic of China" where the protocol requires it. Check your protocol for the exact wording and placement: small labelling errors are a common reason for holds. ## Step 5: Phytosanitary certificate and documents Every shipment needs a phytosanitary certificate issued by the exporting country's plant protection authority, stating that the fruit meets China's requirements, with the orchard and packhouse codes and any treatment details. Many countries now issue certificates electronically through the [IPPC ePhyto system](https://www.ippc.int/en/ephyto/). Other usual documents include the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, and certificate of origin if you're claiming a preferential tariff. See [documents required by HS code](https://eximagent.ai/blog/import-documents-required-by-hs-code) for a fuller checklist, and agree delivery terms clearly in the contract (our guide to [Incoterms such as FCA](https://eximagent.ai/blog/fca-incoterms) helps). ## Classifying fresh fruit Most fresh fruit falls under Chapter 08 of the Harmonized System (edible fruit and nuts). Durian, passion fruit and pomelo each sit under specific headings in that chapter, and the code you use must match the product and the protocol. Look it up on the [HS code page for Chapter 08](https://eximagent.ai/hscode/08), then estimate the [import duty](https://eximagent.ai/blog/how-to-calculate-import-duty) for your landed-cost calculation. ## Finding fruit importers in China Once market access is in place, you need buyers. Shipment records show which companies import your fruit and from which origins. Explore this on the [trade data page](https://eximagent.ai/trade-data). ## FAQ **Can I export any fresh fruit to China?** No. Only fruits that China has approved from your specific country, under a protocol, can be imported fresh. **Who registers my orchard for export to China?** Your country's plant protection authority handles registration and submits the list to China for approval under the protocol. **What happens if a shipment fails inspection?** It can be treated, returned or destroyed, and the orchard or packhouse involved may be suspended from exporting under the protocol. --- **Find your fruit's heading before you ship.** Durian, passion fruit, pomelo and other fresh fruit sit in Chapter 08; check the headings, subheadings and duty rates on the [HS code page for Chapter 08](https://eximagent.ai/hscode/08).