Export & import guidance

Agricultural export certifications: what importers ask for

Official sources last reviewed: 2026-10-23 · SeedMatch Group

Short answer

Fresh-produce and agricultural importers usually check four things.

Plant health is shown by a government phytosanitary certificate. On-farm practice and food safety are shown by voluntary certification such as GLOBALG.A.P., or BRCGS or IFS for packhouses. Residues must meet the destination's maximum residue limits (MRLs). Organic or other claims are covered by their own certificates.

Which of these apply depends on the destination country, the product and the buyer's contract.

Certifications and documents compared

Official = required by a government authority where it applies. Voluntary = a private scheme a buyer may require by contract.
Certificate or document	Type	Issued or owned by	When buyers ask for it
Phytosanitary certificate (IPPC ISPM 12)	Official	Exporting country's national plant protection organisation	Where the importing country's plant-health rules require it, for each consignment
Maximum residue limits (EU Pesticides Database / Codex)	Official	Importing country's authority; Codex Alimentarius as the international reference	Every shipment of produce; buyers often request a residue test report
EU organic import (e-COI in TRACES)	Official	European Commission; recognised control bodies or authorities	Any product sold as organic in the EU
USDA organic import (NOP Import Certificate)	Official	USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, National Organic Program	Each organic shipment into the United States
GLOBALG.A.P.	Voluntary	GLOBALG.A.P. (scheme owner), audited by certification bodies	Farm-level assurance requested by many importers and retailers
BRCGS / IFS (packhouse food safety)	Voluntary	BRCGS; IFS — programmes benchmarked under GFSI	Packing, processing and storage sites supplying retail or food service
SMETA social audit	Voluntary	Sedex	Buyers checking labour and working conditions
Rainforest Alliance / Fairtrade	Voluntary	Rainforest Alliance; Fairtrade International	Products sold with a sustainability or fair-trade claim

Official requirements vs buyer requirements

Set by authorities (check for every shipment)

Phytosanitary certificate, where the importing country requires one (IPPC ISPM 12).
Compliance with the destination's maximum residue limits.
For organic claims: EU e-COI via TRACES for imports into the EU, or a USDA NOP Import Certificate for each organic shipment into the United States.

Set by buyers (agreed in the contract)

Farm assurance such as GLOBALG.A.P.
Packhouse food-safety certification under a GFSI-recognised programme such as BRCGS or IFS.
Social or sustainability schemes such as SMETA audits, Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade.

How to check a certificate

Ask the supplier for the certificate or registration number, scope (products and sites) and expiry date.
Check it in the scheme's own database or portal. GLOBALG.A.P. moved certificate validation to its Supply Chain Portal on 3 November 2025.
SeedMatch Group does not certify, audit or guarantee suppliers. A sourcing specialist asks suppliers for this evidence and sets it out next to their offers.

Frequently asked questions

Is GLOBALG.A.P. certification mandatory for export?

No law requires it in general; it is a voluntary farm-assurance scheme. Importers and retailers can make it a contract condition, so state in your RFQ whether you require it.

What is the difference between a phytosanitary certificate and a certification?

A phytosanitary certificate is a government document issued by the exporting country's plant protection organisation for a specific consignment. Certifications such as GLOBALG.A.P. or BRCGS are private schemes that audit a farm or site for a period of time.

Which maximum residue limits apply?

Those of the importing market. For the EU, use the EU Pesticides Database; Codex Alimentarius MRLs are the international reference many countries use. Confirm the destination's own list for each product.

What do I need to import organic produce into the EU or the US?

For the EU, every organic import needs an electronic certificate of inspection (e-COI) in TRACES. For the US, each organic shipment must be associated with a valid electronic NOP Import Certificate (required since 19 March 2024).

Next steps

Orientation, not legal or certification advice. Requirements change; confirm them with the scheme owner or the destination authority.

Turn this into a live commercial project

Open one private brief. A sourcing specialist validates and organises the RFQ, manages outreach to suitable independent suppliers, and presents any responses through SeedMatch on a consistent technical and commercial basis. Response numbers and timing are not guaranteed.