The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has announced that Taiwan is ready to accept more Canadian fresh apples, extending permission to Québec and the Atlantic provinces. Due to the high level of interest, registration to export apples to Taiwan will be open to all producers (orchards) and packing houses in those regions. In addition, the number of shipments per province will not be limited.

Registration with the CFIA will be available beginning April 1, 2025. Growers are asked to contact their local CFIA office on or after this date to begin the registration process. Please note, producer (orchard) registrations will not be accepted after apple trees have reached full bloom as codling moth (Cydia pomonella)traps are required to be placed in orchards before full bloom. Registered orchards will need to meet several specific requirements, including keeping trapping and treatment records.

Packing house registrations should be submitted prior to August 1 when CFIA is required to provide the list of packing houses to Taiwan’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA), a minimum of two months prior to the export season. Registered packing houses can only source apples from registered orchards for exports to Taiwan. The packing house also needs to be able to segregate and store apples for export to Taiwan separately from apples sourced from non-registered orchards. All apples packed for export to Taiwan must be free from signs of pests.

Packing houses located in British Columbia and Ontario remain eligible to register with the CFIA to export fresh apples to Taiwan. Producers (orchards) located in Ontario will also need to register with the CFIA. Producers (orchards) located in British Columbia are not required to register with the CFIA as the province’s mandatory Sterile Insect Release program meets Taiwan's import requirements.

An on-site audit conducted by Taiwan will be required for all packing houses that have not registered to export apples to Taiwan in previous years and that have not been previously audited by Taiwan’s APHIA. Please note, that all costs associated with an audit (e.g., travel, accommodations, per-diem and other associated expenses for the APHIA representatives) will be the responsibility of the registered packing houses.

Taiwan's import requirements for apples from Canada are available online from Taiwan's APHIA.

Source:  British Columbia Fruit Growers’ Association March 14, 2025 newsletter