Seed Import Requirements by Country
16 country guides with official sources · Last reviewed 2026-10-23 by SeedMatch Group · Orientation, not legal advice
Short answer
Importing commercial seed usually involves two regulators. The plant-health authority (the national plant protection organisation) sets phytosanitary and permit requirements. The seed authority sets variety registration and seed-quality rules. Which documents apply depends on the crop, the origin and the destination. Each guide below links to the official source we reviewed.
Official requirements (set by authorities)
- Phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country's plant protection organisation, where the destination requires one (IPPC ISPM 12).
- Any import permit, licence or prior authorisation the destination authority requires before shipment.
- Variety registration or catalogue listing where the destination only allows listed varieties to be sold.
- Importer registration or approval, where the destination limits who may import seed.
Commercial advice (SeedMatch guidance)
- Ask for the lot's laboratory report (germination, purity, moisture) and the method used, e.g. ISTA rules.
- Make the offer state who obtains each document, and which costs are excluded.
- Compare offers on the same cultivar, unit (seeds or kg), treatment, delivery term and quotation-validity date.
- Confirm the destination rules for your crop and origin before you sign, not after the seed ships.
Country guides
| Country | Short answer | Reviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Seed imports are regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA). Under Decree 10.586/2020, international seed trade is carried out by persons registered in RENASEM. Cultivars must be on the National Cultivar Register (RNC) for production and sale. Entry inspection is handled by Vigiagro. | 2026-10-23 |
| Canada | The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) administers the Seeds Act and Seeds Regulations, is the registrar for variety registration, and publishes the seed import requirements ("ABCs of seed importation into Canada"). | 2026-10-23 |
| China | Crop seed import approval, variety rules and the Seed Law are administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA); entry quarantine and inspection of imported seed by the General Administration of Customs (GACC). | 2026-10-19 |
| Egypt | Plant-quarantine import requirements are set by the Central Administration of Plant Quarantine (CAPQ) under Ministerial Decree 562/2019 (Plant Quarantine Regulations). CAPQ publishes import requirements by origin and plant. | 2026-10-23 |
| France | Variety testing and official seed control are carried out by GEVES; SEMAE is the seed and plant interprofession; plant health sits with the Ministry of Agriculture, under EU rules. | 2026-10-19 |
| India | Plant-quarantine import permits are issued by the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage (PPQS) under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003. Importers apply in advance for commodities listed in Schedules V and VI of the Order. | 2026-10-23 |
| Italy | Seed certification is carried out by CREA-DC; plant-health controls by the National Plant Protection Service, under MASAF and EU rules. | 2026-10-19 |
| Kenya | The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) implements both the Plant Protection Act (Cap 324) and the Seeds and Plant Varieties Act (Cap 326), so plant-health import controls and seed rules sit with one regulator. | 2026-10-23 |
| Mexico | Seed certification and the national variety catalogue are handled by SNICS; phytosanitary import requirements by SENASICA, both under SADER. | 2026-10-19 |
| Morocco | Seed and plant-health controls are run by ONSSA. Under arrêté n°966-93 (20 April 1993), imported seed must come through an approved establishment and the variety must be on the official catalogue or provisional lists. | 2026-10-23 |
| Netherlands | Vegetable seed inspection and certification is handled by Naktuinbouw; plant-health import controls by the NVWA, under EU rules. | 2026-10-19 |
| Saudi Arabia | Seed and seedling imports are licensed by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA). Companies submit requirements through the Hassad system and import requests through the Naama portal. A new variety is first imported as trial samples and tested under ministry supervision before registration and commercial sale. | 2026-10-23 |
| South Africa | A plant import permit from the National Plant Protection Organisation of South Africa (NPPOZA, Department of Agriculture) is required to import plants and other regulated articles; the permit is valid for one year. Varieties and propagating material are governed by the Plant Improvement Act 53 of 1976. | 2026-10-23 |
| Spain | Seed and variety rules are administered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), under EU rules. | 2026-10-19 |
| Türkiye | Commercial seed imports need prior import permission (ön izin) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Seed Import Implementation Circular (2019/1), granted to authorised seed companies for the species they are authorised for. Plant-health entry controls follow the Plant Quarantine Regulation. | 2026-10-23 |
| United States | Plant-health import rules for seed are administered by USDA APHIS; seed labelling and truth-in-labelling by USDA AMS under the Federal Seed Act. | 2026-10-19 |
Country not listed? Use the IPPC country pages to find the official plant protection organisation, and ask it for the current requirement for your crop and origin.
International standards behind the documents
- IPPC — ISPM 12 Phytosanitary certificates
International standard for phytosanitary certificates issued by the exporting country's national plant protection organisation.
- IPPC — country pages and NPPO contact points
Official plant-health contact for every IPPC member, including countries without a reviewed guide here.
- OECD Seed Schemes
Varietal certification of seed since 1958; eight schemes covering 204 agricultural and vegetable species.
- ISTA International Rules for Seed Testing
Seed testing rules used for laboratory reports on germination, purity and seed health.
Questions by buyer role
Greenhouse and vegetable project developers
- Which authority approves seed for my destination? (official source)
Country guides - How much vegetable seed does my market import, and from where? (guidance)
Seed import market map - What belongs in a greenhouse project RFQ? (guidance)
Greenhouse RFQ
Seed distributors and importers
- Does the variety need to be registered before sale? (official source)
Country guides - Which lot documents should an offer include? (guidance)
Seed lot RFQ buyer guide - What is the HS code for vegetable seed? (guidance)
HS 1209 vs 1209 91
Procurement and compliance managers
- Do I need a phytosanitary certificate for seeds? (official source)
IPPC ISPM 12 - What does seed certification mean? (official source)
OECD Seed Schemes - How do I compare seed offers fairly? (guidance)
Vegetable seed RFQ checklist
Investors and public programmes
- Which import markets are growing? (guidance)
Seed import market map - How are seed projects financed? (guidance)
Seed project financing
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a phytosanitary certificate to import seeds?
Most destinations require one for commercial seed, but it depends on the crop, origin and destination. The certificate is issued by the exporting country's plant protection organisation under IPPC ISPM 12; the destination authority sets whether it is needed and any additional declarations.
Can I import seeds into the United States?
Commercial seed imports are subject to USDA APHIS plant-health rules, which can require a permit and phytosanitary certificate, and to Federal Seed Act labelling under USDA AMS. State seed laws can add requirements. See the United States guide for the official links.
What is seed certification?
Official control that a seed lot is of a stated variety and meets quality standards. The OECD Seed Schemes are the main international varietal certification system; national certification bodies run them. Certification is different from a phytosanitary certificate, which covers plant health.
What if my country is not listed?
Use the IPPC country page to find the official plant protection organisation, and ask it for the current seed import requirements for your crop and origin. Ask the national seed authority about variety registration.
Is this page legal advice?
No. It points to official sources and summarises them as reviewed on the date shown. Requirements change; confirm them with the authority for every crop, origin and shipment.
Related
- Seed import market map (UN Comtrade 2024)
- Morocco seed import procurement
- Agricultural import compliance by country
- Agricultural export certifications (GLOBALG.A.P., BRCGS/IFS, organic, MRLs)
- Start a seed sourcing request — commercial projects from USD 250,000, reviewed by a sourcing specialist before supplier outreach