PHYTOSANITARY CERTIFICATE

Practitioner's Guide and Process Reference

This guide covers the Phytosanitary Certificate — a mandatory document for the export of plants, plant products, and regulated articles from India to the EU and other countries. It is issued by the Plant Quarantine authority in India and certifies that the consignment meets the phytosanitary import requirements of the destination country.

Part 1 — What Is a Phytosanitary Certificate?

A Phytosanitary Certificate (PC) is an official document issued by the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) of the exporting country — in India, this is the Plant Quarantine Division under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, administered through the Plant Quarantine Stations (PQS) at ports, airports, and inland container depots across India.

The Phytosanitary Certificate certifies that:

The consignment of plants or plant products described therein has been inspected and/or tested by an authorised plant quarantine officer.

The consignment is considered to be free from quarantine pests of the importing country and substantially free from other injurious pests.

The consignment conforms with the phytosanitary import requirements of the importing country.

Without a valid Phytosanitary Certificate, plant products will be refused entry at the EU port of entry or subjected to mandatory inspection with significant delays and potential destruction of the consignment. The cost of a missing or incorrect Phytosanitary Certificate can far exceed the cost of the goods.

Part 2 — Which Products Require a Phytosanitary Certificate?

A Phytosanitary Certificate is required for the export of:

Fresh fruits and vegetables (all categories)

Dried fruits, nuts, and seeds (most categories)

Cereals, pulses, and grain products (where not fully processed)

Spices in whole or ground form (subject to pest risk)

Cut flowers, fresh herbs, and ornamental plants

Live plants, plant cuttings, and propagating material

Timber, sawn wood, and wood packaging material (subject to ISPM-15)

Plant extracts that retain plant material (case-by-case)

Soil, growing media containing plant material

Fully processed products (e.g. refined oils, canned foods, concentrates where pests cannot survive) may be exempt. Always verify with the Plant Quarantine Station and the EU's TRACES NT system whether a PC is required for your specific product and HS code.

2.1 EU-Specific Requirements

From 14 December 2019, the EU applies Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 on plant health. Under this regulation:

All plants for planting, most fruit and vegetables, and cut flowers imported into the EU from third countries require a Phytosanitary Certificate.

Certain high-priority products require prior notification in TRACES NT (Trade Control and Expert System — New Technology) before arrival at the EU border inspection post.

EU Border Inspection Posts (BIPs) conduct physical and documentary checks on regulated plant products. The rate of checks varies by commodity and risk level.

If a consignment is found to be non-compliant, the EU authorities may impose official measures including treatment, destruction, or re-export at the importer's cost.

Part 3 — Who Issues the Phytosanitary Certificate in India?

In India, Phytosanitary Certificates are issued exclusively by the Plant Quarantine Stations (PQS) under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order 2003 (as amended). Key issuing authorities include:

Part 4 — Step-by-Step Process for Obtaining a Phytosanitary Certificate

Determine whether your product requires a Phytosanitary Certificate by checking the EU's plant health import requirements for your product's HS code and country of origin on the EU TRACES system or consulting the Plant Quarantine Station.

Register on the PQIMS (Plant Quarantine Information Management System) portal at pqmas.dacnet.nic.in. This online portal is used for filing phytosanitary certificate applications.

File the application for inspection on PQIMS, providing: exporter details; consignee details; product description and HS code; quantity and packaging; port of export; country of destination; invoice and packing list details; and any specific import conditions of the destination country.

Pay the prescribed inspection fee online through the PQIMS portal.

The Plant Quarantine Officer (PQO) will schedule an inspection of the consignment. Ensure the goods are made available for inspection before stuffing into the container or before delivery to the air cargo terminal.

The PQO inspects the consignment — physically examining the goods for pest infestation, disease, and compliance with the Specification. Samples may be taken for laboratory testing (phytosanitary testing can take _____ to _____ working days depending on the commodity).

If the consignment passes inspection, the PQO issues the Phytosanitary Certificate on the PQIMS system. The certificate is downloadable and printable from the portal.

If the consignment fails inspection, the PQO will: (a) order treatment (fumigation, heat treatment, irradiation — where applicable and accepted by the destination country); (b) order destruction or disposal of non-compliant material; or (c) refuse to issue the certificate.

The issued Phytosanitary Certificate must accompany the consignment and be presented to the EU Border Inspection Post upon arrival.

For EU imports, pre-notify arrival in TRACES NT at least one working day before arrival at the BIP (or as specified by the BIP for the specific commodity).

Part 5 — Key Fields on the Phytosanitary Certificate

Part 6 — Common Issues and How to Avoid Them

Applying too late: The Phytosanitary Certificate application must be made before the goods are packed into the container. Allow at least 5–10 working days before the vessel cut-off, or longer for products requiring laboratory testing.

Additional declaration missing: The EU specifies in its plant health import conditions certain additional declarations that must appear on the PC. Check the EU Plant Health Portal for your specific product and include all required additional declarations in the application.

Certificate issued after shipment date: The PC must be issued before or on the date of shipment. A PC issued after the goods have already sailed is invalid.

Description mismatch: The description on the PC must match the commercial invoice. Any variation (e.g. botanical name vs. common name discrepancy) can lead to delays at the EU BIP.

Treatment not accepted: Some EU countries do not accept certain fumigation chemicals (e.g. methyl bromide is restricted in the EU). Confirm acceptable treatments with the EU importer and the BIP before ordering treatment.

TRACES pre-notification not filed: EU regulations require pre-notification through TRACES NT before the consignment arrives at the BIP. Failure to notify leads to automatic delays and potential rejection.

Certificate damaged or illegible: The original PC must be presented at the BIP. A photocopy is not accepted. Keep the original secure during shipment.

Part 7 — ISPM-15 and Wood Packaging Material

All wood packaging material (pallets, crates, dunnage, cable reels) used in international shipments — including shipments to the EU — must comply with ISPM-15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15). Compliant packaging must bear the IPPC mark showing: the country code (IN for India); the producer/treatment provider number; the treatment method (HT for heat treatment, MB for methyl bromide); and the IPPC symbol. The EU BIP will check ISPM-15 compliance. Non-compliant wood packaging can result in the entire consignment being held, treated at the importer's cost, or refused entry.

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