Chinese mainland resumes imports of sugar apples from Taiwan island as of Tuesday

Chinese mainland resumed the import of sugar apples from Taiwan island as of Tuesday after suspending the trade due to the detection of plant pests on the tropical fruit.

After evaluating the measures taken by Taiwanese farmers to rectify the situation, the General Administration of Customs of China (GAC) decided to resume the import of sugar apples or sweetsops from the island.

The fruit should come from registered packaging factories and orchards, the GAC said.

The GAC had suspended the import of sugar apples from the island since September 20, 2021, after detecting harmful pests including Planococcus minor in the fruit.

Following the resumption of sugar apple imports the Chinese mainland will continue to facilitate the import of Taiwan's agricultural and fishery products, an official said on Tuesday.

Mainland customs authorities suspended the entry of citrus fruits and two types of fish products from the island in August 2022.

The entry of citrus fruits, as well as chilled white hairtail and frozen horse mackerel from the region, are suspended in accordance with the mainland's relevant regulations after detecting pests and pesticide residue, the General Administration of Customs said in an online statement.

"We uphold the concept of 'both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family'. We are willing to work together with relevant parties in Taiwan to continue to provide assistance for the resumption of Taiwan's agricultural and fishery product exports to the mainland," said Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, on Tuesday.