Solanum lycopersicum seed

Country
United States of America (US)
Group
Grains / Seeds
End use
Sowing
NPPO Details
Plant Protection and Quarantine, Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Relevant Web Addresses
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/home/
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.


The import permit must be presented to the authorised officer at the time of making an appointment.

The conditions apply to the countries of origin referenced on the import permit.

Exporters are to ensure the consignment is exported within 15 days of issuance of the phytosanitary certificate.

Packaging and shipping requirements

A typed or legibly printed list/invoice must accompany each shipment and must contain the name of the collector/shipper, the botanical names (genus and species) listed alphabetically, as well as the country of origin and the country of export for each taxon.

Consignments being shipped by mail or courier must be labelled as below:
  • Correctly and plainly addressed and mailed to the Plant Protection and Quarantine Program at one of the Approved Ports of Entry to receive plants for planting for import;
  • Accompanied by a separate sheet of paper within the package, plainly and correctly bearing the name, address, and telephone number of the intended recipient
  • Plainly and correctly on the outer container, have the following information:
    • General nature and quantity of the contents;
    • Country and locality where grown;
    • Name and address of shipper, owner, or person shipping or forwarding the plants for planting; and
    • Number of the written permit authorizing the importation, if one (written permit) is required under 7 CFR ยง 319.37-5.
Consignments being shipped by mail must bear a green and yellow shipping label (PPQ Form 508).

Consignments being shipped by other means (e.g. full containers) must be labelled on the outer container with the below:
  • General nature and quantity of the contents;
  • Country and locality where grown;
  • Name and address of shipper, owner, or person shipping or forwarding the plants for planting;
  • Name and address of consignee;
  • Identifying shipper's mark and number; and
  • Number of written permit authorizing the importation, if applicable.

Shipments that are deemed to prevent adequate on-arrival inspection or treatment (i.e. wrapped, coated, dipped or sprayed, or otherwise packaged in impermeable material) may be refused entry.

Small lots of seed permit conditions

If stated on the import permit (small lots of seed permit), small lots of seed may be imported without an accompanying phytosanitary certificate, provided that the following conditions outlined in the USDA Plants for Planting Manual in the Small lots of Seeds Permit section are met in addition to the packaging and shipping requirements outlined above.


If small lots of seeds are exported without an accompanying phytosanitary certificate as per the import permit conditions, no Authorised Officer inspection and issuance of an export permit is required for the consignment.


Explanation of the endorsements

 

Endorsement 8392:

  • Pepper chat fruit viroid, Columnea latent viroid, Tomato apical stunt viroid and Tomato planta macho viroid are not known to occur in Australia. No supporting evidence is required to endorse freedom from these pests. 
  • An area freedom certificate is required to endorse freedom from Potato spindle tuber viroid.
  • A laboratory analysis certificate is required to endorse freedom from Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) and Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid.

Endorsement 8393:

  • Pepper chat fruit viroid, Columnea latent viroid, Tomato apical stunt viroid and Tomato planta macho viroid are not known to occur in Australia. No supporting evidence is required to endorse freedom from these pests. 
  • A laboratory analysis certificate is required to endorse freedom from Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), Potato spindle tuber viroid and Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid.

Endorsement 8394:

  • Applies to seed of non-Australian origin.
  • A laboratory analysis certificate is required to endorse freedom from Pepper chat fruit viroid, Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), Potato spindle tuber viroid, Columnea latent viroid, Tomato apical stunt viroid, Tomato planta macho viroid and Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid.

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

Option 1 (EXDOC Endorsement 8392)
1) Pepper chat fruit viroid, Columnea latent viroid, Tomato apical stunt viroid and Tomato planta macho viroid are not known to occur in Australia,
2) Potato spindle tuber viroid is not known to occur in the area of production,
3) A representative sample was found free through laboratory testing of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) and Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid.

Option 2 (EXDOC Endorsement 8393)
1) Pepper chat fruit viroid, Columnea latent viroid, Tomato apical stunt viroid and Tomato planta macho viroid are not known to occur in Australia,

2) A representative sample was found free through laboratory testing of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), Potato spindle tuber viroid and Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid.

Option 3 (EXDOC Endorsement 8394)

1) A representative sample was found free through laboratory testing of Pepper chat fruit viroid, Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), Potato spindle tuber viroid, Columnea latent viroid, Tomato apical stunt viroid, Tomato planta macho viroid and Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid.

Import permits dated 4 September 2015 and 3 April 2026.
30/04/2026 - New endorsements created.
28/04/2026 - Explanation of the endorsement text updated.
Initial Uploaded: 03/10/2018
Reviewed Uploaded: 18/07/2026