China expands market access for African cashew nuts

BEIJING -- Cashew nuts produced in African countries with diplomatic relations with China now have access to the Chinese market if they meet a unified set of inspection, quarantine and sanitary requirements, China's General Administration of Customs (GAC) has announced.

Access for the grower nations began from June 9. Africa is the world's largest supplier of cashew nuts. Previously, only a few African countries, including Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and Gambia, had obtained quarantine access for their cashew exports to China.

According to the GAC, assessments found that pest and disease risks associated with cashew production are broadly similar across Africa, allowing China to adopt a unified set of inspection, quarantine and sanitary requirements for cashew imports from the continent.

A GAC official said the new arrangement eliminates the need for country-by-country quarantine access negotiations for African nations seeking to export cashews to China. As long as products meet the relevant requirements, they will be eligible for export to the Chinese market.

The measure will help broaden import sources, enrich domestic market supply and deepen practical agricultural trade cooperation between China and Africa while safeguarding food safety, the official said.

The GAC said it will continue to accelerate quarantine access assessments for African agricultural and food products and fully implement upgraded green channel facilitation measures to allow more high-quality African products to enter the Chinese market and better meet diversified consumer demand.