Plant products or products of plant origin

I-INTRODUCTION

The importation of plant products or products of plant origin, the list of which is available at the end of this document, is governed by Decree n°63-457 of November 7, 1963 fixing the modalities of introduction and exportation of plants, plant products and other regulated articles likely to convey harmful organisms dangerous for crops.

The importation of plant products or products of plant origin is also subject to the issuance of a Preliminary Import Authorization (API) by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development – Annex A of Decree n°93-313 of 11 March 1993

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Abidjan – Plateau – Caistab Building, 24th and 25th floors

01 BP 12243 Abidjan 01, Côte d’Ivoire

Tel: (+225) 20 21 43 03

Website: http://www.agriculture.gouv.ci

Email : minagri.cabinet@agriculture.gouv.ci / cabminagri@yahoo.fr

 

II-AUTHORIZATION TO IMPORT

In order to guarantee that the plant products or products of plant origin imported into Côte d’Ivoire respect the phytosanitary requirements defined by the regulations and conventions in force, it is necessary to obtain a Preliminary Import Authorization (API) from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development under the conditions specified below to be authorized to import these products into the country.

 

In addition, it is reminded that any import into Côte d’Ivoire is subject to the obligation, for individuals as well as for legal entities, to have an importer/exporter code (professional or occasional) – (Cf. General Import Procedures tab on the site)

 

III-DOCUMENTS

1. Import Declaration Form (IDF)

The Import Declaration Form (FDI) – See Example of FDI – is mandatory if the FOB value of the goods is higher than Five hundred (500,000) FCFA

The FDI is established online via the transactional site of the Guichet Unique du Commerce Extérieur (GUCE). It is reminded that access to the site requires prior registration as an importer, exporter or forwarder. It is necessary to start with the procedure of the Import Declaration Form (FDI) on the GUCE website. The documents and information to be provided are the following :

• Professional Importer Code (or Occasional Importer Code).
• Pro-forma or Final Invoice.
• Mode of transport.
• Name of the bank (in Côte d’Ivoire) of the importer (for the direct debit and obtaining the Exchange Authorization).
• HS Codes of the products to be imported.

 

For the importation of the products listed below, the FDI request will be validated after receipt of a validated Preliminary Import Authorization (API), endorsed and signed online by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development after receipt of the physical file from the forwarder or importer.

 

2. Preliminary Import Authorization (API)

The Pre-Import Authorization is required to finalize the Import Declaration Form (IDF) – see Example of IDF.

 

The Preliminary Import Authorization (API) – or Import Permit – is requested by the importer and issued prior to the importation of the products into Côte d’Ivoire by the Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, du Contrôle et de la Qualité of the Ministère de l’Agriculture et du Développement Rural. [Order 2007]

 

The request and the delivery of the API are carried out through the Electronic Portal of the GUCE. The procedure described below is provisional, pending a procedure that will become fully dematerialized through the GUCE Electronic Portal.

 

The API request is made from the outset, through the GUCE Electronic Portal by the importer (or the authorized forwarder):

The system automatically generates a request for Prior Import Authorization, which should be sent to the Directorate of Plant Protection, Control and Quality of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

 

The documents to be downloaded are the following:

• Pro-forma invoice.
• Nature of the product or any other document necessary for the verification (Certificate of Analysis, Packing List…).

Cost: Free of charge (centralized at the level of GUCE by Decree n°2016.296 and Inter-ministerial Order n°0005 MPMBE/MICOM/MSHP/MINADER on the regulation of Certificates and Authorizations in Foreign Trade).

 

The verification of the file is conducted by the agents of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the validation of the API is inserted in the GUCE system.

 

Validation time of the API by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development: 72 hours maximum

 

3. Cargo Tracking Form (CTF) procedure

For imports by sea, the exporter, the forwarder abroad and the importer must be registered in the BSC via the website of the Ivorian Shippers’ Office (OIC).

 

At embarkation

 

BSC Registration – (See General Import Procedures tab of the site) the required documents are :

 

– Final Invoice (or valued inventory for personal effects).

– Bill of Lading or Air Waybill or Consignment Note.

– Packing List.

– Customs Export Declaration of the country of shipment.

– The Certificate of Local Insurance in Côte d’Ivoire.

– The Import Declaration Form (IDF) – or its number.

– In addition, for imports from countries outside the European Union, are required:

– The Freight Invoice.

– The Certificate of Origin.

 

3. Certificate of Value

As soon as the goods are shipped and all transport documents for the goods are available (Final Commercial Invoice, Ocean Bill of Lading or Air Waybill, Packing List, Freight Invoice, copy of the FDI and all other available certificates), the freight forwarder must initiate a Request for Certificate of Value.

 

All goods whose FOB value is greater than or equal to One (1) million FCFA must obtain a Final Classification and Value Report (FCVR) from the Directorate of Risk Analysis, Intelligence and Value (DARRV) of the Customs, via the electronic platform of the GUCE – Cf. Customs Circular No. 2007 of 29 March 2019.

The authorized forwarder downloads and fills in the Notice of Deposit (AD).

He attaches the documents accompanying the goods (see list above) to the Notice of Deposit and uploads the whole file online on the GUCE platform.

The Customs Department of Risk, Intelligence and Value Analysis (DARRV) checks the shipping documents and delivers the Final Classification and Value Report by email to the consignee or the freight forwarder within 5 working days following the submission of the documents.

 

The freight forwarder fills out Form D41 – (Sampling Permit: This is an authorization given by the importer or freight forwarder to Customs to take a sample of the goods for the purpose of quality control or to visually assess the apparent condition of the goods) – and physically submits it with the shipping documents (see list above) to the Risk Analysis, Intelligence and Value Department (RAIVD) of Customs for verification

 

After examining the file, the DARRV issues the Certificate of Verification (AV).

 

Goods with an FOB value of less than one (1) million CFA francs and certain other products are exempt from the RFCV procedure (see the list of goods not subject to RFCV on the website www.douane.ci – see the General Import Procedures tab on the website).

 

4. Customs declaration

 

Upon arrival

 

The Customs Declaration must be made by a forwarder mandated by the importer and approved by Customs – See List of forwarders approved by Customs.

 

The forwarder enters the declaration in the Customs computer system – SYDAM (Sydonia World). The documents to be given to the forwarder to make the Customs declaration are the following:

 

• Bill of Lading for sea shipments, or Air Waybill (AWB) or Consignment Note.
• Original supplier’s invoice.
• Certificate of Insurance.
• Import Form (FDI) – via GUCE website.
• Freight Invoice.
• Final Classification and Value Report (FCVR) if the FOB value is at least equal to One (1) million FCFA or the Attestation of Value (AV) if the FOB value is less than One (1) million FCFA, or if the products are excluded from the FCVR procedure – See List of goods not subject to the FCVR on the websites www.douane.ci and www.webbfontaine.ci
• The Packing List.
• The Customs receipt if the method of payment of duties and taxes is cash.
• The Cargo Tracking Form (BSC) issued by the Ivorian Shippers’ Office.
• The UEMOA or ECOWAS Certificate of Origin if necessary.

 

5. Authorization of Removal

This authorization allows importers to remove their products from the port/airport for home inspection.

It is issued by the Phytosanitary Inspection Services of the Ports (Abidjan and San-Pedro) or of Abidjan Airport.

It concerns all plant products and products of plant origin (rice, wheat, potatoes, onions, garlic, fruits, fresh or dry vegetables, tobacco; cans, vegetable oils) and pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, nematodes, fungicides, etc.) – see ISPM 32 list.

Procedure for the issuance of the Authorization for Collection

 

Once the Customs Declaration has been made and the Request for Phytosanitary Control has been issued, a Removal Authorization (RA) – [See example RA] must be submitted to the Phytosanitary Inspection Services at the Port, Abidjan Airport or at the borders for the declared goods.

Time limit for issuing the AE: 1 hour maximum.

Period of validity of the AE: linked to the operation.

List of documents to be provided:

 

• Customs declaration.
• The Transport Title.
• Request for Phytosanitary Control issued by the importer or his forwarder.
• The Prior Authorization for Importation (API).
• Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the country of origin for the following products: unprocessed cereals, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, tobacco, seeds and planting materials, flowers and live plants.
• Certificate of Origin.
• The Sanitary Certificate or Analysis Certificate for processed products of origin.
• Costs (Cf. Inter-ministerial Order No. 252/MINAGRI/MPMEF/MPMB of June 9, 2014):
• Wheat: 0.1 FCFA/Kg.
• Rice : 0,3 FCFA/Kg.
• Sugar and Salt: 0.2 FCFA/kg.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables: 0.8 FCFA/Kg.
• Drinks: 1 FCFA/Kg.
• Various other plant products and products of plant origin: 1 FCFA/Kg.
• Phytosanitary control at the Importation, Airport : 3.000 FCFA / file.

 

6. Phytosanitary Control Attestation

The Phytosanitary Control Certificate for imports is issued by the Phytosanitary Inspection Services at the Port of Abidjan (located at the Port’s One-Stop Shop, Boulevard du Port, Abidjan), at the Port of San-Pedro (located at the Coffee-Cocoa One-Stop Shop, San-Pedro), at the airport and at the land borders.

 

These services depend on the Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, du Contrôle et de la Qualité of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

 

The Phytosanitary Import Control Certificate verifies the conformity of the product to the regulations in force in Côte d’Ivoire.

Delivery time: 24 hours to 10 days (if the goods require laboratory analysis).

Period of validity: linked to the operation.

List of documents to be provided:

 

• Copy of the Customs Declaration.
• Request for Phytosanitary Control submitted by the importer or his forwarding agent.
• Transport title.
• The Phytosanitary Certificate of the country of origin of the plant or plant product.
• The Results of Analysis for the products (in case of laboratory analysis).

Costs: Laboratory costs are charged to the importer.

 

IV-LIST OF PRODUCTS

SH Code	Name of the product	Nature of the product
6021000	Unrooted cuttings and grafts	Living plants and floriculture products.
6022000	Trees, shrubs, shruberries and bushes, with edible fruits, grafted or not.	Living plants and floriculture products.
6023000	Rhododendrons and azaleas, grafted or not	Living plants and floriculture products.
6024000	Roses, grafted or not.	Living plants and floriculture products.
6029000	Mushroom white	Living plants and floriculture products.
6029100	Mushroom spawn.	Living plants and floriculture products.
6029900	Living forest trees.	Living plants and floriculture products.
7000000	Vegetables, plants, roots and tubers for food.	Vegetables, plants, roots and food tubers from seed.
7011000	Seed potatoes, fresh or chilled.	Vegetables, plants, roots and food tubers from seed.
7019000	Other potatoes, fresh or chilled.	Vegetables, plants, roots and food tubers from seed.
9000000	Coffee, tea, mate and spices.	Coffee.
9011111	Arabica in cherries, not roasted or decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011114	Arabica extra prima, prima, superior, and not roasted or decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011117	Arabica current, limit, under limit, not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011119	Other arabica not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011121	Robusta in cherry, not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011124	Robusta extra prima, prima, superior, not roasted or decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011127	Robusta current, limit, under limit, not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011129	Other robusta not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011131	Arabusta in cherry, not roasted or decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011134	Arabusta extra prima, prima, superior, not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011137	Arabusta current, limit, under limit, not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011139	Other arabusta not roasted nor decafeinated.	Coffee.
9011141	Liberica in cherries, not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011144	Prima, superior, not roasted nor decafeinated.	Coffee.
9011147	Liberica current, limit, sublimit, not roasted nor decafeine.	Coffee.
9011149	Other liberica not roasted nor decafeinated.	Coffee.
9011151	Other species of coffee in cherry, not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011154	Extra prima, prima, superior, not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011157	Other species of coffee in cherry, not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011159	Other, not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011210	Robusta, not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011220	Arabusta, not  roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9011290	Other types of coffee not roasted nor decaffeinated.	Coffee.
9012110	Non-decaffeinated roasted coffee, not ground, in bulk.	Coffee.
9012120	Non-decaffeinated roasted coffee, ground, in bulk.	Coffee.
9012200	Decaffeinated roasted coffee.	Coffee.
9013000	Unroasted coffee husks and skins.	Coffee.
9014000	Substitute of coffee containing coffee	Coffee.
10051000	Seed corn.	Corn.
10059000	Other corn.	Corn.

 

Classification of products according to the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures N°32

Commercial Process	Description	Example of resulting goods	Additional information
Class 1 products are not subject to phytosanitary certificates
Tenderizing	Process for rehydrating dried or dehydrated articles by applying steam under pressure or bathing in hot water.	Tenderized fruits	The process is usually applied to dried goods. It can be associated with the infusion in sugar.
Carbonization	Combustion in anoxic conditions of an organic matter, which is transformed into coal.	Charcoal
Preservation in a liquid	Process consisting in preserving plant material in a suitable liquid (for example, in syrup, brine, oil, vinegar or alcohol) under determined conditions of PH, salinity, anaerobic or osmotic.	Canned fruits, vegetables, nuts, tubers, bulbs	Proper conditions of pH, salinity, etc. must be maintained.
Cooking (boiling, heating, microwaving, including steaming in the case of rice)	Preparation of food for consumption by heating, essentially by transforming the physical structure of the food.	Cooked items	The process frequently involves the chemical transformation of a food, which changes its flavor, texture, appearance or nutritional properties.
Extraction	Physical or chemical process aiming at obtaining specific components from raw materials based on plants, generally by mass transfer operations.	Oils, alcohols, gasoline, sugar	Usually occurs at high temperatures.
Fermentation	An anaerobic or anoxic process causing a chemical modification of a food/plant material, often involving micro-organisms (bacteria, moulds or yeasts) and converting, for example, sugars into alcohol or organic acids.	Wines, spirits, beer and other alcoholic beverages, fermented vegetables	Process that can be associated with pasteurization.
Infusion in sugar	Operation consisting of coating fruits with sugar or infusing them with sugar.	Crystallized fruits, candied fruits, sugar-coated nuts	The process is usually combined with pulping, boiling, drying.
Malting	Series of actions consisting in letting cereal seeds germinate to develop an enzymatic activity of digestion of starches into sugars and to stop the enzymatic activity by heating.	Malted barley
Commercial process	Description	Example of resulting goods	Additional information
APPENDIX 2: Commercial processing methods to obtain goods that may still be infested by quarantine pests: Phytosanitary Certificate
Pasteurization	Heat treatment, intended to kill undesirable or harmful micro-organisms.	Pasteurized juices and alcoholic drinks (beer, wine).	Often associated with fermentation and followed by refrigeration (at 4ºC), appropriate packaging and handling. The duration and temperature of the process depends on the type of product.
Mashing (including by grinding)	The process of making fruit and/or vegetable pulp homogeneous and spreadable, e.g. by mixing at high speed, by pressing it in a potato masher or by grinding.	Pureed items (fruits, vegetables)
Sterilization	Process of applying heat (steam, dry heat or boiling water), irradiation or chemical treatments to destroy microorganisms.	Canned fruits, vegetables, nuts, tubers, bulbs.	Proper conditions of pH, salinity, etc. must be maintained.
Sterilization (industrial)	Heat treatment of food that ensures the shelf life of canned products by destroying all pathogenic organisms, which secrete toxins and spoil the food.	Canned vegetables and soups, UHT (ultra high temperature) juice.	The processing time and temperature of canned products depends on the type of product, the processing and the geometry of the container. Aseptic processing and packaging involves industrial sterilization of a flowing product, followed by packaging in a sterile environment and packaging.
Dye	Dyeing of textile fibers and other materials, whereby the color becomes part of the fiber or material under the influence of changes in pH and temperature, and interaction with chemicals.	Plant fibers and dyed textiles.
Roasting	Dyeing of textile fibers and other materials, whereby the color becomes part of the fiber or material under the influence of changes in pH and temperature, and interaction with chemicals.	Peanuts, coffee and roasted nuts.
Multi-methods transformation	Combination of several types of treatments such as heating, high pressure Plywood.	Plywood, particle board, chipboard.	Process for drying and browning food by exposure to dry heat.
Crushing	Splitting of a plant material by mechanical force.	Herbs and nuts	The process is usually applied to dried products.
Peeling and shelling	Removal of external or epidermal tissue or pods.	Fruits, vegetables, grains, peeled or shelled nuts
Chopping	Process of cutting into pieces.	Fruits, nuts, grains, chopped vegetables
Chipping (of wood)	Wood cut into small pieces.	Wood chips	The probability of infestation depends on the wood species, the presence of bark and the size of the chips.
Painting (including lacquering and varnishing)	Operation consisting in covering with paint.	Wood and rattan, painted fiber.
Polishing (of grains and beans)	Operation consisting in making grains smooth and shiny by friction or chemical action intended to remove the outer layers.	Polished rice and cocoa beans
Drying/dehydration (of fruits and vegetables)	Removal of moisture for preservation, or to reduce weight or volume.	Fruits, dehydrated vegetables
Freezing	Rapid cooling, ensuring that the temperature range of maximum ice crystallization is passed as quickly as possible to preserve the quality of fruits and vegetables.	Frozen fruits and vegetables	The Recommended International Code of Practice for the Processing and Handling of Quick Frozen Foods (1976, CAC/RCP 8-1976, Codex Alimentarius, FAO, Rome) states that a quick frozen food is a food that has been subjected to a freezing process and maintained at a temperature of -18oC or lower throughout the cold chain, subject to permitted tolerances of temperature variations. Freezing fruits and vegetables kills insects in particular. Frozen fruits and vegetables are prepared for direct consumption and deteriorate rapidly after thawing. Therefore, the phytosanitary risks associated with these products are considered very low1.
Post-harvest treatment (of fruits and vegetables)	Operations consisting in classifying, sorting, washing or brushing, and/or waxing fruits and vegetables.	Fruits and vegetables graded, sorted, washed or brushed and/or coated with wax.	These operations are usually carried out in packing shops.