By: Staff Writer
May 26, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is intensifying efforts to streamline agricultural exports to China, with a renewed focus on meeting stringent Chinese import regulations.
This strategic move comes as China remains a key destination for Sri Lankan produce, particularly in the agricultural sector. In 2024, Sri Lanka exported goods worth $261.06 million to China, with “coffee, tea, maté, and spices” standing out as the leading category among agricultural exports.
To enhance access to this lucrative market, the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the National Plant Quarantine Service (NPQS), recently conducted an awareness session on the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) registration process.
This session followed issues raised by exporters during the 24th Exporters’ Forum, particularly by the Spices and Allied Products Traders’ Association (SAPPTA), regarding challenges in navigating the complex GACC procedures.
GACC registration is a mandatory requirement for a broad spectrum of goods entering the Chinese market—including food, pharmaceuticals, electronics, cosmetics, and most crucially, agricultural products. For Sri Lankan agricultural exporters, compliance hinges on meeting three key criteria: food safety, plant health, and traceability.
The recent session attracted over 100 industry stakeholders, underscoring the export community’s growing interest in strengthening trade ties with China.
It featured detailed presentations from NPQS Additional Director and Head of the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) G.G.D. Lalani, and M.F.M. Rizwan, Head of the Plant Quarantine Operations Division. Both experts offered step-by-step guidance on the GACC process, enabling exporters to better understand and implement the necessary compliance measures.
To date, NPQS has successfully facilitated the registration of 188 firms, including the certification of their cultivation sites, signaling notable progress in aligning Sri Lanka’s agricultural practices with Chinese regulatory standards.
This progress is particularly timely, as Sri Lanka seeks to expand exports of high-potential products such as Ceylon cinnamon, fresh pineapples, and seafood—commodities that are gaining traction among Chinese consumers.
While the trade relationship between the two nations shows promise, a significant trade imbalance remains—China exports far more to Sri Lanka than it imports. However, aligning with China’s import protocols through initiatives like the GACC registration process is a critical step in narrowing this gap and positioning Sri Lanka as a trusted supplier of premium agricultural goods.
Through continued education and regulatory compliance, Sri Lanka aims not only to protect its existing export base but also to unlock new market opportunities across China’s vast consumer landscape.
