Knowledge & Intelligence · Market requirements
China market requirements: GACC access, packaging, cold chain and cold-store standards
A reference for importers, distributors and project owners working with fresh fruit for China, and for buyers planning cold stores there. It summarises what official Chinese texts require and what must still be checked for each product, origin and shipment.
Official sources re-read on 27 October 2026. 中文版
What does fresh fruit need to enter China?
The fruit and origin must be on GACC's access list; orchards and packhouses must be registered where the protocol requires it; the Chinese importer must hold an entry quarantine permit before signing the contract; the fruit must enter through a GACC-designated fruit site; cartons must carry the protocol markings; and residues must meet GB 2763-2021. Temperature-controlled handling in China follows GB 31605-2020.
- This page covers fresh fruit and the cold chain. Seeds, plant material and agricultural inputs follow different import rules and are not covered here.
Status at a glance
| Requirement | Status | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit and origin on GACC's access list | Check per product and origin | Each fruit–country pair is listed separately; a fruit allowed from one country may not be allowed from another. |
| Registered orchards, packhouses and treatment facilities | Check per product and origin | Required where the bilateral protocol says so; GACC publishes the approved lists. |
| Decree 280 registration of overseas food producers | Confirmed in official text | In force since 1 June 2026, replacing Decree 248; registrations are valid for five years. |
| Entry quarantine permit held by the importer | Confirmed in official text | Applied for before the trade contract is signed. |
| Entry through a designated fruit supervision site | Confirmed in official text | GACC keeps a dynamic list of approved ports and airports. |
| Pesticide residue limits (GB 2763-2021) | Confirmed in official text | Mandatory national standard since 3 September 2021. |
| Cold-chain logistics hygiene (GB 31605-2020) | Confirmed in official text | Mandatory for temperature-controlled food logistics since 11 March 2021. |
| Cold-store design and installation (GB 50072-2021, GB 50274-2010) | Confirmed in official text | Current national codes for cold stores built in China. |
1. GACC market access and registration
China Customs (GACC) decides which fruits may enter from which countries and which overseas facilities may supply them.
- Only fruits on GACC's published list of fresh fruits and exporting countries with quarantine access may be imported. Where registration of overseas orchards or packhouses is required, fruit must come from approved facilities.[3]
- GACC Decree No. 280 governs registration of overseas producers, processors and storage facilities that export food to China. It took effect on 1 June 2026 and repealed Decree No. 248.[1]
- Under Decree 280, a registered facility must mark its China registration number, or the number approved by its own competent authority, on the food packaging (Article 14). Registration is valid for five years (Article 15), and GACC publishes the list of registered facilities (Article 16).[1]
- Registrations granted before 1 June 2026 remain valid; the updated rules apply to new applications, amendments and renewals, according to Australia's agriculture department.[2]
- For fresh fruit, the conditions for each fruit and origin are set in a bilateral protocol and a GACC announcement. Example: GACC Announcement No. 140 of 2026 allows fresh South African cherries only from registered orchards, packhouses and treatment facilities.[7]
2. Import procedure at the Chinese border
The Chinese importer carries the main border obligations.
- The importer applies to customs for quarantine approval and obtains an Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit before signing the trade contract.[3]
- Imported fruit must enter through a GACC-designated supervision site for imported fruit. GACC publishes these sites and updates the list.[3][6]
- Inspection, quarantine and supervision of imported fresh fruit follow GACC's Measures for imported fruit, as amended, most recently by GACC Decree No. 283 of 2026.[4][5]
- Pesticide residues must meet GB 2763-2021, which sets 10,092 maximum residue limits for 564 pesticides in 376 foods or food groups.[8]
3. Packaging and labelling
Packaging rules come from the protocol for each fruit, from Decree 280 and, for prepackaged food, from China's labelling standard.
- Protocol example (South African cherries, Announcement 140/2026): new, clean packaging; ISPM 15 treatment for wooden packaging; each carton marked in English with fruit name, country, producing area and the orchard and packhouse registration numbers; each carton and pallet marked “Exported to the People's Republic of China” in Chinese or English. Other fruits and origins have their own protocol wording.[7]
- Registered facilities mark their registration number on the food packaging (Decree 280, Article 14).[1]
- Prepackaged food sold in China carries a Chinese label under GB 7718. The revised GB 7718-2025 and SAMR's food labelling measures (Order No. 100) both apply from 16 March 2027; until then the current version remains in force.[9][10]
4. Cold chain and temperature control
Treatments required for entry and handling after arrival are separate obligations.
- Some protocols require a quarantine treatment such as cold treatment or fumigation. Example: Announcement 140/2026 for South African cherries. The treatment schedule is set per protocol and supervised by the authorities.[7]
- GB 31605-2020 is the mandatory national standard for hygiene in food cold-chain logistics, in force since 11 March 2021. It covers basic requirements, handover, transport and distribution, storage, staff and management systems, traceability and recall, and records, for food that needs temperature control from leaving the producer until sale.[11]
- Product-specific temperature and humidity settings are not fixed in this summary: agree them in the purchase specification and the treatment schedule.[11]
5. Cold-store design and installation in China
For buyers building or expanding cold stores and pre-cooling rooms in China.
- GB 50072-2021 Code for design of cold store applies to new, extended and rebuilt food cold stores with ammonia, halocarbon or CO₂ direct systems and indirect systems using CO₂ or brine. It took effect on 1 December 2021, replaced GB 50072-2010 and contains mandatory clauses.[12]
- GB 50274-2010 Code for construction and acceptance of refrigeration plant installation covers installation and acceptance of compressor refrigeration equipment, lithium-bromide absorption units and assembled cold stores. It has been in force since 1 February 2011.[13]
- These are Chinese national codes for projects in China. Fire, building, safety and environmental approvals are granted locally; ask equipment suppliers to state in writing which codes their design and installation meet.[12][13]
Next steps
Questions
No. GACC Decree No. 280 took effect on 1 June 2026 and repealed Decree No. 248. According to Australia's agriculture department, registrations granted earlier remain valid, and the new rules apply to new applications, amendments and renewals.
The Chinese importer. Customs guidance says the importer should apply for quarantine approval and obtain the Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit before signing the trade contract.
Not every fruit and origin. The protocol and GACC announcement for each fruit and origin state whether orchards, packhouses and treatment facilities must be registered; where they must, fruit is accepted only from the facilities GACC lists.
They are Chinese national codes for projects built in China. A cold store in another country follows that country's codes, although a buyer may ask suppliers to design to them.
No. SeedMatch Group organises the buyer's request and supplier comparison. Registration, permits, inspections and approvals are decided by the competent authorities, and no approval, clearance or result is guaranteed.
Official sources
- 海关总署令第280号《中华人民共和国海关进口食品境外生产企业注册管理规定》(GACC Decree No. 280) — State Council Gazette, gov.cn, 2025-10-14
- MAA 2026-02: GACC Decree 280 — update to overseas enterprise registration requirements — Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia, 2026
- 海关科普：进境水果检验检疫监管知多少 (customs guide to imported-fruit inspection and quarantine) — China Customs (Ningbo Customs), 2026-09-29
- 《进境水果检验检疫监督管理办法》(Measures for inspection, quarantine and supervision of imported fruit) — GACC, via gov.cn, 2018-11-23
- 海关总署令第283号《海关总署关于修改部分规章的决定》(GACC Decree No. 283, amending several rules) — State Council Gazette, gov.cn, 2026-08
- 海关总署公告2019年第80号：进境水果指定监管场地名单 (designated supervision sites for imported fruit, dynamic list) — GACC, via MOFCOM, 2019-05-07
- 海关总署公告2026年第140号：进口南非鲜食樱桃植物检疫要求 (example protocol: fresh South African cherries) — GACC, 2026-09-21
- GB 2763-2021《食品安全国家标准 食品中农药最大残留限量》in force from 3 September 2021 — Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 2021-09-02
- GB 7718-2025《食品安全国家标准 预包装食品标签通则》announcement (applies from 16 March 2027) — National Health Commission and SAMR, via gov.cn, 2025-03-16
- 市场监管总局令第100号《食品标识监督管理办法》(food labelling supervision measures, from 16 March 2027) — State Council Gazette, gov.cn, 2025-03-14
- GB 31605-2020《食品安全国家标准 食品冷链物流卫生规范》(issued 11 Sep 2020, in force 11 Mar 2021) — National Library of Standards (NDLS), 2020-09-11
- GB 50072-2021《冷库设计标准》Code for design of cold store (in force 1 Dec 2021) — National Library of Standards (NDLS), 2021-06-28
- GB 50274-2010《制冷设备、空气分离设备安装工程施工及验收规范》Code for construction and acceptance of refrigeration plant installation (in force 1 Feb 2011) — National Library of Standards (NDLS), 2010-07-15
Summary for planning only, not legal advice. Rules, lists and protocols change: confirm the current requirements with GACC, the destination customs office and your importer before each contract and shipment.