With the help of Zhanjiang Customs, exports of characteristic agricultural products in west Guangdong province have seen great growth this year.

From January to July, Zhanjiang and Maoming in west Guangdong, which are within the jurisdiction of Zhanjiang Customs, exported a total of 10,500 batches of characteristic agricultural products, a year-on-year increase of 21.07 percent.

The total value of the exported agricultural products reached more than 2.4 billion yuan ($345.54 million), up 2.3 percent from the same period of the previous year.

Officials of Zhanjiang Customs conduct on-site inspections of dragon fruits. [Photo/gdzjdaily.com.cn]

To reduce the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on export enterprises, Zhanjiang Customs launched 21 measures to assist enterprises' work and production resumption, as well as to boost the exports of the characteristic agricultural products of Zhanjiang and Maoming.

As early as the beginning of this year, the customs conducted online research to learn about how enterprises involved in agricultural product exports were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and their export intentions.

The customs assigned special experts to guide enterprises with export intentions in improving their quality management systems. It also optimized the registration process, conducting checks to application materials submitted online by enterprises as quickly as possible.

In the first seven months of this year, there were 22 newly established agricultural product export enterprises in the jurisdiction area of Zhanjiang Customs, with the total number amounting to more than 160.

For fresh agricultural products like live fish and lychees, the customs has opened "green channels" to conduct inspection in advance and allow these products to undergo faster customs clearance.

According to a relevant person in charge of Zhanjiang Customs, the customs will further strengthen supervision and improve its services to support the export of more agricultural products with local characteristics in the future, creating jobs for farmers and increasing their incomes.