International shipping requirement for bananas
 

Does anyone know the requirement for receiving/shipping banana plants or corms/rhizomes internationally? I thought I read on here once that if you are shipping/receiving less than a certain number of plants that you didn't need phytosanitary papers. Did I dream that? My wife does rice research and they ship rice seed and she seems to think that I'd need papers for even one plant. Any help anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

Depends where they are coming from and where they are going. If you are getting them from overseas and bringing them into the US, you need an import permit (easy to get from the USDA) and the nursery needs to supply a phyto certificate, most nurseries that send overseas either include one for free or charge about $50 (in my experience). If you are sending them out, it depends on the laws of the destination country.

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

I'm looking to possibly import a couple of plants. One from Japan and one from the Dominican Republic. Both are from individuals rather than a nursery, though I don't think that would make a difference. I've been reading up on it at www.aphis.usda.gov. Thanks for the info, Gabe!

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

every time i have brought plants back from Central America i need a phyto certificate & i was bringing them from the family farm to my lab/greenhouse.

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

I have just bought two different bananas from Thailand and you needed a phyto and another document showing what chemicals they were dipped in and for how long..........Parcel arrived and it hadn't even been checked so it slipped through our customs:nanawhopp:

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

Hi everybody :D
If you think I have to create another topic, tell me :-)

I'm living in France and I'd like to import musa from California.
A friend of mine lives there, what does she need to do ? Must she go to the governement, take an administrative and give it to the seller ?

Thank you :)

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

First of all, welcome to our group!


Sending plants out of the US is very easy, the problems occur when they get the receiving country, so you will have to check on the French plant import laws to see what your friend might need to send with the plant (export permit, phyto certificate...) and also what you might need to receive your plants (import permits).

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

Gabe,
Thank you for your welcome :)
I thought sellers knew what to do because they charge about 50$ for the phyto certificate, and i wanted to save part this money.
I'm going to check what I need.

Happy

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

You are going to be stuck paying the $50 for the phytosanitary certificate. It is something that you can only get from inspected nurseries/retailers.

I am looking into bringing some bananas from California into Canada. I will need a phytosanitary certificate from the vendor plus a receipt showing what I am getting from the vendor. Then I supply these to the government and they issue an approval for me to bring them in.

A few years ago I could have carried them across the border, called them a house plant, and needed no paperwork or approvals.

Allen

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

Thanks Allen. All is clear now.
regards
Happy

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

Thanks to everyone who posted with their knowledge of this subject. I appreciate it!

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

You need the PPQ 587 permit from APHIS. I've seen this seller from Thailand on eBay that just sends them with a phytosanitary certificate, but I'm not sure how the buyer can get away with it without this permit. The permit is pretty easy to get.

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

Might I suggest if you are bringing any plant into Canada... Use USPS and run screaming from UPS as far as means of shipping. For some reason UPS seems to be the plant police.... it just wont get there.

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

I agree. UPS sucks. I have had no problems getting a few plants from Thailand recently. Phyto included.

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

Hi everybody,

just found this "older" thread here. I can add some info for all European members to this, as I have been receiving bananas from the US in the past.
I once received an Ae Ae from Hawaii without phyto and it passed Greek customs without any problems. Offically phyto and an import permit is required).

The next time I received a naner from Florida with phyto, but it wasn't openend and checked. So still no problems.

The next banana will come from California tomorrow, but it already passed local customs according to the internet tracking.

In all cases I used USPS and it went just fine. I can't tell, that all customs in the EU are as "relaxed", as the Greek customs, but I would give it a try.

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

I know I've tried to send plants to the UK without a phyto certificate and they were not happy about it and destroyed the plants. It totally depends on the country and what their import laws are, and sometimes the specific plants being sent too.

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

In theory the import regulations of all EU countries should be the same, as there's no phyto required for shipping of plants within the EU.
But as you said, it depends on the country. I've heard it too, that the UK is checking intensive and I think Germany might be the same or even stricter.
But my experience here in Greece is positive.

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

Yup, it's the freedom of privacy in the mail. Something that our western friends usually forget, when it gets to security.
Hell, you are one of the oldest civilizations out there, of course it is relaxed. :ha:


It would be easier to simply send the plant to another EU member country (preferably in the South-East) and have them ship the plants to UK.


Yep, all the way back to Austria it's one hell of a strict control. It must be wonderful to live there. :ha:

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

The last pup I sent to Ante in Croatia via USPS with no phyto cert was intercepted and destroyed.

Re: International shipping requirement for bananas
 

I should start an import business with my luck (so far!)
Or just cultivate these plants and then sell them to you! :-)