How to Export mangoes to USA from Pakistan . A step wise guide.

There is one importation process that can then be bifurcated into two routes  depending on whether the mangoes have already been treated in Pakistan or need to undergo irradiation treatment in the U.S. All the mangoes that are being imported into the U.S. have to follow steps 1-5. If the mangoes are to be irradiated in the U.S. then after step 5 the all activities  have to be undertaken. If the mangoes have already been treated in Pakistan then the all steps followed. Briefly all the steps are given below:-

 1:  Mangoes must be grown at a registered orchard and packed at a registered facility in Pakistan. This is to be done by the orchard through NPPO/PHD&EC1 according to the guidelines laid down by APHIS2. Essentially NPPO/PHD&EC acts on behalf of  APHIS/USDA and their registration processes are already APHIS/USDA approved. The orchard must also have an FDA Registration Number which can be applied for on the FDA website (www.fda.gov). This will take about 20-30 minutes depending on computer proficiency of the applicant. If all guidelines are met this process (full and complete registration of the Pakistani orchard) will take between a few weeks to a few months (Steps 1-2). 

2:   Anyone with a U.S. permanent address can apply for an import permit. The importer must sign a compliance agreement (the first step for an import permit) with USDA prior to applying for an import permit at least 60 days in advance of the shipment date. The form for this is available online at www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/plantproducts.shtml or by calling (301) 734-0841 (Step 3).
The importer must then have an import permit issued by USDA as well as the FDA Registration Number (of the Pakistani Orchard) to file with Customs (after the compliance agreement has been applied for and approved by USDA). This is done online separately with USDA and FDA. The process takes less than half an hour depending on the computer proficiency of the applicant. The U.S. importer must have the FDA registration number for the orchard and packing facility that they will be dealing with since these have to be provided to Customs and USDA inspectors upon arrival of the shipment (Steps 3).

3: The fruit/food must be packed in FDA and APHIS approved packaging and packing  material. All food/fruit contact surfaces have to be USDA and FDA compliant (Step 4).

4: The steps on the right side of the flow chart (after Step 5) will be undertaken in case the fruit/food has already been treated in Pakistan.

Incase of irradiation in the U.S.

5: Arrangements must be made between the exporting orchard/packing facility and the importer and USDA as to the exact arrival date of the consignment as well as for a refrigerated truck to pick up the consignment after it clears Customs and take it to the APHIS approved irradiation facility have to be made. Also arrangements need to be made with the APHIS approved irradiation facility as to the exact appointment time
for the irradiation process.

6 Copies of the Letters of Guarantee (which states that all packing, packaging and food contact surface materials are FDA approved per Title 21 Section 179.45 at www.fda.gov which lists all approved materials including boxes, tape, stickers, glue, mesh, etc.) have to be sent by the exporter to the irradiation facility prior to the consignment reaching the facility. There is a check list of 44 (forty four) items needed to complete all paperwork requirements for the APHIS approved irradiation facility in order for the consignment to be approved for irradiation processing.

6: Once all the paperwork requirements have been met and the consignment is ready to be shipped then the U.S. importer must notify USDA as to the exact arrival date and time and at what U.S. port of entry it will be arriving as well as the specific transit route from the port of entry to the APHIS approved irradiation facility.

7: Once the consignment has reached the U.S. port then Customs & Border Protection (CBP) will verify all documents accompanying the consignment to ensure it was properly treated and inspected. This will take approximately 2-3 hours. Also if the consignment arrives in the evening after 4 PM then CBP verification will take place on the following business day. The consignment will then have to be held in cold storage and arrangements need to be made with the warehouse prior to the shipment arriving at the port.

8. After CBP has cleared the consignment then it will be loaded into a refrigerated truck and shipped to the APHIS approved irradiation facility where there it will go through the irradiation process which takes approximately 4-6 hours. After the process is completed then the consignment will ready for commercial sale or official gifts.