Are you exporting — or planning to export — grains, cocoa, coffee, nuts, vegetables, or other primary agricultural products to China? Since December 2025, a crucial yet under-discussed GACC announcement has reshaped the registration process for agricultural exporters. If your products are listed in GACC’s catalogue, registration is mandatory before your goods can clear Chinese customs.

Here’s what Announcement No. 219 means, who it applies to, and how the process works.

What is Announcement 219?

Issued by GACC on 7 November 2025 and effective 15 December 2025, Announcement No. 219 introduces structured registration and declaration requirements for overseas enterprises exporting primary agricultural products to China.

The announcement is rooted in China’s phytosanitary and quarantine framework — governed by GACC’s Department of Animal and Plant Quarantine (DAPQ), not the food safety bureau that handles Decree 280. This distinction matters because it means the registration system, the process, and the authorities involved are entirely separate.

Who does it apply to?

Announcement 219 applies to overseas enterprises involved in the production, processing, or storage of primary agricultural products destined for China that appear on GACC’s published catalogue. Facilities that only trade or act as intermediaries without physical handling do not require registration.

The catalogue covers a broad range of products including grains, oilseeds, pulses, nuts and seeds, unroasted coffee and cocoa beans, fresh and dried fruits and vegetables, plant spices, and other primary crops. The catalogue is publicly accessible and subject to periodic updates.

How does registration work?

Unlike Decree 280 — where some products allow self-registration — Announcement 219 registration is entirely government-to-government. The overseas facility cannot apply directly to GACC.

Instead, it works through its home country’s competent authority (typically the national agriculture or plant quarantine body), which reviews the facility, compiles the registration details in GACC’s prescribed format, and submits them officially to GACC DAPQ. Once approved, GACC assigns a Chinese registration number that the importer must cite on customs declaration forms for every shipment.

What happens without registration?

For products listed in the catalogue, shipments without a valid registration number will be rejected at the Chinese border. The importer is responsible for ensuring the registration is in place and accurately declared.

How Knudsen&CRC can help

Knudsen&CRC supports agricultural exporters and food brands throughout the full Announcement 219 registration process — from initial catalogue verification and competent authority identification, to full registration support. Reach out to us at info@knudsencrc.com.