China (People's Republic of) - Export requirements for milk and dairy products
Eligible/ineligible product
Eligible
- Raw milk
- Pasteurized milk
- Sterilized milk
- Modified milk
- Fermented milk
- Evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, formulated condensed milk
- Milk powder
- Whey powder and whey protein powder
- Cream, butter and anhydrous milk fat
- Cheese
- Processed cheese
- InfantFootnote 1 formula
Pre-export approvals by the competent authority of the importing country
Establishments
- Dairy product and infant formula establishments must be approved and listed by China.
- Please note that the establishments that produce infant formula are listed separately from dairy products.
- Both lists are accessible from the same website of the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) (available in Chinese only).
- Exporters are advised to contact their Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) area office if assistance is needed to determine if an establishment is on the list.
- Any manufacturer wishing to be included on this list must contact CFIA regional office to complete (in English) the registration form:
- Request for Addition to Canadian Establishments List Approved for Export to the People's Republic of China.
- For pasteurized, sterilized and modified dairy products, the manufacturer must also complete (in English) the following questionnaires:
- Confirmation Table of Registration Information of Manufacturing Enterprise of Imported Pasteurized Milk
- Confirmation Table of Registration Information of Foreign Manufacturing Enterprise of Imported Dairy Products (Sterilized Milk, Modified Milk and Other Disinfected Milks)
- These documents will be forwarded to the Chinese authorities for review and final decision.
- Please note that the submission and review by Chinese authorities will take time and may require an on-site audit by Chinese personnel.
Product
- Milk and dairy products requiring approval by China must appear on the list administered by the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) (in Chinese only).
- Exporters are advised to contact their importer to determine if products require approval by GACC.
- If products require prior approval, contact your CFIA area office if assistance is required to determine if they are listed.
Note: For products that do not require approval, (e.g. ice cream) the manufacturer does not need to be on the list of the establishments and the standard health certificate can be issued. Furthermore, China also requires a certificate of origin for these products. The exporter can obtain this document from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. The CFIA does not need to review this document.
Product specifications
- Dairy product specifications are described in detail within Chinese national Guobiao (GB) standards
- The following table lists dairy-related standards that any company seeking to export to China should examine in depth to ensure that their products are in compliance.
- It is the responsibility of the manufacturer in collaboration with the Chinese importer to verify the accuracy of this list.
| Product | GB standard | Issue date | Implementation date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw milk | GB 19301-2010 | 2010-03-26 | 2010-06-01 |
| Pasteurized milk | GB 19645-2010 | 2010-03-26 | 2010-12-01 |
| Sterilized milk | GB 25190-2010 | 2010-03-26 | 2010-12-01 |
| Modified milk | GB 25191-2010 | 2010-03-26 | 2010-12-01 |
| Fermented milk | GB 19302-2010 | 2010-03-26 | 2010-12-01 |
| Evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and formulated condensed milk | GB 13102-2010 | 2010-03-26 | 2010-12-01 |
| Milk powder | GB 19644-2010 | 2010-03-26 | 2010-12-01 |
| Whey powder and Whey protein powder | GB 11674-2010 | 2010-03-26 | 2010-12-01 |
| Cream, butter and anhydrous milk fat | GB 19646-2010 | 2010-03-26 | 2010-06-01 |
| Cheese | GB 5420-2010 | 2010-03-26 | 2010-06-01 |
| Processed cheese | GB 25192-2010 | 2010-03-26 | 2010-06-01 |
| Infant Table Note 2 formula | GB 10765-2010 | 2010-03-26 | 2011-04-01 |
| Older infants Table Note 3 and young children Table Note 4 formula | GB 10767-2010 | 2010-03-26 | 2011-04-01 |
Table Notes
- Table Note 2
-
Infant is defined in Chinese national GB standards as being between 0 and 12 months of age.
- Table Note 3
-
Older infant is defined in Chinese national GB standards as being between 6 and 12 months of age.
- Table Note 4
-
Young child is defined in Chinese national GB standards as being between 12 and 36 months of age.
Production controls and inspection requirements
- The CFIA inspector confirms that the information submitted with the application is complete and accurate for the products listed for export to China. The information is verified during regular inspection visits to ensure that the establishment is meeting China's export requirements prior to recommending that a new plant be added to the eligibility list.
- Manufacturer's declaration letter must accompany the export certificate request for dairy products.
- The letter should state that exporter and/or manufacturer are aware of China's dairy standards and requirements and that a specific export procedure to the product that will be exported to China was developed.
Documentation requirements
Certificate
- Health Certificate for the export of dairy and dairy based products for human consumption from Canada to the People's Republic of China
- Note: Health certificate normally used for the following Harmonized System (HS) Codes:
- 0401 - Milk and cream, no sweetening
- 0402 - Milk and cream with sweetening
- 0403 - Fermented products
- 0404 - Whey and whey products
- 0405 - Butter
- 0406 - Cheese
- Note: Health certificate normally used for the following Harmonized System (HS) Codes:
- Standard health certificate for ice cream
- Manufacturer's declaration for export to China (industry responsibility)
- Date modified: