THE Agriculture Department’s Plant Protection Division notified companies to submit an Expres­sion of Interest (EOI) and seek registration with General Ad­ministration of Customs of China (GACC) by 28 February 2025 for legitimate pineapple exportation.

 

Application forms can be available at the Agriculture Department in the regions and states or downloaded through https://ppd.doa.gov.mm/index. php?id=22. Individuals can en­quire about details through the division located in Insein Town, Yangon via 01 644214 and 09 794399321.

 

The Department of Agricul­ture under the Ministry of Ag­riculture, Livestock and Irriga­tion invited companies to submit Expression of Interest (EOI) for pineapple exports.

 

According to the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Proto­col between Myanmar and China, inspection procedures are under­taken yearly to verify compliance with the standards.

 

The General Administration of Customs of the People’s Repub­lic of China (GACC) announced on 11 November that Myanmar’s pineapple will be allowed to im­port to China, following the Phy­tosanitary regulations.

 

Myanmar’s pineapple is cul­tivated in northern and southern Shan State. The harvest season is in June-September. Earlier, Myanmar’s pineapple export to China was conducted via a green channel under a cross-border trade plan. Yet, China halted this trade route on 16 June 2019, affecting Myanmar’s pineapple industry adversely.

 

Myanmar’s exporters ex­plored new markets in Thailand, Singapore and other countries. However, market share is quite low. A series of negotiations be­tween Myanmar and China in the past years yield a fruitful result and Myanmar’s pineapple is now allowed to be exported to China via sea trade.

 

According to GACC’s noti­fication, the Ministry of Agricul­ture, Livestock and Irrigation needs to forward the list of pine­apple farms and processing fac­tories to the China side to seek approval from the GACC

 

The approved list will be disclosed on its website. Myanmar’s growers are re­quired to strictly adhere to good agricultural practices and implement quality man­agement, a tracking system for food security and integrated pest management measures. Packing fresh fruits includes washing fresh fruits with high-pressure spray and check­ing and removing debris to be free from insects, snails, invasive grass seeds, soil, crop residue weeds and dirt.

 

Infestation of the spiralling whitefly (Aleurodicus dispersus), gray pineapple mealybug (Dysmi­coccus neobrevipes), Passionvine mealybug (Planococcus minor), Jack Beardsley mealybug (Pseu­dococcus jackbeardsleyi) and the fungal plant pathogen Fusarium sacchari are considered as dev­astating pests. Therefore, My­anmar’s relevant authorities are asked to check samples of not less than two per cent of export volume within the first two years of pineapple trade. Inspection of food samples will be reduced to one per cent if pests cannot be detected in two years. — NN/KK