Summary of the procedures

  • 8 Steps
  • 14 Documents (Approx)
  • Bodies Agencies Involved
    • Ministry of Agriculture
    • Ministry of Trade and Industry
    • Phytosanitary Service
    • Customs Department

Import Procedures

Export Procedures

Step 1: Obtain Certificate of Competency for Importing Seed (CoC)
Body in charge and office contacts
  1. Ministry of Agriculture Plant Variety Release, Protection and Seed Quality Control Directorate
    (www.moa.gov.et)
Documents Required to complete the process
  1. Proof of the following:
    • Application form
    • Expert on Seed
    • Storage facilities
    • Documentation (Store map or contract agreement, experts CV) and Clerk
    • Working Capital
Cost (ETB)

ETB. 100 (Annually)

Official Length of process

3 – 5 days

Step 2: Obtain Trade License for Importing Seed
Body in charge and office contacts
  1. Ministry of Trade and Industry
    fdremoti@gmail.com (www.moti.gov.et)
Documents Required to complete the process
  1. Based on CoC given by the MoA
Cost (ETB)

Nil

Official Length of process

2 days

Step 3: Complete the Importer Application Form
Body in charge and office contacts

Ministry of Agriculture
Plant Health and Product Quality Control Directorate
(www.moa.gov.et)

Documents Required to complete the process
  1. Application Form (One single windows service)
  2. Proforma Invoice
  3. Valid License
  4. Certificate of Competency
  5. Registered variety in national list
  6. ISTA certificate (request certificate but not needed)
Cost (ETB)

Nil

Official Length of process

1 hour

Step 4: Contact Clearing Agent
Body in charge and office contacts

Ethiopia Revenue Authority (ERA) – find list of licensed and authorised.

Documents Required to complete the process
Ethiopia Revenue Authority has a list of registered clearing agents
Cost (ETB)

Nil

Official Length of process

N/A

Step 5: Scan relevant pre-clearance documents to the clearing agent
Body in charge and office contacts

Importing Company

Documents Required to complete the process
  1. Certificate of Competency
  2. Trade License for Importing Seed
  3. Importer Application form
  4. Import permit
Cost (ETB)

N/A

Official Length of process

N/A

Step 6: Application for Inspection of imported seed
Body in charge and office contacts

Ministry of Agriculture
Plant Variety Release,Protection and Seed Quality Control Directorate
(www.moa.gov.et)

Documents Required to complete the process
  1. Application form
  2. Import permit
  3. PC
  4. Invoice
  5. Bill of loading
  6. Certificate of origin
  7. Sample collection for laboratory test
Cost (ETB)

For application ETB 100.00,
Germination ETB 20.00,
Sample collection ETB 20.00,
Purity ETB 20.00

Official Length of process

1 hour for lab test (result 7 days depending on the type of crops)

Step 7: Document and integrity inspection and obtain plant import authorisation
Body in charge and office contacts

Ministry of Agriculture
Plant Health and Product Quality Control Directorate
(www.moa.gov.et)

Documents Required to complete the process
  1. Application form
  2. Import permit
  3. PC
  4. Invoice
  5. Bill of loading (Air wheel bill)
  6. Certificate of origin
  7. Physical inspection
Cost (ETB)

Max ETB 119.00

Official Length of process

2 Hours

Step 8: Physical Release of Consignment for customs
Body in charge and office contacts

Customs Commission
hocrecordopr@gmail.com
www.ecc.gov.et

Documents Required to complete the process
  1. Release import authorisation letter
Cost (ETB)

Nil

Official Length of process

1 Day