Plant Quality
Plant products and by-products imported by Brazil must comply with the official classification standards (POC) established by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA) according to Law 9,972, dated May 25, 2000. Today, more than 80 types of food products and plant products have an official classification (POC). These classifications are drafted because of market requirements or when determined by MAPA. The POCs for classifying vegetables and plant products determined by MAPA are coordinated and inspected by the Department of Plant Inspection (DIPOV), of the Secretariat of Animal and Plant Health (SDA), which is responsible for classifying and certifying imported products.
Click here for the List of standardized products and fees for the classification of imported products. (only in Portuguese)
Rules for Controlling the Hygiene and Sanitary Standards of Imported Plant Products
The legislation for the safety and quality control of plant products, plant by-products, and residues of economic value addresses the classification and the inspection of the classification of those products and also includes hygiene and sanitary control.
Hygiene and sanitary control of standardized products is usually random, in compliance with Normative Instruction no. 31, dated August 15, 2013. This standard lays down the procedures to be followed by the Ministry of Agriculture when pesticide residues and chemical, physical, and biologic contaminants are found in standardized plant products, their by-products and residues of economic value, as provided for by the specific legislation of the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA).
Considering the particularities of the production systems and associated risks, there are specific standards for hygiene and sanitary control of (only in Portuguese):
Maize and maize products, almonds, pistachio, dried fruits, popcorn
Pay attention to the inspection and risk analysis procedures that may facilitate the import of vegetable origin products and the simplified rules for the import of soy, wheat, corn, rice, beans, garlic, barley, barley for beer purposes, onion, apple, pear and kiwi. The inspection service may apply these rules to decide whether authorize or not the import of these products (DIPOV Operational Norm nº 02, of May 20, 2019).
Specificities in Importing Brazil Nuts
Shelled (dehydrated) vacuum-packed Brazil Nuts are authorized to be imported and are only subject to checking at the point of entry upon arrival in the country. Since they are classified as phytosanitary risk 1, they do not require the establishment of phytosanitary requirements in order to be imported. They should only comply with the aflatoxin limits set for the product by Brazil (20 ppm).
Brazil Nuts in their shells are not authorized to be imported when the country of origin does not have a Risk Analysis already done.
If the imported (shelled or non-shelled) Brazil Nuts derive from refused entry in another country, they must comply with procedure III of both Mercosur Common Nomenclature (NCMs) (0801.2100- in shell and 0801.2200- shelled), meaning the product is subject to prior authorization for import, which must be granted before shipping abroad, and to inspection at the point of entry upon arrival. It should be mentioned that the procedure applies only to products of Brazilian origin that return to the country, which is to say goods rejected by the importing country.
Specifications for Importing Olive Oil and Wheat
To expedite the clearance procedures of imported plant products, the registration of an organization and/or laboratory may be requested in the System of Registration of Foreign Organizations and Laboratories (SISCOLE) in order to have a certificate of origin issued and, in the case of laboratories, the certificate of analysis of olive oil, olive bagasse oil, and wheat classes.
MAPA has started the procedures for registering the importer of olive oil and olive pomace oil with CGC/MAPA. For futher information, please click here.