The right to import pesticides and phytosanitary products into Côte d’Ivoire is reserved to persons and companies holding a Pesticide Distributor’s License.
The import itself is subject to a Preliminary Import Authorization from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development – (see Legal regimes for imports and exports) – (see General Import Procedures tab of the website).
INSTITUTIONS INVOLVED
Ministère de l’Agriculture et du Développement Rural
Secrétariat Permanent du Comité de Pesticides/Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, du Contrôle et de la Qualité (DPVCQ)
Abidjan – Plateau
Immeuble CAISTAB, 14ème étage (Porte Centre Serveur)
01 BP 12243 Abidjan 01, Côte d’Ivoire
Tél : (+225) 20 21 43 03
Site Internet : http://www.agriculture.gouv.ci
Email : minagri.cabinet@agriculture.gouv.ci / cabminagri@yahoo.fr
The following regulations are applicable to the import of all pesticides and phytosanitary products.
AUTHORISATION TO IMPORT
Any pesticide must be approved or registered or benefit from a Provisional Sales Authorisation (PSA) prior to its import or manufacture in Côte d’Ivoire.
The registration concerns the commercial specialty (formulated product) and not the active ingredient (see Registration Procedure).
Only natural or legal persons with a Pesticide Distributor Approval issued by the Pesticides Committee (whose Permanent Secretariat is provided by the Plant Protection Directorate) are authorised to import pesticides or phytosanitary products (for any information, contact the Permanent Secretariat of the Pesticides Committee located at the Immeuble CAISTAB, 14th floor in Plateau).
This Pesticide Distributor Approval allows both the import and marketing of pesticides in Côte d’Ivoire.
In addition, it is reminded that any importation into Côte d’Ivoire is subject to the obligation, for individuals as well as for legal entities, to have a Permanent or Temporary Importer/Exporter Code – (see General Import Procedures tab of the website).
Apply for a Pesticide Distributor Approval to the Pesticides Committee (Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, du Contrôle et de la Qualité).
The approval can be delivered to any natural or legal person without restriction of nationality.
The documents that must constitute the file are the following:
- Application for Distributor Accreditation (5 years, renewable) addressed to the Chairman of the Pesticide Committee. The letter must be signed by the head of the company (CEO or Manager);
- Photocopies of the training diplomas (Agronomist Engineer, Agricultural Engineer, Senior Agricultural Technician) of at least three (3) permanent Sales Representatives (Original diplomas must be submitted when filing the application with the Pesticide Committee Secretariat). The Sales Representative team must include at least one Agronomist Engineer or Agricultural Engineer;
- Photocopy of the CROPLIFE CI or AMEPHCI training certificate for the two Sales Representatives (Original diplomas must be submitted when filing the application with the Pesticide Committee Secretariat);
- Notarized contracts between the head of the company and the two Sales Representatives;
- Company administrative organization document to be completed and signed by the General Management (Document to be obtained from the DPVCQ);
- Proof of the existence of a warehouse meeting the standards for storing plant protection products and environmental standards;
- Signed commitment to comply with current plant protection regulations and the necessary safety and protection systems;
- Trade register clearly and exclusively listing the plant protection activity, inputs, and agricultural equipment;
- Commitment to medical monitoring of all company personnel, signed by a physician duly registered with the Ivorian Medical Association (on the company letterhead of the signing physician);
- Commitment from distributors to the management of empty packaging (awareness-raising, collection, recycling, processing, etc.), post-registration activities, and the fight against fraud;
- Health insurance for employees;
- Company civil liability and multi-risk professional insurance;
- Photocopy of the company head’s identity card;
- Photocopies of the technical staff’s identity cards;
- Photocopy of the receipt for payment of the application processing fee (500,000 CFA francs);
- Electronic and physical application to be submitted to the Secretariat of the Pesticides Committee;
- Exact location of the warehouse and/or headquarters (GPS coordinates, neighborhood or municipality) and email address (email and telephone number) of the distributor.
Note: The distributor is accredited for five (5) years, renewable.
Two (2) years after the accreditation is granted, the Secretariat of the Pesticides Committee will conduct a verification visit to confirm that the company’s employees have registered with the National Social Security Fund (CNPS).
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Import Declaration Form (IDF)
The Import Declaration Form – (see example IDF) – is compulsory if the value of the goods exceeds Five hundred thousand (500,000 FCFA). The IDF is established online via the transactional site of the Guichet Unique du Commerce Extérieur (GUCE). Access to the site requires prior registration as an importer, exporter or forwarder. The documents and information to be provided are as follows:
– Importer Code or Occasional Importer Code.
– Pro-forma or Final Invoice.
– Mode of transport.
– Name of the importer’s bank (in Côte d’Ivoire) (for direct debit and to obtain the Exchange Authorisation).
– HS Codes of the products to be imported.
For the importation of the products listed below, the IDF application will be validated after receipt of an online Preliminary Import Authorisation (PIA) – (see PIA example) – validated, endorsed and signed online by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Preliminary Import Authorisation (API)
It is necessary to obtain the Import Declaration Form (IDF)
Preliminary Import Authorisation
All pesticides or plant protection products approved by the Pesticides Committee of Côte d’Ivoire must have a Prior Import Authorization (API) issued by the Directorate of Plant Protection, Control and Quality in order to enter Côte d’Ivoire.
This authorisation allows operators to import goods that meet the phytosanitary requirements of Côte d’Ivoire – Cf. Decree n°89.02 of 4 January 1989.
Procedure for obtaining the PIA:
The procedure described below is provisional, pending a procedure that will become entirely dematerialised through the GUCE electronic portal.
The application is made through the portal of the GUCE by the importer or the authorised forwarder:
- Start the Import Declaration Form (IDF) procedure on the GUCE website
- The system automatically generates an application for a Preliminary Import Authorisation which must be sent to the Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, du Contrôle et de la Qualité of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
- The documents to be downloaded are the following
- Pro-forma invoice
- List of products to be imported
- Approval of Distributor of pesticides and phytosanitary products
- Certificate of Origin of the formulated product
- Certificate of Analysis of the formulated product
- Registration order/registration notice of the formulated product
- Go to the Direction de la ¨Protection des Végétaux, du Contrôle et de la Qualité of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with the following file (photocopy or original):
- Certificate of Origin of the formulated product
- Certificate of Analysis of the formulated product
- Approval order/approval notice of the formulated product
- Pro-forma invoice
- List of products to be imported
- Pay the procedure for obtaining the API:
Type de dossier ou d’acte administratif | Montant (F CFA) |
Fee for prior authorization to import a pesticide with 1 active substance | 160.000 |
Fee for prior authorization to import pesticides with 2 actives substances | 205.000 |
Fee for prior authorization to import a pesticide with 3 actives substances | 250.000 |
Fee for prior authorization to import pesticide with 4 actives substances | 295.000 |
- Verification of the file by agents of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and validation of the API by the Ministry in the system.
API issuance time after payment of pesticide or plant protection product analysis fees (validated online by the Crop Protection Sub-Directorate): between 2 and 24 hours maximum.
API validity period: 30 days.
Certificate for Chemicals (dangerous goods)
This procedure concerns most pesticides or plant protection products which are considered as dangerous goods.
These goods can only be discharged from the ship with a Certificate for Chemical Products issued by the SPCIAC-CI (Permanent Secretariat of the Commission for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in Côte d’Ivoire), under the Ministry of Defense.
The application is made online through the GUCE chemical license/certificate module. The documents to be downloaded are the following:
- IDF number.
- Safety Data Sheet (issued by the vendor, technical data of the products).
This Certificate / Authorisation for Chemical Products is to be downloaded online from the GUCE website after approval by the Ministry of Defense (the time required to obtain it varies between 1 and 10 days) and then transmitted to the ship’s agent before the arrival of the ship and before the disembarkation of the goods.
Cargo Tracking Form (CTS)
For all imports by sea, the exporter, the foreign forwarder and the importer must be registered in the BSC via the website of the Office Ivoirien des Chargeurs (OIC).
At embarkation
BSC registration – (See General Import Procedures tab on the website). Documents required:
- Final Invoice (or Valued Inventory for personal effects).
- Bill of Lading (B/L).
- Packing List.
- Customs Export Declaration of the country of shipment.
- 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, the following are required
- The Freight Invoice.
- The Certificate of Origin.
Certificate of value
As soon as the goods are shipped and all the transport documents for the goods are available (Final Commercial Invoice, Bill of Lading such as Ocean Bill of Lading or Air Waybill, Packing List, Freight Invoice, copy of IDF and all other available certificates), the Freight Forwarder must initiate an Application for a Certificate of Value.
All goods with a FOB value greater than or equal to one (1) million CFA francs 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 authorised forwarder downloads and fills in the Notice of Deposit (ND).
He attaches the documents accompanying the goods (see list above) to the deposit notice and uploads the entire file online on the GUCE platform.
The Directorate of Risk Analysis, Intelligence and Value (DARRV) of the Customs Department checks the shipping documents and delivers, within 5 working days following the submission of the documents, the Final Classification and Value Report by e-mail to the consignee or the forwarder.
Goods with a FOB value of less than one (1) million CFA francs and certain other products – see the list of goods not subject to FCVR on the website www.douane.ci – are exempt from the FCVR procedure.
The freight forwarder fills in Form D41 and physically deposits it with the transport documents (see list above) at the Customs Department of Risk Analysis, Intelligence and Value (DARRV) for verification.
After examining the file, the DARRV issues the Attestation of Verification (AV) – (see General Import Procedures tab on the site).
Customs declaration
On arrival
The Customs declaration is made by a forwarder appointed by the importer and approved by Customs – (see List of forwarders approved by Customs).
The forwarder enters the declaration into the Customs computer system – SYDAM (Sydonia World). The documents to be given to the forwarder to make the Customs declaration are the following:
- Original Bill of Lading (B/L) for sea shipments, or Air Waybill (AWB) for air shipments or Consignment note for road shipments.
- Original supplier’s invoice.
- Certificate of Insurance.
- Import Declaration Form (IDF) – via the GUCE website.
- Freight Invoice.
- Final Classification and Value Report (FCVR) if the FOB value is at least one (1) million CFA francs (or the Attestation of Value (AV) if the FOB value is less than one (1) million CFA francs), or if the goods are excluded from the FCVR – (See the list of goods not subject to the FCVR on the website 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 (OIC) for transport by sea.
- The WAEMU or ECOWAS Certificate of Origin if appropriate.
Authorisation for removal
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 for all imports of pesticides or phytosanitary products to the Phytosanitary Inspection Services of the Port or Airport of Abidjan under the authority of the Plant Protection, Control and Quality Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for the goods declared.
This Authorisation to Remove allows importers to take their products out of the Port / Airport for Home Inspection.
It is issued by the Phytosanitary Inspection Services of the Port or the Airport of Abidjan which depend on the Direction of Plant Protection, Control and Quality of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. List of documents to be provided:
- The Customs Declaration.
- The Transport Title.
- Application for Phytosanitary Control submitted by the exporter or his forwarding agent
- The Preliminary Import Authorisation (API).
- Certificate of Origin.
- Certificate of Analysis for Processed Products of Origin (issued by the exporter).
- For pesticides or phytosanitary products: The Approval Order or Notice, the Distributor Approval Order or Notice or Sales Authorization, the Pesticide Analysis Certificate and the Certificate of Origin.
Delivery time of the AE: 1 hour
Duration of validity of the AE: linked to the operation
Cost: 1 F CFA / Kg – (Cf. Inter-ministerial Order 005/MPMBE/MICOM/MSHP/MINADER of 30 December 2016 and Decree 2016-296 of 11 May 2016)
Phytosanitary Import Control Certificate
The Phytosanitary Import Control Attestation is issued by the Phytosanitary Inspection Services at the Port (located at the Guichet Unique du Port, Boulevard du Port, Abidjan) and at the Airport or at the land borders which depend on the Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, du Contrôle et de la Qualité of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
This certificate verifies the conformity of the product to the regulations in force in Côte d’Ivoire.
List of documents to be provided:
- Request for Phytosanitary Control (see Phytosanitary Control Request Form) submitted by the exporter or his forwarder.
- Copy of the Customs Declaration.
- Transport document.
- Results of analysis for the products (in case of laboratory analysis).
Delivery time: 24 hours to 10 days (depending on the need for laboratory analysis)
Period of validity: linked to the operation.
Cost: 1 F CFA / Kg – (Inter-ministerial Order 005/MPMBE/MICOM/MSHP/MINADER of 30 December 2016 and Decree 2016-296 of 11 May 2016).
HS codes for common fertilizer classes:
| SH Code | Designation |
| 3808101000 | Pesticide bastion 5g bag 1kg. |
| 3808109000 | Air pesticicide. |
| 3808109000 | Pesticide: profenofos tech 90% min. |
| 3808109000 | Pesticide profenofos tech 80 drums of 250kg. |
| 3808109000 | Pesticide formulation (alpha cypermethrin tech), mfg dt: 30.09.2011, pkg: (100alu bottle x 100ml). |
| 3808109000 | Pesticide formulation deltamethrin (decamethrin), mfg dt: 30.09.2011(pkg: 100carton x 100ml). |
| 3808900000 | Pesticide (insecticides) koa super 12can/cartn 30g/l imidacloprid + 20g/l bifenthrine sc. |
| 3808900000 | Pesticide (diazinon 60%). |
| 3808900000 | Pesticide for plant protection. |
| 3808900000 | Pesticide: paratryn 1ltr. |
| 3808900000 | Pesticide: paratraz 100ml. |
| 3808900000 | Pesticide (koa super) for plant protection (30g/l imidacloprid+20g/l bifenthrin sc). |
| 3808900000 | Pesticide: imidacloprid 30gr /l sc. |
| 3808900000 | Pesticide: paratraz 1ltr. |
| 3923300090 | Complete empty plastic bottles for agricultural pesticide: 1l pet 88 amber 46gr 45mm pet 40hc on njmp15. |
| 3923300090 | Empty plastic bottles complete for agricultural pesticide: 1 pl pet 88 amber 46 gr 45mm pet 40hc on njmp15. |
| 4901999000 | Pesticides for agriculture. |
