Phytosanitary Certificate

What it is

A certificate confirming a plant or plant-product shipment meets the destination country's phytosanitary (pest and disease) requirements, issued under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) framework.

When it's required

Required for plant-based commodity exports; the exact requirement is set by the destination country's import rules rather than a single blanket Tanzanian requirement for every shipment everywhere. On the Mainland, this is issued by TPHPA, which raised its container inspection/certification fees sharply (from roughly TZS 58,347 to TZS 331,320 for consignments over 1,000kg) from January 2025. In Zanzibar, the equivalent function sits within the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Livestock and Fisheries rather than a separate stand-alone phytosanitary authority — Mainland TPHPA's mandate is legally limited to Mainland Tanzania.

Who typically prepares it

Applied for by the exporter (or their agent) ahead of shipment, following inspection of the consignment.

Official Sources

• Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA) — TPHPA — Official Website
• The Citizen (Tanzania) — Higher Phytosanitary Fees Hit Agro-Exports, Government Responds