Chinese Embassy clarifies on organic fertiliser of Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group

It has been noticed that recently there are several news reports and statements in Sri Lanka claiming that the organic fertiliser to be imported from China contains harmful bacteria. In this regard, the Embassy of China in Sri Lanka contacted the product supplier, Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co., Ltd. to examine the said issue, and found out that these reports and statements, which have already harmed the reputation of the company in question, directly contradict the facts. The Embassy would like to clarify as follows:

Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co., Ltd. (Seawin), is a high-tech enterprise focusing in the production of new-type seaweed organic fertiliser, founded in 2000 with a registered capital of 132 million RMB (approximately Rs. 4.1 billion). Its products, which have passed the EU ECOCERT Organic Certification, OMRI Certification, REACH Certification, and Australian Organic Input Certification, etc., have been exported to more than 50 countries and regions in the world, including Europe and the United States. It also set up oversea branch companies in the US and Australia.

Seawin was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture of Sri Lanka through open tender to supply the urgently needed organic fertiliser.

The company has undertaken obligations strictly in accordance with the signed contract. In their production process, the organic fertiliser must be sterilised at 600 ℃, thus all harmful microorganisms are killed by the high temperature, which is in line with the standards required in the bidding documents, the contract, the letters of credit as well as the widely accepted international standards for organic fertilisers. In the process of enforcing the contract, however, the Sri Lanka National Plant Quarantine Services (NPQS) claimed that the sample received contained harmful bacteria including Erwinia, after only three days of test and analysis, which lead to the above-mentioned news reports. It is noted that, according to the International Plant Protection Convention, it will take at least six days to detect Erwinia. The hasty conclusion made by NPQS is lack of scientific basis. As such, the decision made by the authorities to reject Seawin’s organic fertiliser based on the NPQS report is not only questionable but also causing great financial loss to the company.

Therefore, the Embassy hopes that the related parties in Sri Lankan side and the Chinese company could coordinate on the principles of respecting science and facts and the spirit of contract with the view to resolving this issue promptly, and address differences through dialogue in good faith for the mutual benefits of the China-Sri Lanka cooperation.