A phytosanitary certificate (PSC) is a legal document that gives importing countries the necessary assurance that consignments of plants and plant products meet required health standards. The terms of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) require that phytosanitary certificates must be issued by the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) of the country where the product is grown or processed.
The certificate demonstrates that the product has been inspected and signed off by the proper authorities. It also indicates that any certificated items are free from pests and disease and meet the plant health requirements of the destination country. This process allows each country to keep tight control of what commodities enter and to limit the spread of pests, diseases and prohibited plant products or species.
For cannabis seeds, a phytosanitary certificate is necessary whenever you transport them from one country to another. The seeds must be inspected and the certificate issued by the NPPO of the origin country. Then, the completed certificate must be checked and accepted in the destination country.
Phytosanitary certification is necessary when importing seeds into any country, even within the EU. There may be slightly different procedures and requirements during the certification process depending on the destination.
Products Requiring a Phytosanitary Certificate
Most countries require phytosanitary certificates for the import or export of all regulated plants and plant products. According to guidance issued in the UK by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), you may need to apply for a phytosanitary certificate if you plan to export any of the following:
- plants
- plant products
- fruit
- vegetables
- cut flowers
- seeds
- grain
- bulbs
- potatoes
- machinery or vehicles which have been operated for agricultural or forestry purposes
- wood and wood products
If you’re planning on exporting plants or plant products to another country you should check if the destination country requires a phytosanitary certificate by contacting that country’s plant health authority. You can find a list of the necessary authorities and their contact details on the International Plant Protection Convention website.
At CannaEx Trades the main products that we are involved in applying for phytosanitary certificates are cannabis seeds (international product code HS 1207 9991 and hemp seeds (international product code HS 1207 9990). Phytosanitary certificates are required for the import and export of cannabis seeds, hemp seeds, cannabis flowers, hemp flowers and other related products.
How Do I Get a Phytosanitary Certificate?
To get a phytosanitary certificate you must first register as a professional operator with the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) of the country you wish to import from. Most countries will allow you to do this as a company or as a sole trader.
Some NPPOs include:
| Australia | Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry |
| Canada | Canadian Food Inspection Agency |
| Columbia | Colombian Agricultural Institute |
| Europe | Each member state has its own NPPO. |
| South Africa | National Plant Protection Organisation of South Africa (NPPOZA) |
| Thailand | National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS) |
| The United Kingdom | Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) |
| The United States of America | The Plant Protection and Quarantine program (PPQ) |
| Uruguay | Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fishing |
The process of getting a phytosanitary certificate varies from country to country but will likely include these steps:
- The company or individual must register with the NPPO as a professional operator.
- Then they need to fill in the phytosanitary certificate application form. It’s usually available online and can be obtained from the originating country’s government website.
- A representative of the NPPO may visit the company premises to conduct an inspection and to check the consignment matches the details provided in the application.
- The consignment will likely then be sent for testing to screen for any pests or diseases (see “Testing for Diseases”) as stipulated by the destination country.
- The NPPO will then complete the paperwork and issue the certificate.
How long it takes to get a phytosanitary certificate depends on the type of product and the types of testing or inspections that may be required. However, all NPPOs try to respond quickly and complete the process from application to issue in anywhere from 10 days to one month.
Testing for Diseases
We have the capability to test for nearly all known pathogens, though these are the most common ones we deal with:
- Pseudomonas syringae pv. Cannabina
- Xanthomonas campestris pv. Cannabis
- Ditylenchus dipsaci
- Arabis mosaic virus
- Alfalfa mosaic virus
- Orobanche ramosa
- Cuscuta spp.
- Striga spp.
- Ditylenchus dipsaci
- Pseudomonas Cannabina PV. Cannabina.
- Fusarium Oxysporum F. SP. Cannabis.
- Trogoderma ( Whether Live, Dead or Exuviae )
- Insect Pests.
How Much Does a Phytosanitary Certificate Cost?
The cost of a phytosanitary certificate will vary depending on the size of the shipment, the number of samples required and the requirements of the origin and destination countries. To get your cannabis or hemp seeds certified in most countries you’ll need to pay for an inspection, lab tests and the certificate itself. CannaEx Trades will provide bespoke pricing according to your needs so reach out If you would like to know more.
Making Cannabis Seed Certification Easy
The phytosanitary certification process for cannabis and hemp seeds can be lengthy and challenging. If you’re looking to import or export cannabis or hemp seeds, an excellent way to make the process easier is to work with a partner like CannaEx Trades. To find out more about the phytosanitary cannabis seed certification process and how CannaEx Trades can assist you with it, you can visit our Phytosanitary Certificate information page.
CannaEx Trades has decades of experience arranging the successful transportation of cannabis seeds, hemp seeds and related products. As the first UK cannabis industry organization to be registered to apply for phytosanitary certificates, they can interact with the relevant NPPO on your behalf. This will significantly streamline and speed up the process.
As a CannaEx Trades client, you can expect them to arrange the certification process for you, from logging into the NPPO website and filling in the necessary seed sampling information to arranging site inspections, seed collection and lab testing.
With experts on hand to check the paperwork and support you at every stage, with CannaEx Trades you’ll get your seeds fully authorized and ready for transport with minimal hassle.
