Regulation of the Plant Quarantine Services

The Regulation of the Plant Quarantine Services recognizes the Department of Plant Protection and Quarantine of the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock as the authority responsible to make necessary decisions and take action regarding plant quarantine in the national and international level. The Regulation consists of 6 Chapters, which is divided into 29 articles: General Provisions (I); Duties and Authorities (II); Domestic Quarantine (III) External Quarantine (IV); Importation and Exportation of Plant Seeds and Products (V); Final Provisions (VI). Duties of the Department include: determination of the proper places for plant quarantine; registration of the plants’ pests and diseases; prevention of transfer of the plants’ pests and diseases from abroad to the country and vice versa; issuance of the plants’ health certificate; examination of the imported plants; disinfecting vehicles carrying plants products; collaboration with research institutes; examination of the seeds, seedlings, and agricultural products. The custom services in the docks and airports shall register the entry date of the vehicles carrying plants to the country, inform the quarantine authorities about the variety and quantity of the imported plants and keep the suspicious parcels for further examinations. The regular inspections of the farms and greenhouses is mandatory. Farmers and owners of the plant’s products should inform authorities about any pests and plants diseases. Importation of the plant seeds for cultivation requires an official permit issued by the Department of Plant Protection and Quarantine.