(Yicai Global) Nov. 22 -- Chinese authorities at entry ports across the country have intercepted 27,031 batches, or 93,200 kilograms, of illegally imported plant seeds and sprouts so far this year, up 31.79 percent and 21.35 percent on the year, respectively. They also discovered some 23,399 batches of harmful organisms, 10.12 percent more than in 2016.

Li Jing, spokesperson for the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), announced the figures at a press briefing in Shenzhen, held to introduce the 'Green Bud III' action plan.

The AQSIQ introduced Green Bud in 2015 to reduce the number of plant seeds and sprouts entering the country either with a carrier or via mail. Illegal plant entries cost the country some CNY100 billion (USD15.11 billion) a year, data from the 19th International Botanical Congress shows.

From Amazonian snails to dodder seeds, alien organisms can severely damage China's ecological environment and agriculture.

"With the development of China's transport and cross-border e-commerce sectors, the number of cross-border packages being sent has increased dramatically, making it easier for outside organisms to enter the country" Huang Xiusheng, director of the AQSIQ's department of supervision on animal and plant quarantine, said at the press conference. "So far, our Green Bud action plan has seen competent entities destroy seeds and sprouts intercepted under the program."

As well as via courier, many people are attempting to carry seeds into China on their person. Nowadays, many people are aware of the ban on carrying plant seeds into China, but some lawbreakers choose to try anyway, Shi Lu, an official at Shenzhen Huanggang Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, told Yicai Global in an interview.

This year, Huanggang authorities intercepted 500 kilograms of Korean potatoes being illegally carried into China. "We blacklist these law-breaking tourists, so if they turn up again, we can identify them," Shi added.