Costa Rica Tightens Plant Import Rules for Blueberry and Avocado Propagation

Costa Rica has implemented new phytosanitary measures for the importation of rooted blueberry and in vitro avocado plants for propagation, targeting specific origins and ensuring pest-free entry into the territory ****.

Compliance Requirements for Importing Rooted Blueberry and In Vitro Avocado Plants into Costa Rica

Costa Rica has established specific phytosanitary measures for the importation of rooted blueberry plants (Vaccinium corymbosum) from Spain and in vitro avocado plants (Persea americana) from Israel for propagation. These measures aim to prevent the introduction of regulated pests and diseases while ensuring compliance with international and national phytosanitary standards.

1. Legal and Regulatory Framework

The measures are grounded in the following legal instruments:

• International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) (ratified by Costa Rica under Law No. 1970), which mandates the prevention of pest introduction and spread through regulated import requirements^{1, 2}.
• Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) (incorporated into Costa Rican law via Law No. 7475), which permits members to adopt measures necessary to protect plant health, provided they are based on risk assessments and minimize trade disruptions².
• Costa Rican Phytosanitary Protection Law (Law No. 7664), which declares phytosanitary measures of public interest and obligates the State to prevent the introduction and dissemination of pests threatening agricultural security¹.
• Decree No. 26647-MEIC-MAG, which prohibits the importation of regulated plant materials without prior phytosanitary requirements¹.

The Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado (SFE), through its Unidad de Análisis de Riesgos de Plagas (ARP), is the competent authority responsible for establishing and enforcing these measures^{1, 3}.

2. Phytosanitary Requirements by Plant Type and Origin

A. Rooted Blueberry Plants (Vaccinium corymbosum) from Spain

The following measures are mandated under Resolution PR17-2026^{1, 3}:

1. Phytosanitary Certificate
   • The shipment must be accompanied by an official phytosanitary certificate from Spain, including additional declarations stating freedom from the following pests:
   • Cacoecimorpha pronubana
   • Scirtothrips aurantii (regulated quarantine pest in Costa Rica)¹
   • Scirtothrips dorsalis (regulated quarantine pest in Costa Rica)¹
   • Xiphinema rivesi¹.

1. Propagation Material Requirements
   • Soil-free medium: Only growth media free of soil are permitted.
   • No flowers or snails: The shipment must be free of flowers and snails¹.

1. Import Permit
   • An import permit (phytosanitary requirements form) must be obtained prior to importation¹.

1. Inspection and Sampling
   • Shipments are subject to phytosanitary inspection and sampling upon arrival in Costa Rica¹.

1. Effective Date
   • The resolution entered into force upon signing and was notified to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and relevant SFE departments¹.

B. In Vitro Avocado Plants (Persea americana) from Israel

The following measures are mandated under Resolution N°020-2026-CV-ARP-SFE^{2, 3}:

1. Phytosanitary Certificate
   • The shipment must be accompanied by an official phytosanitary certificate from Israel, confirming:
   • The plants are free of Avocado sunblotch viroid (ASBVd) (a regulated quarantine pest absent in Costa Rica, with a high risk rating due to systemic infection in plant tissues)^{2, 3}.
   • The plants are transported in aseptic conditions (sterile containers, with or without culture medium)².

1. Source Material Requirements
   • Plants must be derived from indexed mother plants, tested at least twice annually for ASBVd.
   • Laboratory test results must be attached to the shipment².

1. Post-Entry Quarantine
   • Plants are subject to a maximum 6-month post-entry quarantine, during which they will be tested to confirm freedom from ASBVd².

1. Import Permit
   • An import permit (phytosanitary requirements form) must be obtained prior to importation².

1. Inspection and Sampling
   • Shipments are subject to phytosanitary inspection and sampling upon arrival².

1. Effective Date
   • The resolution entered into force upon signing².

3. Risk Assessment and Justification

The measures are based on pest risk analyses (PRA) conducted by the SFE’s Unidad de Análisis de Riesgos de Plagas, which identified the following risks:

• Blueberry plants from Spain: Potential introduction of Scirtothrips aurantii and Scirtothrips dorsalis, both regulated quarantine pests in Costa Rica¹.
• Avocado plants from Israel: High risk of introducing Avocado sunblotch viroid (ASBVd), a systemic pathogen with no effective control measures in Costa Rica^{2, 3}. The PRA noted that infected propagation material is a primary pathway for entry².

The measures align with Article 5 of the SPS Agreement, which requires that phytosanitary measures be based on risk assessments and international standards (e.g., IPPC guidelines) while minimizing trade disruptions².

4. Summary Table of Key Requirements

5. Summary Answer

Costa Rica has implemented origin-specific phytosanitary measures for the importation of rooted blueberry plants from Spain and in vitro avocado plants from Israel to prevent the introduction of regulated pests. For blueberry plants, shipments must comply with pest-free declarations, soil-free media, and pre-import permits¹. For avocado plants, requirements include aseptic conditions, freedom from Avocado sunblotch viroid (ASBVd), post-entry quarantine, and source material testing². Both measures are grounded in risk assessments and align with Costa Rica’s obligations under the IPPC and SPS Agreement^{1, 2}. Importers must obtain a phytosanitary import permit and ensure shipments are inspected upon arrival^{1, 2, 3}.

Sources

1. ↩ WTO SPS notification 26-04083 — Costa Rica https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/CRI/26_04083_00_s.pdf
2. ↩ WTO SPS notification 26-02738 — Costa Rica https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/CRI/26_02738_00_s.pdf
3. ↩ WTO SPS notification 26-01562 — Costa Rica https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/CRI/26_01562_00_s.pdf