# Bringing plants in your luggage?



## SierraMadreMe

Anyone have any advice about bringing plants in the country in your luggage?I am told that Customs is being more aggressive in their luggage searches? Would bringing cuttings be a better option?I have heard of people bringing plants in before,but it has been several years,and things may have changed.

The reason I ask is because I have a cousin coming in a week,and he could bring me a few cuttings,but I don't want him to get in any trouble.

Anybody?


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## M.C.A.

*Bureau of Customs*



SierraMadreMe said:


> Anyone have any advice about bringing plants in the country in your luggage?I am told that Customs is being more aggressive in their luggage searches? Would bringing cuttings be a better option?I have heard of people bringing plants in before,but it has been several years,and things may have changed.
> 
> The reason I ask is because I have a cousin coming in a week,and he could bring me a few cuttings,but I don't want him to get in any trouble.
> 
> Anybody?


Always check with the Philippine Bureau of Customs but I found a link.

http://pqs.da.gov.ph/index.php/rules-and-regulations/import

I've heard of OFW's bringing in seeds though but not live plants.


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## SierraMadreMe

That is a good link mcalleyboy.I went to the BOC website looking for info.Silly me,I went there thinking I could get information.I did see a downloadable file with all the regulated items...it read like the encyclopedia..there are more regulated items than there are unregulated! Job security I guess.

I tried sending an email to the help desk @ BOC,but as usual,that email address is no longer valid...Shocker!

Thanks for the link...man they have EVERYTHING covered don't they?


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## M.C.A.

*Boc*



SierraMadreMe said:


> That is a good link mcalleyboy.I went to the BOC website looking for info.Silly me,I went there thinking I could get information.I did see a downloadable file with all the regulated items...it read like the encyclopedia..there are more regulated items than there are unregulated! Job security I guess.
> 
> I tried sending an email to the help desk @ BOC,but as usual,that email address is no longer valid...Shocker!
> 
> Thanks for the link...man they have EVERYTHING covered don't they?


When I retired the last thing I wanted to deal with was Customs other than Balikbyan boxes and now they are starting to mess with those, if they find something banned they'll hold the box in Manila and make you show up to get it, get ready for charges and more games, nothing seems to change here. :welcome:


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## DonAndAbby

SierraMadreMe said:


> That is a good link mcalleyboy.I went to the BOC website looking for info.Silly me,I went there thinking I could get information.I did see a downloadable file with all the regulated items...it read like the encyclopedia..there are more regulated items than there are unregulated! Job security I guess.
> 
> I tried sending an email to the help desk @ BOC,but as usual,that email address is no longer valid...Shocker!
> 
> Thanks for the link...man they have EVERYTHING covered don't they?


As a former employee of an express shipping company that sometimes used on board couriers with baggage to move shipments, I can say with almost 100% certainty that ALL countries have strict regulations for agricultural goods and animal goods. You would be breaking the law if you do not declare it, provide proper paperwork and usually it requires a few days / weeks for an agricultural inspection, depending on the country. There are good reasons for this as non-native plants and animals can cause havoc in the environment.

The US is just as bad or worse than most countries. Before it was computerized, the U.S. import regs were in a huge book as thick as 3 phone books. The Philippines is probably minor league when it comes to regs.

Side note: I went to Hong Kong Saturday and I was inspected there. They would have found anything like this.


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## lilra

*Plant Importation process*

It is not a good idea. Everything shows in scans. If you don't declare it, it can vanish and... Also, having taken a class in pest management just for fun, I realized the risk and expense involved in dealing with infestation. I strongly suggest to go by the rules on this one.

Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Plant Industry - Philippine Plant Quarantine - Contact us

However, it is possible to bring in plants following protocols.
I believe it is safe to assume the cuttings are for a hobby and that you are not a commercial importer? 
First thing is to contact the Quarantine office in your region (main is in Malate) for more concrete instructions.

*Letter of Intent* 
With that said, what I know is you will be required to submit a Letter of Intent. Other than simply stating what you intend to do with it, I would also think you will have to convince them that the plants have to come from outside the PI, that is, the plants are not readily available locally. But this is just my assumption. I may be wrong.
You will be required at some point to submit BPI Q Form #1 - downloadable from the site. I am not clear at which point so just be prepared to supply the information.

*Pest Risk Analysis*
If LOI is approved, a PRA will be conducted by a Quarantine personnel if none has been done in the past for importation of said plants from the country it is coming from. *Note: *country where it will be directly coming from; if same plants (other variety) are available in the PI, they may have come in from Asian countries and PRA are in place, but if coming from US, chances are no PRA has been done so they will have to do a research. This is free service.

*BPI Q Form #1* along with *Fee -Php100 per species.*
Once PRA is done and they determine it is okay to import such plants from such country, you will get the go to apply for importation. I believe it is the BPI Q Form #1, though you would have provided the same info along the way. 

It sounds a hassle, but it is not really. The hassle is following up to make sure it is moving. I had to call many times and every time I called, they can't find my LOI - two months of waiting. This is because I am dealing with it from US, and overwhelmed with other things. I should have "tutok" on it.When it got to PRA, it went really fast. The irony is I've been told PRA can take a week, 2-3 weeks, even a year. The PRA personnel was very professional and to the point - 2 days. 

*PQC | Permit to Import*
It takes 2-3 days to process the application, so it's a two visit process - submit application & fee, then come back to pick up the Permit to Import or PQC (I get confused but I think they are the same) which will be presented to the Plant Industry officer (US) along with the plants for inspection. Call ahead of time for an appointment. Rates differ as some local agencies are authorized to do the job and they are cheaper than the official agents issuing Phytosanitary certificates. With PQC is the instruction to prep the plants before inspection, and what to do after inspection. No soil whatsoever. 

*The Permit is good for two months, and for one time use only*. Importer Accreditation is not required for non-commercial purposes since you are not expected to import regularly.

*Phytosanitary Certificate*
If pest free and everything in your Permit is good (not expired, etc), a Phytosanitary Certificate will be issued. This is presented with the plants upon arrival at customs. No quarantine necessary.

Okay, I admit, it is a hassle. The real question is, how badly you want them.


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## SierraMadreMe

Thanks to everyone who responded,I apologize for not addressing you each individually..but my eyes!My eyes! 

This is just a hobby thing,I have no desire to be a retailer or anything of the sort.To be honest,I just wanted to try a couple of Figs.There are native figs here,but they aren't what you would normally grow for edible figs.Figs are getting popular in many parts of the world these days.There are now "named varieties" here in the PI,and my guess is that they have "slipped thru" somehow...and recently to boot.

I also realize that there are pest concerns,and that the US most likely sets the bar for regulated goods...I mean,other countries need a model to follow..right? But still,it's probably overkill for the average backyard gardener who has a tree or 2 in pots.

I was just scratching my head trying to figure out how to get a doggone fig plant.Lol


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## M.C.A.

SierraMadreMe said:


> Thanks to everyone who responded,I apologize for not addressing you each individually..but my eyes!My eyes!
> 
> I was just scratching my head trying to figure out how to get a doggone fig plant.Lol


Figs sound awesome, I am big into planting all sorts of fruits but that's a great idea, ask around and see how you can get the seeds.

I've planted so many fruits and also some imported fruits from Saudi, an OFW brought seeds here and years later they had fruits and they gave me seeds for a larger variety of "Duhat" also Lemon but I've planted also cranberry, I'd like to get a sweeter version like I had before the flood the one I bought is kind of sour.


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## SierraMadreMe

The problem with growing figs from seed is the variation in the resultant progeny.The only way to get a fig that is true to the original plant,is to clone it.That is accomplished by cuttings,or air layering.I shouldn't say that you can't get a true copy with seed,but there is a lot of variation that you have to sift through to get a reasonable representation of the original...At least,that is the way I understand it.


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