New food import regulations in China

Published by the Chinese General Administration of Customs (GAC) at the beginning of this year, Decree 248, regarding new regulations on food imports in China, is rapidly approaching its enforcement date of January 1, 2022, leaving no official details on its implementation. As the new terms will ask food importers to face new comprehensive registration, inspection and labelling specifications, diplomats from several countries, including Japan, the US, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, the EU or the UK are asking the Chinese Customs Minister Ni Yuefeng to delay the food-import measures for at least one year and a half.

World food import bill to reach a record high in 2021

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the global food trade in 2021 is about to hit an all-time record in both value of volume, despite the Covid-19 crisis and its distress. Driven by freight costs and rapidly rising prices of food commodities traded around the globe, the new food import bill is about to surpass US$1.75 trillion, an almost 15% increase compared to last year. Most affected regarding food import costs remain less developed countries that are reliant on trade and shipping.