Key provisions
- Growing sites and processing/packing plants must be audited by the Turkish side and approved and registered by the Chinese side. The registered list is published on the GACC website before trade begins.
- Quarantine pests of concern to China: Aonidia lauri, Chrysomphalus pinnulifer, Ditula angustiorana, Lauritrioza alacris, Trogoderma granarium (khapra beetle) and Phytophthora ramorum.
- Growing sites apply Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) and integrated pest management (IPM). Records of pesticide use and of residue and heavy-metal monitoring must be kept and provided to China on request.
- Product must be free of insects, mites, snails, diseased or rotten leaves, weed seeds, stems and other plant debris, and soil.
- Packing plants must keep traceability to the registered growing site: packing date, source site registration number, quantity, export date, container number, etc.
- Packaging must be new and clean; wood packaging must comply with ISPM 15. Each carton shows, in Chinese or English, product name, country, region of origin, and growing-site and plant names or registration numbers. Cartons and pallets must be marked "Exported to the People's Republic of China".
- Official pre-export inspection samples 2% of packed product for the first two years, falling to 1% if no phytosanitary issues arise.
- The phytosanitary certificate is issued per ISPM 12, stating the growing-site and plant names or registration numbers and the additional declaration specified in the protocol.
Impact for exporters
China is now officially open to Turkish bay leaves, but only from registered sites and plants. On arrival, lots from unregistered sites or plants are refused entry. Lots found with quarantine pests, plant debris or soil are returned, destroyed or treated. Lots that do not meet Chinese food safety law are returned or destroyed.
Recommended actions
- Contact Türkiye's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to have your plant and your supplying growing sites included in the registration process.
- Before the first shipment, verify that GACC has published the registered list and that your plant appears on it.
- Review your sorting/cleaning steps and traceability records against the announcement.
- Prepare carton and pallet markings and the additional declaration text for the phytosanitary certificate.
- Keep residue and heavy-metal monitoring records ready to provide on request.
Official sources
- Official announcement (Chinese) — 海关总署公告2026年第142号
- GACC official interpretation (政策解读) — 海关总署公告2026年第142号