Portugal fresh pears granted entry, but only after cold treatment
Published Sep 24, 2025
Tridge summary
Rocha is the main variety of pears exported from Portugal, and Portugal is also the largest producer of Rocha pears in Europe. In 2024, members of the Rocha Pear Producers Association (ANP), representing about 90% of the national production, harvested approximately 115,000 tons of pears, an increase of 5.7% from 2023, but only half of the peak production in 2021. Nearly 60% of Portugal's Rocha pears are exported, mainly to Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Brazil, and Morocco, with Brazil accounting for more than 1/4 of the total exports.
Pears granted access must come from pear-producing areas on the Portuguese mainland (excluding the Azores and Madeira Islands). The pear orchards, packaging factories, and cold treatment facilities in Portugal must be audited by the Portuguese side and approved and registered by the Chinese side. Before each export season, Portugal must provide China with a registration list, which will be published on the General Administration of Customs website after review and approval by China.
The quarantine pests of concern to China include 18 species such as pear root aphid, Mediterranean fruit fly, fig wax scale, apple codling moth, and Pseudococcus comstocki. For Mediterranean fruit fly and apple codling moth, management plans have been formulated for orchards in non-epidemic areas or where effective control measures have been systematically implemented. Monitoring and control plans have also been formulated for pear leaf beetle, lilac downy mildew, and pear fire blight.
During the processing and packaging process, pears must undergo picking, grading, washing, and other processes to remove diseased, infested, rotten, deformed fruits, branches, leaves, or other plant residues and soil. Effective measures such as high-pressure air guns or water guns for spraying and brushing are used to clean the surface of the fruit to effectively remove scale insects, insect eggs, and pathogenic spores. If necessary, sterilization treatment for lilac downy mildew is carried out in the packaging factory.
Pears from Mediterranean fruit fly epidemic areas must undergo cold treatment in Portugal or under the supervision of authorized Portuguese officials, following cold treatment procedures. The cold treatment indicators must meet one of the following conditions: fruit core temperature of 1.11°C or below for at least 14 consecutive days; fruit core temperature of 1.67°C or below for at least 16 consecutive days; or fruit core temperature of 2.22°C or below for at least 18 consecutive days.
Pears granted access must come from pear-producing areas on the Portuguese mainland (excluding the Azores and Madeira Islands). The pear orchards, packaging factories, and cold treatment facilities in Portugal must be audited by the Portuguese side and approved and registered by the Chinese side. Before each export season, Portugal must provide China with a registration list, which will be published on the General Administration of Customs website after review and approval by China.
The quarantine pests of concern to China include 18 species such as pear root aphid, Mediterranean fruit fly, fig wax scale, apple codling moth, and Pseudococcus comstocki. For Mediterranean fruit fly and apple codling moth, management plans have been formulated for orchards in non-epidemic areas or where effective control measures have been systematically implemented. Monitoring and control plans have also been formulated for pear leaf beetle, lilac downy mildew, and pear fire blight.
During the processing and packaging process, pears must undergo picking, grading, washing, and other processes to remove diseased, infested, rotten, deformed fruits, branches, leaves, or other plant residues and soil. Effective measures such as high-pressure air guns or water guns for spraying and brushing are used to clean the surface of the fruit to effectively remove scale insects, insect eggs, and pathogenic spores. If necessary, sterilization treatment for lilac downy mildew is carried out in the packaging factory.
Pears from Mediterranean fruit fly epidemic areas must undergo cold treatment in Portugal or under the supervision of authorized Portuguese officials, following cold treatment procedures. The cold treatment indicators must meet one of the following conditions: fruit core temperature of 1.11°C or below for at least 14 consecutive days; fruit core temperature of 1.67°C or below for at least 16 consecutive days; or fruit core temperature of 2.22°C or below for at least 18 consecutive days.
Original content
Rocha is the main variety of pears exported from Portugal, and Portugal is also the largest producer of Rocha pears in Europe. In 2024, members of the Rocha Pear Producers Association (ANP), which represents about 90% of the national production, harvested approximately 115,000 tons of pears, an increase of 5.7% compared to 2023, but only half of the peak production in 2021. Nearly 60% of Portugal's Rocha pears are exported, mainly to Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Brazil, and Morocco, with Brazil accounting for more than 1/4 of the total exports. Pears granted access must come from pear-producing areas on the Portuguese mainland (excluding the Azores and Madeira Islands). The pear orchards, packaging factories, and cold treatment facilities in Portugal must be audited by the Portuguese side and approved and registered by the Chinese side. Before each export season, Portugal must provide China with a registration list, which will be published on the General ...
Source: Foodmate
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