China issues new import requirements for 2,589 agricultural products; Vietnamese businesses should take note

China requires 2,589 imported agricultural products to have confirmation letters from competent authorities and business registration.

On February 11th, the SPS Viet Nam Office sent a document to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment , the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Ministry of Health stating that it had just received notification regarding the issuance of a notice by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) on "Requirements for declaration management for foreign enterprises exporting agricultural products to China".

According to the latest announcement, 2,589 agricultural products belonging to 20 product groups imported into China will require confirmation letters from competent authorities and business registration.

The main product groups include seafood, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, spices, medicinal herbs, coffee, nuts, seedlings, cereals, tobacco leaves, animal feed, and animal-derived products…

According to the Viet Nam SPS Office, this list is determined based on the results of quarantine risk assessments for imported agricultural products and is consistent with international practices. Furthermore, clearly defined public search methods are provided to facilitate businesses in accessing information and making declarations.

The new requirements are stricter regarding documentation. When processing import procedures, businesses must accurately declare the Chinese registration number of the foreign manufacturer on the customs declaration form.

If a shipment contains multiple different items, a separate code must be declared for each product and each related business. This regulation takes effect from December 15, 2025.

According to statistics from the Customs Department, the export value of fruits and vegetables for the whole year reached over 8.56 billion USD, an increase of nearly 20% compared to 2024. The Chinese market alone brought in approximately 5.5 billion USD, accounting for more than 64% of the total export value.

Currently, China remains Viet Nam's largest export market for fruits and vegetables, thanks to the signing of additional protocols for frozen durian and fresh coconut, and the acceleration of the shift from informal to formal exports, which has helped stabilize order values.

The Import-Export Department ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ) assessed the structure of Viet Nam's fruit and vegetable export market in 2025, showing that Viet Nam is gradually reducing its dependence on exports to China and beginning to establish its brand in countries with high technical standards. In particular, the processed fruit and vegetable segment has increased to over 30% of the export product structure, helping to increase export value.

Source: DTiNews