Updated September 28, 2026, by the Andino Fruits team
Every Peruvian fruit shipment needs a phytosanitary certificate from SENASA, Peru's plant health authority. Beyond that, the rules depend on the product and the market. The United States regulates mainly through treatments against fruit flies; the European Union mainly through pesticide residue limits, labelling and retailer certifications.
United States
| Product | What USDA APHIS requires | What it means for your program |
|---|---|---|
| Hass avocado | Systems approach: registered places of production and packing houses, pest surveys, commercial shipments only | Only buy from packing houses registered for the US program |
| Blueberries | An approved treatment against fruit flies: cold treatment, methyl bromide fumigation, or irradiation at 150 Gy at an approved US facility | Cold treatment runs during the voyage; fumigation happens on arrival and can affect shelf life |
| Table grapes | Treatment against fruit flies, usually cold treatment in transit | Since December 2024 Peru also ships grapes in cold treated ship holds from Paracas |
| Kent mango | Hot water treatment at 46.1 °C or more, time set by fruit size, in an APHIS approved facility, with a rest period before cooling | Treatment capacity is limited at peak; book slots early |
In the US, disputes over condition on arrival are usually settled with a USDA inspection and the PACA good delivery guidelines. A tolerance written as 15/8/3 means up to 15% total damage, of which no more than 8% serious damage, of which no more than 3% decay.
European Union
- Phytosanitary certificate issued by SENASA, under EU plant health rules (Regulation 2019/2072).
- Maximum residue levels (MRLs). EU limits apply, and supermarkets in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Scandinavia often set stricter internal limits. Ask your supplier for a recent residue analysis.
- Marketing standards and labelling: origin, variety, size or count, packer and lot number on every box.
- Traceability: lot numbers that lead back to the packing house and the grower.
Certifications buyers ask for
| Certification | What it covers | Who asks for it |
|---|---|---|
| GLOBALG.A.P. | Farm practices, food safety, worker health, environment | Baseline for most European retailers |
| GRASP | Add on to GLOBALG.A.P. on social practices | Many European retailers |
| BRCGS or IFS | Food safety at the packing house (HACCP based) | Major retailers in the UK and EU |
| SMETA | Social audit: labour conditions, wages, safety | UK and European retailers |
| Organic (EU, USDA NOP) | Organic production and handling | Organic programs only |
Before you sign
Ask for copies of the packing house's certificates with validity dates, a recent MRL analysis and, for the US, confirmation that the facility is registered for your product's program. We collect these for every order we source.
Sources
- USDA APHIS, amended import requirements for blueberries from Peru (2018)
- Federal Register, Importation of Hass avocados from Peru (2010)
- FreshFruitPortal, Peru begins exporting table grapes to the US in refrigerated ship holds (2024)
- The Produce Nerd, Why are mangoes hot water treated?
- USDA AMS, PACA good delivery guidelines
- CBI, Buyer requirements for fresh fruit and vegetables in Europe