China lifts ban on wet pet food imports of avian origin

Avian-related epidemics will not affect wet pet food exported into China if they are commercially sterilized.

On February 7, 2022, the General Administration of Customs, P.R. China, announced that exported canned pet compound food (wet food), exported pet snacks and other commercially sterilized canned pet food of avian origin will not be affected by avian-related epidemics and will be allowed to be exported to China.

This change applies to such exported pet food products going forward. So far, 19 countries have been approved to export finished pet food products or raw materials to China: Netherlands, France, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Italy, U.S., Canada, Brazil, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, Austria, Spain, Thailand, Philippines, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Change for pet snacks imported into China

In addition to the new policy for avian-origin wet pet food, exported pet snacks do not need to apply for the registered license issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

The official statement from General Administration of Customs, P.R. China, on the new avian-origin policy reads: 

Animal derived raw materials of specific products are subject to dynamic restrictions in the list of prohibited animals and their products sourcing from countries and regions where animal epidemics are prevalent (except for commercially sterilized canned pet food of avian origin).

Further, regarding commercial sterilization, the administration specified:

After moderate sterilization, canned food does not contain pathogenic microorganisms or non pathogenic microorganisms that can reproduce in it at normal temperature. Such condition is called commercial sterility.