Colombia is one of the countries with the greatest potential for exporting fruit and vegetables, with steady growth in recent years. For this process, it is important to have a refrigerated container that keeps the products in perfect condition all the way to their destination.

Steps to export fruit from Colombia

The first thing to know is that, to start the process, you must comply with a series of regulations to export this type of product in containers by ship or by air.

Register as an exporter with the ICA

The exporter can be an individual or a company, but its tax registration (RUT) must include fruit marketing as an economic activity. This license does not require the exporter to own the farm, but it does require a letter from the grower stating the registration number. If the exporter does own a farm, it must be registered at the same time as the exporter registration.

A registration fee is then paid at the nearest treasury office of the ICA (Colombia's agricultural authority), and the following documents are submitted: certificate of incorporation and legal representation (or the commercial registration for individuals), proof of payment and every required signature on the form.

A certification from the producing farm identifying it as a supplier of the exporting company must also be submitted. The written application must include details such as place and date, company name, tax ID, contact details, the fruit to be exported, brand details and the applicant's signature.

Verification visit

Once these steps are complete, the ICA visits the exporting company's facilities, where the sorting and packing warehouses are checked for compliance with every standard.

If the officials make requirements of the organization, the changes must be made within the following three months; otherwise the agency declares the process abandoned.

Once every requirement is met, the applicant goes to the agency to collect the exporter certificate.

Farm registration

To produce fresh fruit and vegetables for export, certain infrastructure conditions are required, with defined areas for activities such as harvest handling, a sorting, packing and loading warehouse, and an area for waste disposal.

The application must include details such as the name and location of the farm, the name of the owner and the legal representative with their contact details, and the number of hectares under cultivation.

Applying for the phytosanitary certificate

This depends on the requirements of the destination country. Some countries do not require it, but it can be requested voluntarily from the ICA.

Applying for a sanitary inspection certificate

This is issued by the health authority at the port where the goods are shipped. In Colombia the agency for this procedure is Invima.

Packaging

Exporting this type of perishable product requires special packaging, a box or a package, and it must carry the company's details, the export registration number, the registered farm number and the name and signature of the technician who inspected the packaging.

Colombia's agricultural exports to the world grow every year, with the United States as the country's main partner. In the first half of 2022, USD 1.3 billion in fruit and vegetables were exported to the US, according to Statista.

Containers remain the best way to protect products that need refrigeration all the way to their destination. If you are thinking of starting to export fruit and vegetables, Econtainers has the experience to advise you and answer your questions.

Ship your produce at the right temperature: see our refrigerated containers.