Ningbo Customs confirms successful export of 30 boxes of Shine Muscat grapes, said to be first such shipment from Zhejiang
The first ever shipment of grapes from east Chinese province Zhejiang to Belgium has been dispatched, according to the state-owned China News Service, citing Ningbo Customs.
According to the agency, the 150kg consignment consisted of 30 boxes of Shine Muscat from Cixi City, Ningbo.
It was officially exported to Belgium on 10 September after clearing customs inspection, it added.
It said Cixi Customs provided guidance on EU quarantine requirements and pesticide residue limits, carried out advance risk monitoring, and helped the fruit’s growers to meet relevant standards.
Given the product’s short shelf-life, it added, customs had opened a green channel for locally inspected fresh and perishable agricultural products, offering priority and appointment-based inspections to minimise clearance time.
“The customs assistance not only ensured that the grapes could reach overseas customers at their best quality, but also gave customers greater confidence in the stability of our supply, laying a solid foundation for long-term cooperation,” said Wu Kaibo, head of Cixi Kandun Guoqing Fruit and Vegetable Farm, which supplied the fruit.
Guoqing Farm reportedly obtained export certifications for both its orchard and packhouse in 2024, before making its first overseas shipments to Singapore and Malaysia.
According to CNS, from January to August this year, Cixi Customs oversaw the export of 19.6 tonnes of fresh grapes, valued at Yn273,000 (about US$40,400).
