Canadian horticulture products must be certified to meet the importing country's requirements. These requirements can be based on pests of concern to the importing country. Certification requirements can vary based on the product, and the destination.
On this page
- Requirements when exporting plant-based foods to China
- Negotiation of requirements
- Requirements for fresh fruits and vegetables
- Requirements for producers
- Requirements for packing facilities
- Requirements for fresh pepper propagation facilities exporting to Japan
Requirements when exporting plant-based foods to China
If exporting plant-based food to China, verify if registration is required prior to export.
- Unprocessed agri-foods (fresh fruits and vegetables) may require listing registration with China's DAPQ (Department of Animal and Plant Quarantine)
- Processed plant-based foods may require registration in CIFER (China's Import Food Entreprise Registration)
Negotiation of requirements
Export certification requirements may need to be negotiated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) with the importing country. This is the case for some products like fresh fruits (apples, cherries and blueberries) and vegetables (peppers, tomatoes).
In some cases, requirements have already been negotiated and include registration of producers and/or packing facilities with the CFIA. The negotiated requirements may also include:
- monitoring and treatment protocols for pests of concern
- record keeping, and
- inspection
Requirements for fresh fruits and vegetables
The requirements below are plant health requirements only. Other requirements (for example, related to food safety) may apply.
To be eligible to export the fresh fruits and vegetables to the importing countries listed in Table 1, producers, packing houses and propagators (only required to export fresh peppers from British Columbia to Japan) must annually register with the CFIA on the applicable export program by submitting a service request through their My CFIA account.
The business owner must complete the registration and may designate a program manager to implement the requirements. A confirmation of registration will be issued to the My CFIA account when approved with an assigned registration number.
My CFIA uses the term "preventive control inspection" in place of "audit" and "terms and conditions" in place of "requirements".
Table 1 – List of fresh fruits and vegetables that require registration with the CFIA for export to specific importing countries
| Commodity | Province permitted for export Table Note a | Importing countries | Export program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apples | British Columbia | Thailand | Apples (Fresh) Export Program |
| Apples | All provinces | Taiwan, Panama, European Union, United Kingdom | Apples (Fresh) Export Program |
| Blueberries | British Columbia | China, Korea (Republic of), European Union, United Kingdom and Vietnam | Blueberry (Fresh) Export Program |
| Cherries | British Columbia | China, Japan, Thailand, European Union, United Kingdom and Korea (Republic of) | Cherry (Fresh) Export Program |
| Greenhouse grown peppers | British Columbia | Japan | Peppers (Fresh) Export Program |
Table Note
- Table note a
-
Only products produced in these provinces can be exported to the specified importing countries.
This page overviews the general export certification requirements to export these commodities to the importing countries listed in Table 1. All specific phytosanitary requirements will be provided when registration has been completed.
Requirements for producers
The requirements below are plant health requirements only. Other requirements (for example, related to food safety) may apply.
Product source (for exports of fresh peppers to Japan from British Columbia only)
- Pepper plants must be sourced from propagation facilities registered and approved by the CFIA.
Pest monitoring
- To export cherries and apples, a designated, qualified pest manager or contracted integrated pest management specialist must conduct the specific pest monitoring activities.
- To export blueberries, a contracted integrated pest management specialist must conduct the specific pest monitoring activities.
- Pest monitoring and management must be conducted as per CFIA permission conditions that will be provided when registration is complete.
- Good agricultural practices and a pesticide spray program must be carried out to ensure active prevention and control of pests of concern.
Records
- Registered producers must complete and maintain monitoring and spray records for each registered orchard, field or greenhouse.
- The records must be made available to the CFIA upon request.
- Cherry producers must also make records available to the BC Cherry Association upon request.
- Blueberry producers must also provide the CFIA with a map showing the physical location of each registered field that includes identification information.
Packing
- Fresh fruits and vegetables for export must be packed at a packing facility that has been registered with the CFIA.
- During harvest and transfer to the registered packing facility, the producer must have procedures in place to maintain the identity of the fresh fruit and prevent co-mingling with fruit from non-registered orchards or fields.
Export Certification
- Exports of these commodities requires the issuance of a phytosanitary certificate by the CFIA.
- The orchard, field or greenhouse may be subject to annual audits by the CFIA or a third-party designated by the CFIA.
- Consignments will not be approved or be eligible for export if any pests of concern of the destination are found during the CFIA export inspection.
- Producers are responsible for respecting any other regulations in place by the importing country, including Maximum Residue Limits.
Requirements for packing facilities
The requirements below are plant health requirements only. Other requirements (for example, related to food safety) may apply.
Product source
- Fresh fruits and vegetables must be sourced from orchards, fields or greenhouses that are registered with the CFIA.
Facility requirements
- The packing facility must be inspected and approved by the CFIA prior to receiving fresh fruit and vegetables for export.
- Practices are in place to maintain facility sanitation and prevent pest contamination of fruit and vegetables during packing and/or storage. In the case of fresh fruit exports, this includes cull removal and disposal.
- Facility personnel are trained to detect insect damage on fresh fruit during the sorting and grading process.
- Measures must be in place to maintain the identity and traceability of the fresh fruit and vegetables from the orchard, field or greenhouse to packed product.
- Measures must be in place to prevent the co-mingling of fresh fruit and vegetables from registered orchards, fields or greenhouses with that of non-registered orchards, fields or greenhouses.
- All packing material must be new and clean.
Records
- A list of registered orchards or fields that may supply fresh fruits for export must be maintained.
- Traceability records for all lots of fruit and vegetables sourced from registered orchards, fields or greenhouses must be maintained.
- Records of personnel training, facility cleaning and disinfecting, inspections, purchase invoices and/or delivery slips may be required.
- To export fresh cherries, the packing facility must maintain a preventive control plan that describes processes related to grading, handling and packing of cherry fruit.
- All records must be made available to the CFIA upon request.
Labelling
- Specific labelling requirements may apply for each importing country as per CFIA permission conditions that will be provided when registration is complete.
Storage and transport
- During storage, fresh fruits and vegetables must be kept separate from fresh fruit and vegetables sourced from non-registered sources.
Export Certification
- Exports of these fresh fruits and vegetables require the issuance of a phytosanitary certificate by the CFIA.
- The registered packing facility must have a dedicated area for the CFIA to conduct the certification inspection. The dedicated area must be away from moving traffic and forklifts, and include a worktable with adequate lighting.
- The consignment will not be eligible for export if pests of concern are found during the CFIA export inspection.
- Registered packing facilities are responsible for respecting any other regulations in place by the importing country, including Maximum Residue Limits.
Requirements for fresh pepper propagation facilities exporting to Japan
The requirements below are plant health requirements only. Other requirements (for example, related to food safety) may apply.
Facility requirements
- The propagation facility must be located in the Greater Vancouver Regional District or the Fraser Valley Regional District.
- The propagation facility must be inspected and approved annually by the CFIA.
- Pest monitoring and management must be conducted as per CFIA permission conditions that will be provided when registration is complete.
Records
- Pest monitoring records must be maintained through out the growing season.
- The records must be made available to the CFIA upon request.