Agreement Between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica

Cayman Islands DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AGREEMENT BETWEEN JAMAICA AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS REGARDING THE PROTOCOL FOR THE IMPORTATION OF PLANTS & PLANT PRODUCTS FROM JAMAICA

This protocol is in two parts and applies to the IMPORTATION OF CARGO SHIPMENTS; Individual travellers are not allowed to bring into the Cayman Islands plant products or propagative material as part of their luggage.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Import Permits a) A written application to obtain an Import Permit must be made to the Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture on a form provided by the said Department before any consignment of plant products or propagative material is imported into the Cayman Islands. b) Applications will be processed by the Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture in accordance with the Plant (Importation and Exportation) Law and a response issued within 72 hours of receipt of completed forms. c) Importers must present to the Plant Quarantine/Produce Inspection Division Officer in Jamaica, their import permit issued by the Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture, which will indicate the plant product to be imported and the requirements and conditions for entry.

Inspection and Phytosanitary Certification a) Consignments into the Cayman Islands must be accompanied by a Phytosanitary Certificate, issued and signed by an officer of the Ministry of Agriculture, Jamaica. b) Consignments of scotch bonnet pepper, thyme and edible herbs must be fumigated and this treatment declared on the Phytosanitary certificate. c) All consignments must be shipped within seven (7) days of the issuance of the Phytosanitary Certificate. d) All consignments will be subjected to an inspection, at the port of entry, by the Cayman Islands Chief Agricultural and Veterinary Officer or his designate. e) Consignments in excess of quantities stated on the Phytosanitary Certificate will be seized. PART I

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE IMPORTATION OF PLANT PRODUCTS (including cut flowers and foliage)

(i) Guidelines for the Preparation of Plant Products Shipped to the Cayman Islands

a) All plant products for export to the Cayman Islands must originate from a Ministry of Agriculture, Jamaica, certified packinghouse. b) All plant products must be clean, pest free and of good quality. c) All ground provisions (yam, dasheen, coco, etc.) must be washed entirely free of soil and dried before packing into appropriate material in standard size cartons. d) Papaya and Cho Cho should be cleaned, washed, dried and wrapped in appropriate material before packing in standard size cartons. e) All other products (e.g. cut flowers and foliage) should be packed in standard size carton boxes appropriate for the type of commodity. f) The Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture reserves the right to prescribe treatment(s) for any consignment, as may be required.

(ii) Procedures for the Export of Plant Products to the Cayman Islands.

a) All Traders must be registered in Jamaica with the Plant Quarantine/Produce Inspection Division. b) Plant Products must be packed in STANDARD SIZE carton boxes or bags (for citrus). c) The entire shipment must be taken to the Agricultural Export Complex for inspection. d) All boxes must be securely sealed with tape. (Extra tape must be taken to the Export Complex in order to reseal boxes opened for inspection). e) All boxes containing products that have passed inspection must bear the Ministry of Agriculture – Jamaica stamp. f) All shipments are required to be sent as cargo (not accompanied luggage).

(iii) The selected list of plant products for importation to the Cayman Islands is as follows: -

Avocado Processed Coffee Beans, Cocoa Pumpkin Thyme Citrus Fruits Scotch Bonnet Pepper Cho Cho Edible herbs Dasheen/Tannia/Coco Shelled Gungo Peas (green/dry) Papaya Orchid blooms June Plum Dried/Processed Spices and Herbs Sweet Potato Nutmeg Pimento seeds Anthurium (Blooms only) Ginger Yam Sweet Cassava

For the avoidance of doubt, mangoes (fruit) are not included in the list to this protocol and are not allowed to be imported into the Cayman Islands by virtue of this Agreement. PART II

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE IMPORTATION OF PROPAGATIVE MATERIAL

(i) Tissue cultured material, orchids and packaged seeds from institutions recognized by the Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture do not require additional phytosanitary treatment.

(ii) Orchids: Nurseries wanting to export orchids to the Cayman Islands must be signatory to a compliance agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture, Jamaica. (See Appendix 1 attached)

(iii) Citrus nursery stock must be treated at final inspection as follows:  Foliar application with a contact insecticide applied with organosilicate surfactant.  Sprayed with a Protectant Fungicide  Molluscicide All nursery stock must be weed free.

Citrus nursery stock MUST be obtained from nurseries certified by the Jamaica Citrus Protection Agency and must be accompanied by certification stating that the growing media is nematode free.

(iv) Loose seeds must be free of soil, noxious weed seed and treated with:  Insecticidal Powder  Fungicidal Powder

(v) All chemicals used in treatments must be approved by the Jamaica Pesticide Control Board and should be applied at the recommended rate as instructed by the label.

(vi) The selected list of propagative material for importation to the Cayman Islands is as follows: -

Orchid plants Citrus nursery stock Tissue cultured plantlets Scion material

For the avoidance of doubt, it is to be noted that tissue cultured and scion material (buds and grafts) can only be imported into the Cayman Islands from institutions recognized by the Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture.

Failure to comply with any or all of the above measures in this protocol will result in the confiscation of consignments. And may at the option of the parties require the re-examination of the arrangements set out in this Agreement.