Name(s) of Regulation and/or Standard:
In 2019, China published a revised national standard for organic products and released revised organic certification regulations. The new standard and regulations took effect on January 1, 2020. The new standard GB/T 19630-2019 incorporates and replaces the organic standards published in 2011. The standard and certification regulations are voluntary but for a product to be marketed in China as organic, compliance with this standard and regulations is mandatory. National Standards for Organic Products, GB/T 19630-2005 were updated in 2011 to National Standards for Organic Products, GB/T19630-2011.
An official or unofficial translation is not yet available.
See USDA's GAIN Report: China Publishes New Organic Standard and Certification Rules
Date of Implementation: 2005
Regulation and/or Standard Scope:
The Chinese standard covers the general specifications and requirements for organic production, processing, transport, storage and packaging of crops, edible fungi, wild plants, livestock and poultry, aquatic products, textiles, and apiary.
China began new organic national standards for organic products and new regulations for certification and use of a revised eligible products list on January 1, 2020. Products marketed in China as organic must comply with this standard and accompanying regulations.
The new organic standard includes changes to production and processing inputs, such as adding microbial preparations for control and prevention of animal diseases, adding detergents and disinfectants in plant production, adding requirements for packaging materials for feed products, adjusting lists of food additives, processing aids, and feed additives eligible for organic production and/or processing. The standard also changed the requirements for the labeling of organic conversion products.
The new organic certification rules appear to have streamlined some certification practices. For example, an overseas organic production site which has been certified organic certification for at least four years can be waived from a 12-month organic conversion period before being certified to the Chinese organic standard. And if an organic product is produced or processed overseas, the product sample can be tested by a local testing agency. Site inspection requirements have also been simplified.
Certification:
United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agriculture Service UNOFFICIAL translation of certification rules .pdf (2012) Another revision of the organic product certification system is in process.
There are local and foreign certifiers available.
Two major Chinese certifying organizations: China Organic Food Certification Center (COFCC) and Organic Food Development Center (OFDC).
There are numerous third-party certification services located in China that certify to the China Organic Standards including the following public control authorities:
Fangyuan Organic Food Certification Center (FOFCC)
China Quality Mark Certification Group (CQM)
As of June 2022, there are 104 authorized certification bodies qualified to process applications domestically.
Joint-venture or foreign certification bodies are:
Agricert https://agricert.pt/en/certificacao/organic_china
EcoCert https://www.ecocert.com/en/certification-detail/organic-farming-china-gb-t19630-2019
Australia Certification Ltd. https://www.aco.net.au/Pages/Operators/ChinaStandards.aspx
NASAA Organic https://ncocertifiedorganic.com.au/organic-export-requirements/organic-certification-for-china/
SRS https://srs-certification.com/certserv/org-2/
Accreditation Method:
Government
Accreditation:
State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) (beginning Novermber 2022)
Certification and Accreditation Administration of China (CNCA)
CNCA Organic Product Certification Catalogue - 2019 (this is not a government web page but a retails source for the catalogue.)
China does not allow foreign assessment bodies, such as USDA, to accredit certifiers.