The shipment left Ningbo on 10 September and consisted of 30 boxes of Shine Muscat grapes, with a total weight of 150 kg.
The fruit was produced by Cixi Kandun Guoqing Fruit and Vegetable Farm, located in Cixi, in the Ningbo area. The business had already obtained the necessary orchard and packing certifications in 2024 to export to markets such as Singapore and Malaysia.
Although the shipment was relatively small, it is significant as it marks the entry of these grapes into a market with strict sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.
Specific controls for EU access
Cixi Customs worked closely with the grower during the process of adapting to EU requirements.
This included preventive monitoring of phytosanitary risks and checks to ensure compliance with the European Union’s maximum residue limits for plant protection products.
The aim was to ensure that the shipment met all necessary requirements before beginning its journey to Belgium.
A ‘green channel’ to preserve freshness
Given the perishable nature of table grapes and the need to minimise the time between harvest and shipment, customs authorities introduced a “green channel” for fresh agricultural products.
The system enabled inspections to be prioritised and scheduled in advance, reducing administrative delays and allowing the fruit to leave more quickly.
RELATED NEWS: Agricultural robots cut manual grape harvest work by over 70% in China
Wu Kaibo, head of the producing farm, said the support not only helped preserve fruit quality throughout the export process, but also strengthened overseas customers’ confidence in the reliability of supply.
Exports from Cixi continue to grow
The Belgian shipment comes against a backdrop of expanding overseas sales of table grapes from the area.
Between January and August 2026, Cixi Customs handled exports of 19.6 tonnes of fresh grapes, worth around CNY 273,000, equivalent to approximately US$40,400.
Belgium now becomes an additional destination for a production area looking to expand its presence beyond Asia, with Shine Muscat among its higher-value commercial varieties.
