Directorate: Plant Health and Quality

To:      ALL EXPORTERS OF PLANTS (INCLUDING PROPAGATION MATERIAL) AND PLANT PRODUCTS

PURPOSE OF PHYTOSANITARY CERTIFICATION 

There is confusion with certain exporters regarding the purpose of Phytosanitary certification. 

The Directorate Plant Health and Quality as the official Plant Protection Organization in the RSA must ensure that we (RSA) comply with all international Phytosanitary standards with regard to Phytosanitary certification. The aims of these standards are inter alia to prevent the spread of pests and diseases of plants and plant products. 

In terms of the rules of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) each contracting party has sovereign authority to prescribe Phytosanitary measures concerning the importation of plants and plant products and other regulated articles into its territory. This however must be done in accordance with applicable international agreements. 

Each contracting party must make arrangements for Phytosanitary certification with the objective of ensuring that exported plants, plant products and other regulated articles are in conformity with the Phytosanitary requirments of the importing country. 

Contracting parties shall not take any Phytosanitary measures unless such measures are made necessary by Phytosanitary considerations and are technically justified. 

South Africa as a contracting party of the IPPC must ensure that we adhere to these measures. 

Exporters have the obligation to obtain, via their clients, the official Phytosanitary requirments of the importing country.  

These together with applications for Phytosanitary certifications must be presented to the relevant office of the Directorate in time for the necessary certification. Certification may inter alia include field inspections, sampling, laboratory analysis, treatments (under supervision or by registered persons) and always final inspection and certification. 

After final inspection and certification consignments must be exported within 14 days to ensure the Phytosanitary security of the consignment with regards to composition, substitution and reinfestation. 

Please take note that Phytosanitary certificates will not be issued unless the Phytosanitary requirements of the importing country are known. These requirements are inter alia conveyed by means of official permits, letters, work programmes, directives, etc. 

For any further information please contact this office.