Importing plant pathogens

Plant pathogens are organisms that cause damage and disease in plants. They can be classified into the following groups:

Fungi are microscopic organisms that strategically invade plants. They employ diverse tactics; some are lethal to their host, subsequently feeding on the deceased plant matter.

Others take a more subtle approach by inhibiting plant cells to alter the plant's metabolic processes to benefit them.

Bacteria are single cellular organisms that enter plant tissues to cause various types of plant diseases with different symptoms.

Types of bacteria include:

Gram-positive bacteria
Gram-negative bacteria
Mollicutes (phytoplasma and spiroplasma, wall-free bacteria).

Viruses are tiny infectious pathogens that are smaller than cells and bacteria. They are obligate parasites that come alive and replicate when inside the plant host cells.

They travel through the plant’s vascular system and infect the other surrounding cells, resulting in the disease.

About Import Risk Assessments (IRA)

Plant pathogens are regulated under the Control of Plants (Plant Importation) Rules, Second Schedule. They require an Import Risk Assessment (IRA) to assess the phytosanitary risks associated with their importation.

An IRA includes identifying the best ways to minimise biosecurity risks for regulated articles. They are approved on a case-by-case basis to balance the need for import, our international obligations to the International Plant Protection Convention and our responsibility to protect plant health in our City in Nature.

How to apply

Follow these steps to apply:

1. Check against approved list

Check if the plant pathogen you intend to import belongs to the list below.

List

List of approved plant pathogens (PDF, 31KB)

A list of approved plant pathogens (bacteria, fungi and viruses) for import into Singapore.

Nov 2023

2. Submit the application

If your intended import is:

On the approved list: submit your request for an IRA via the Application for import of approved organism/microorganism into Singapore form.
Not on the approved list: submit your request via the Application for the import of living organism/microorganism into Singapore form instead.

3. Receive outcome of application

We may need a minimum of at least 3 months for an IRA. During the process, we may get in touch with you to request more details if necessary.

The processing time will also be longer if there is a need to consult other government agencies on your request.

If your application is successful, we will send you an in-principle approval with the import conditions for the plant pathogens based on the IRA.

The risk assessment outcome will also establish whether the import of the plant pathogen requires your participation in the Biosecurity Assurance Arrangement (BSAA).