On April 22-23, the inspection of “Uzdavkarantin” headed by the Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Elyor Ganiev held talks in Beijing with the Minister of the General Administration of Customs (GAC) of China Ni Yufen to discuss the issue of providing phytosanitary permission to export a number of products from Uzbekistan to China.

During negotiations, the procedure for considering the issuance of a phytosanitary permit for the export of melons to the PRC was discussed. The Chinese side noted that the pest risk analysis procedure has been completed. According to Chinese law, the last stages are to send Chinese experts to inspect melon fields at places. Following the results, a protocol will be signed and permission to import these products from Uzbekistan will be granted.

The text of the draft program of cooperation between the two departments for 2019-2020 was also agreed upon, which provides for granting a 2-year period permission to export melons, pomegranate, grapes, lemon and other products to China from Uzbekistan. The parties agreed to sign the program during the visit of the GAC deputy head of the PRC in the first half of May to Tashkent.
 
To create a more convenient logistics route for export, the Uzbek side raised the issue of exporting agricultural products, including cherries to China from Uzbekistan through the border points Khorgos (on the PRC-Kazakhstan border), Irkeshtam (on the PRC-Kyrgyzstan border) and Alashankou (on the border PRC-Kazakhstan).

Representatives of the Chinese Quarantine Service noted that in a short time they will examine the infrastructure of these border points for the possibility of phytosanitary control.

At the same time, a permit has been obtained for the export to the PRC of fresh pepper and sweet cherry with the definition of two methods of disinfection: cold processing and fumigation. In order to legalize this issue, a protocol on phytosanitary requirements was signed between the two departments.