Export inspection and phytosanitary certification

Export inspection and phytosanitary certification

Subject: Economy

Section: External sector

Context:

Though Egypt has included India among the list of nations it buys wheat from, exporters are worried that Cairo’s sanitary and phytosanitary measures, fixed in 2019, could be a big impediment to the shipments.

Details:

The phytosanitary conditions are country-specific requirements and compliance is a must.

Getting the phytosanitary certificates (PSC) from the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) is a normal procedure and NPPO does the needful work if exporters send their products based on the quality requirements of the importing nations.

Export inspection and phytosanitary certification:

A phyto certificate is an official document that is generated from the exporting country’s Department of horticulture, agriculture, food or water resources.  It can only be issued by an authorized officer from a government department that is authorized by a National Plant Protection Agency (NPPO).  The agency is in force to protect the threat of spreading pests, contamination or diseases into the country of import.

Export inspection and phytosanitary certification of plants and plant products is carried out in accordance with article IV of International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) to meet the legal obligations of the member countries.

Issue of Certificate– Such certificates are issued after careful inspection and treatment of plants and plant products by technically qualified and duly authorized officers at the country of export and shall include additional declarations as may be required by the importing country and also particulars of treatment, if any given by the duly authorized officer. Accordingly, inspecting & certifying authorities are notified by the Ministry of Agriculture for undertaking export inspection and phytosanitary certification.

Laws- The Phytosanitary issuing authority may refer to the Export-Import Policy as well as provisions of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild flora and fauna) for the detailed list of prohibited/ restricted plant species.

The phytosanitary certificate is issued as per the requirements of the importing country duly reflected in the contract or the permit issued by the importing country.