Sorghum

Country
Kenya (KE)
Scientific Name
Sorghum bicolor
Group
Grains / Seeds
End use
Processing
NPPO Details
Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS)
Relevant Web Addresses
https://www.kephis.org/
Criteria Criteria Required?
Import Permit Yes
Phytosanitary Certificate Yes
Additional Declaration/Endorsement Yes
Protocol Market No
Consignments are to be free from pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material.


A copy of the import permit must be presented to an Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.


Where applicable, the exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the endorsement and present it to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.


If the import permit requires certification in relation to moisture content, the exporter must provide laboratory test results as evidence that moisture content is not above 14%. Certification can be provided on a Certificate as to Condition (GX46) stating that "moisture content is not above 14% through laboratory test results". Moisture content will not be endorsed on the phytosanitary certificate.

Packaging - The following material must not be used as packaging:
Banana leaves, Maize straw, Rice straw, Sorghum straw, Palm straw, Wheat straw and Leaf mould.
If any other plant residue is used as packaging material, the consignment must be accompanied by a certificate stating:
All seed, pathogens and insects have been killed before use of the material either by heating to 82 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes or by chemical treatment. The heat treatment details are to be endorsed on a Phytosanitary Certificate.
Exporter to provide a certifcate attesting to the heat treatment if applied to the packaging material.

Explanation of the endorsements

Endorsement 6438:
  • Visual inspection by the AO is sufficient to endorse freedom from Saw-toothed beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis) and Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella). 
  • A laboratory analysis certificate is required to endorse freedom from Grain mould of sorghum (Curvularia lunata).

Where applicable, the exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the endorsement and present it to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.

When specified on the import permit, consignments are to be fumigated with an appropriate fumigant at recommended manufacturers requirements before export.

For onshore treatment:
The exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the treatment and present it to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.


Details of treatment to be endorsed on the phytosanitary certificate in the treatment section.

OR

In-transit fumigation:

In-transit phosphine fumigation details may be endorsed on the phytosanitary certificate in the treatment section as follows:

“THE ALUMINIUM PHOSPHIDE FUMIGATION OF [commodity] ONBOARD [enter vessel name] WAS CONDUCTED IN-TRANSIT BY A LICENSED FUMIGATOR AT [dosage] GRM/M3 FOR [number of days] DAYS [OR MORE] AT [temperature] DEGREES CELSIUS."

The date to be entered into the Start and End Date fields in the Treatment section of EXDOC (same date into both fields) is the date the tablets/pellets/sleeves are placed into the vessel holds.

The exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the treatment and present it to the department at time of authorisation.

Details of treatment to be endorsed on the phytosanitary certificate in the treatment section.

For treatment, which is not undertaken onshore, prior to departure, the licensed fumigator/exporter is to provide the Grain and Seed Export Program Grain.Export@aff.gov.au with:

  • permit issued by the APVMA allowing use of fumigant in-transit
  • fumigation plan including:
    • re-circulation method and monitoring lines and their locations
    • method of sealing holds during fumigation
    • method of clearing the fumigant from the consignment
    • method used to provide gas free certification
    • proposed dosage (grm/m3), temperature (degrees Celsius), and duration of treatment (days) in accordance with NPPO import conditions
    • vessel name, destination and holds loaded
    • commodity and quantity
    • signed and dated by the treatment provider or a management representative
A treatment certificate from the licensed fumigator containing the following information must be provided to the department at the time of requesting authorisation:
  • proposed dosage (grm/m3), temperature (degrees Celsius), and duration of treatment (days) in accordance with NPPO import conditions
  • vessel name, destination and holds loaded
  • commodity and quantity
  • signed by a licensed fumigator with contact details provided.
Note:
  • In-transit phosphine fumigation may only be undertaken when approved by the destination country.
  • If treatment is to be undertaken in-transit, consignment must be found free of live insects during phytosanitary inspection.
  • Fumigator must submit the Fumigation Plan to the Grain and Seed Export Program (Grain.Export@aff.gov.au) for approval before undertaking in-transit phosphine fumigation to meet importing country's quarantine requirement.

The exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the treatment and present it to the department at time of authorisation.

Option 1 (EXDOC Endorsement 6438)
1) A representative sample was inspected and found to be free of saw-toothed beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis) and Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella),
2) A representative sample was tested and found to be free of Grain mould of sorghum (Curvularia lunata).

Import permits dated 7 April 2021 and 19 November 2024.

23/04/2026 - Updated explanation of endorsements text.
23/04/2025 - Updated treatment details.
03/12/2024 - Updated general requirements for moisture content and minor details about heat treatment.
06/04/2023 - Updated general requirements to state moisture content not endorsed on phytosanitary certificate.
10/03/2022 - Updated in-transit phosphine requirements.
17/05/2021 - Updated treatment details.
Initial Uploaded: 09/10/2020
Reviewed Uploaded: 18/07/2026