SOP for Post Entry Quarantine Inspection - Plant quarantine India

SOPs for Postentry Quarantine InspectionSection-1 Introduction Page 1 of 9December 20071.1.Scope/Purpose:This document provides guidance and describes the standard operating procedures for certification offacilities for growing imported plants/plant material including transgenic plant material and otherregulated articles such as biological control agents/beneficial organisms and living modified organismsunder postentry quarantine and inspecting the same to ensure free from quarantine pests and otherregulated non-quarantine pests.The purpose of this document is to facilitate adoption of standard operating procedures by all theinspection authorities notified by the Ministry of Agriculture (Department of Agriculture &Cooperation)/PQOs (with PEQ responsibilities) for undertaking certification of postentry quarantineinspection facilities as well as conducting postentry quarantine inspection of growing plants and otherregulated articles under the supervision of concerned inspection authority/ PQOs (with PEQresponsibilities) in accordance with phytosanitary requirements specified under the Plant Quarantine(Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 and amendments issued there under to prevent theintroduction and spread of destructive pests that affects plants and other regulated articles such asbiological control agents and beneficial organisms.1.2.Definitions & Terms:Additional declaration A statement that is required by an importing country to be entered in PhytosanitaryCertificate and which provides specific additional information pertinent to thephytosanitary condition of a consignment.Biological control A natural enemy, antagonist, competitor or other organism used for pest controlagentBulbs & Tubers A commodity class for dormant underground parts of plant intended for planting(includes corms and rhizomes).CertificateAn official document which attests to the phytosanitary status of any consignmentaffected by phytosanitary regulations.Commodity A type of plant, plant product, or other article being moved for trade or other purpose.Compliance procedure Official procedure used to verify that a consignment complies with statedphytosanitary requirements.Consignment A quantity of plants, plant products and/or other regulated articles being moved fromone country to another and covered by a single phytosanitary certificate (aconsignment may be composed of one or more lots).Country of origin (of a Country where the plants were grown.consignment of plants)Country of origin (of Country where the regulated articles were first exposed to contamination by pests.regulated articles otherthan plants and plantproducts)6