Press Releases
Mainland inspection and quarantine authorities provide facilitating measures
Regarding the recent stringent enforcement of regulatory measures taken by the
Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau (GDCIQ) over Mainland
seafood for supply to Hong Kong, following discussions with the Food and Health
Bureau, the Mainland authorities agreed to provide facilitating measures for
traders that import Mainland seafood to Hong Kong by land transport.
Discussions were held between the Food and Health Bureau and the State General
Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), GDCIQ
as well as the Shenzhen Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau (SZCIQ).
A spokesman for the bureau said today (September 7): "During the discussions,
the bureau reflected local traders' concern over the stringent enforcement. We
also explored ways to assist local traders to conform with the related
measures."
According to the Mainland inspection and quarantine authorities, the related
measures were stipulated in 2002. To effect the state policy of strengthening
food safety and guaranteeing the food safety of aquatic food products for supply
to Hong Kong, the Mainland authorities needed to strictly implement the measures
to guard against the mixing of unchecked seafood with consignments that had
passed inspection and quarantine in the course of transportation.
To assist Hong Kong traders' adaptation to these measures that would continue to
be stringently enforced, the Mainland authorities agreed to provide the
following facilitating measures:
* Capture marine products must come from fishing vessels or exporting companies
listed with the authorities and such products should be gathered at designated
places for screening and packing before being loaded into trucks. GDCIQ is
willing to provide assistance if traders have sourcing problems, including to
provide information on the designated screening and packing places for easy
sourcing;
* For traders who need to procure capture marine products from various
suppliers, GDCIQ would allow those marine products originated from Yanggang,
Guangdong Province be sent to the distribution centre of Guotong Logistics City
in Shunde for inspection, before they are sealed for transportation to Hong Kong
via Shenzhen;
* For marine products captured in Shanwei, since their route of transportation
is different, such products would be checked and sealed by the local inspection
and quarantine authorities. They are however not required to be sent to the
distribution centre of Guotong Logistics City for handling, before
transportation to Hong Kong via Shenzhen; and
* Mariculture products must come from registered farms, passing inspection and
quarantine and then be sealed before export to Hong Kong. Should the trade have
any new mariculture farm that need to be accredited as registered farm for
supplying Hong Kong, GDCIQ will vet the application as soon as possible.
GDCIQ agreed to introduce a transition period before October 1. During this
period, Hong Kong trucks could go direct to Yanggang control points or the
distribution centre of Guotong Logistics City in Shunde to load and transport
marine fish to Hong Kong. Hong Kong trucks would not need to be sealed but each
consignment of marine fish must pass inspection and quarantine and under the
supervision of the relevant CIQ. GDCIQ would inform AQSIQ, SZCIQ and the Hong
Kong Food and Health Bureau, the vehicle licence plate number of the trucks, as
well as the quantity and species on board the trucks.
In addition, GDCIQ will inspect seafood products awaiting supply to Hong Kong
the soonest possible and speed up issuing the necessary document for products
exporting via Shenzhen. GDCIQ would try its best to help Hong Kong traders
adapting to the related measures and welcomed them to communicate and discuss
direct with the Guangdong authorities.
Ends/Friday, September 7, 2007
Issued at HKT 23:16
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