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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
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24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref: TID TS 45/1

17 December 2015

Dear Sirs,

Mainland Cereals and Grain Flour Registration Circular No. 4/2015

2016 Registration as Local Importers of Mainland Cereals and Grain Flour

Introduction

This circular informs the trade that the Mainland of China (the Mainland) will continue the export administration measures for cereals and grain flour in 2016; and the details of the Registration as Local Importers of Mainland Cereals and Grain Flour (the Registration) operated by the Trade and Industry Department (the Department).

Details

2.Since early 2008, the Mainland has implemented export administration measures for cereals and grain flour, including wheat flour, rice flour and rice. According to our liaison with the Mainland authorities, its export quota administration for the supply of wheat flour, rice flour and rice to Hong Kong will be maintained in 2016. The Mainland will also continue to require that the relevant exports should only be supplied for local consumption purpose in Hong Kong and not for re-export.

3. To complement the Mainland's export administration measures, the Department will continue to implement a registration for local importers of Mainland wheat flour, rice flour and rice. Local companies/registered businesses intending to import the afore-mentioned cereals and grain flour from the Mainland (product list at Annex I) (pdf format) should apply to the Department for registration as a local importer of Mainland cereals and grain flour (Registered Importer).

4. In accordance with the agreement between the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Mainland authorities, Mainland enterprises allocated with the export quotas of wheat flour, rice flour and rice for supply to Hong Kong shall present the contracts signed with the Registered Importers of Hong Kong or related proofs in applying to the Mainland authorities for export licences to cover the products concerned.

5. Trading of Mainland cereals and grain flour being commercial activities, there is no guarantee that a Registered Importer will obtain any quantity of wheat flour, rice flour and rice at any price from the Mainland enterprises.

Registration Conditions

6. Applicants for registration as a Registered Importer of Mainland wheat flour and rice flour should meet the following conditions:

  1. carry on a business registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap 310); and
  2. have engaged in the import business of wheat flour and rice flour from the Mainland during 2007 – 2015.


7. Applicants for registration as a Registered Importer of Mainland rice should meet the following conditions:

  1. registered as a Rice Stockholder under the Rice Control Scheme in accordance with the Reserved Commodities Ordinance (Cap 296); and
  2. have engaged in the import business of rice during 2007 – 2015.

Application Procedures

8.Applicants should submit the duly completed application form at Annex II (pdf format) together with the required supporting documents either in person or by post to the Registration Unit for Local Importers of Mainland Cereals and Grain Flour at the Textiles Trader Registration Office. The address is 14/F, Trade and Industry Tower, 3 Concorde Road, Kowloon City, Hong Kong. Where necessary, the Department may request the applicant to provide additional information and supporting documents. The Department will inform the applicants of the results of their application within 4 working days following receipt of the duly completed application and all necessary supporting documents. The registration is free of charge at present.

Registration Certificate and Validity Period

9. Upon verification by the Department, an applicant who meets the registration conditions will be issued with a Certificate valid up to 31 December 2016 to confirm its Registered Importer status in the category(ies) of Mainland cereals and grain flour concerned. The Department will publish a Register of all Registered Importers through its website (http://www.tid.gov.hk).

10. If the Mainland is to continue with its export administration measures for cereals and grain flour in the subsequent year, the Department will notify Registered Importers of the renewal arrangements before expiry of the Certificate. Renewal will be arranged only if Registered Importers remain in conformity with the registration conditions mentioned in paragraphs 6 and 7 above. They should continue to abide by the obligations and undertakings of the Registration mentioned in paragraphs 11 and 12 below.

Obligations and Undertakings

11. For wheat flour and rice flour, Registered Importers should report the monthly import quantities from the Mainland in the preceding month on or before the 15th day of every month on the proforma designated by the Department. As to rice, where necessary, Registered Importers should report the import quantities from the Mainland regularly as required by the Department.

12. All Registered Importers should also give consent to the disclosure of relevant information by the HKSAR Government to the Mainland authorities. Such information will only be used for the purposes relating to the Mainland export administration measures for cereals and grain flour and the Registration.

13. Moreover, a Registered Importer should also undertake:

  1. that all the wheat flour, rice flour and rice imported from the Mainland shall not be re-exported;
  2. to maintain accurate and up-to-date records of purchase, storage and sales. If the wheat flour, rice flour and rice are imported from multiple places of origin, stock records should be kept properly to ensure clear differentiation of all the wheat flour, rice flour and rice imported from the Mainland;
  3. to agree, under reasonable circumstances, to provide relevant officers of the HKSAR Government with information relating to item (ii) above and to give consent that the HKSAR Government may disclose the relevant information to the Mainland authorities. Such information will only be used for the purposes relating to the Mainland export administration measures for cereals and grain flour and the Registration;
  4. to permit relevant officers of the HKSAR Government, under reasonable circumstances, to enter its business and storage premises for the purposes of inspection and verification of information relating to item (ii) above; and
  5. to take all reasonable and practicable measures in ensuring that the wheat flour, rice flour and rice imported from the Mainland are supplied to Hong Kong customers for local consumption only.

14. If any of the above undertakings is breached without reasonable explanations in writing, the Department may cancel the registration and revoke the Certificate(s) issued. The Department will also remove the company from the Register.

Review

15. The Department will review the Registration and the implementation details from time to time in light of the latest development of the Mainland export administration measures for cereals and grain flour, and will inform the trade of any adjustment in advance.

Enquiry

16. For details of the Mainland export administration measures for cereals and grain flour and the Registration, please visit the Department's website (http://www.tid.gov.hk/english/import_export/nontextiles/nt_flour/mainland_grain_flour.html).

17. For any questions, please contact us at:

Tel. : 2398 5733
Fax. : 2309 7744
E-mail : enquiry@tid.gov.hk
 

Yours faithfully,




(Ms. Sophie WONG)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry