Costa Rica Imposes Phytosanitary Controls on Fresh Pomegranates from Spain and Turkey

Costa Rica has established formal phytosanitary requirements for the importation of fresh pomegranates from Spain and Turkey, ensuring compliance with national plant health standards.

Compliance Requirements for Importing Fresh Pomegranates from Spain and Turkey into Costa Rica

Costa Rica has established specific phytosanitary requirements for the importation of fresh pomegranates (Punica granatum) from Spain and Turkey to prevent the introduction of regulated pests and ensure compliance with national plant health standards. These requirements are grounded in Costa Rican law and international obligations under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement).

1. Legal and Regulatory Framework

The following laws and regulations govern the importation of fresh pomegranates into Costa Rica:

2. Phytosanitary Requirements for Fresh Pomegranates

A. General Requirements (Applicable to Both Spain and Turkey)

All shipments of fresh pomegranates must comply with the following:

1. Pre-Import Permit
   • An import permit (phytosanitary requirements form) must be obtained from the SFE prior to shipment^{2, 4}. This form specifies the conditions under which the product may enter Costa Rica.

1. Phytosanitary Certificate
   • The shipment must be accompanied by an official phytosanitary certificate issued by the competent authority of the country of origin (e.g., Spain’s Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación or Turkey’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry)^{4, 3}.
   • The certificate must include additional declarations (see country-specific requirements below).

1. Packaging and Labeling
   • Pomegranates must be properly packaged and labeled to prevent pest introduction⁴.
   • Shipments must be free of soil, plant debris, snails, and slugs⁴.

1. Inspection and Sampling Upon Arrival
   • All consignments are subject to phytosanitary inspection and sampling by the SFE at the point of entry⁴.
   • Non-compliant shipments may be rejected, treated, or destroyed at the importer’s expense².

B. Country-Specific Requirements

Turkey

Resolution No. 021-2026-CV-ARP-SFE establishes the following additional requirements for fresh pomegranates from Turkey⁴:

1. Pest-Specific Declarations
   • The phytosanitary certificate must include an additional declaration stating that the shipment is free of:
   • Cryptoblabes gnidiella (Millière, 1867)⁴.
   • Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller)⁴.

1. Risk Analysis Basis
   • The requirements are based on a pest risk analysis (PRA) conducted by the SFE, which identified these pests as regulated risks for Costa Rica⁴.
   • Cryptoblabes gnidiella was assessed in Document NR-ARP-005-2023, while Lobesia botrana is a known regulated pest in Costa Rica⁴.

Spain

While no Spain-specific resolution is provided in the sources, the general requirements (Section 2.A) apply. However, the SFE may impose additional declarations based on:

• A pest risk analysis (e.g., for pests present in Spain but not in Turkey, such as Ceratitis capitata or Bactrocera oleae)^{2, 3}.
• The IPPC’s regionalization principle (Article 6 of the SPS Agreement), which allows measures to be adapted to the pest status of the exporting region¹.

Importers should consult the SFE’s database of phytosanitary import requirements or request a pre-import consultation to confirm any Spain-specific conditions⁴.

3. Prohibited Actions

• No importation without prior SFE authorization: Shipments arriving without an import permit or phytosanitary certificate will be denied entry².
• No misdeclaration or non-compliance: False or incomplete declarations on the phytosanitary certificate may result in rejection, treatment, or destruction of the shipment^{2, 1}.

4. Enforcement and Compliance

• Authority: The Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado (SFE) is the competent authority for enforcing phytosanitary measures^{2, 1}.
• Inspection Process:
  1. Submission of import permit and phytosanitary certificate to SFE.
  2. Physical inspection and sampling at the point of entry (e.g., ports, airports).
  3. Release of shipment if compliant; otherwise, corrective measures (treatment, re-export, or destruction)⁴.
• Penalties: Violations of phytosanitary laws may result in fines, seizure of goods, or legal action under Law No. 7664¹.

5. Summary Answer

Costa Rica regulates the importation of fresh pomegranates from Spain and Turkey through a science-based, non-discriminatory phytosanitary framework grounded in Law No. 7664, Decree No. 26647-MEIC-MAG, and Resolution No. 021-2026-CV-ARP-SFE (for Turkey). Key requirements include:

1. Pre-import permit from the SFE^{2, 4}.
2. Official phytosanitary certificate with additional pest-free declarations (e.g., Cryptoblabes gnidiella and Lobesia botrana for Turkey)^{4, 3}.
3. Compliance with packaging, labeling, and inspection standards⁴.
4. Risk-based measures aligned with the IPPC and SPS Agreement, ensuring no arbitrary trade restrictions^{3, 1}.

Importers must verify the latest SFE requirements for Spain, as country-specific conditions may apply beyond the general framework^{2, 4}. Non-compliance may result in rejection, treatment, or destruction of shipments¹.

Sources

1. ↩ WTO SPS notification 26-01537 — Costa Rica https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/CRI/26_01537_00_s.pdf
2. ↩ WTO SPS notification 26-02740 — Costa Rica https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/CRI/26_02740_00_s.pdf
3. ↩ WTO SPS notification 26-01536 — Costa Rica https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/CRI/26_01536_00_s.pdf
4. ↩ WTO SPS notification 26-02739 — Costa Rica https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/CRI/26_02739_00_s.pdf