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Procedure Name

Import Permit for Plant and Plant Products

Description

Category	Permit
Responsible Agency	Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition Department of Marketing Department of Agricultural Research Address: Box 24, No. 80 Constitution Road-Maseru Phone: +266 22322741 Email: ljmakhate@gmail.com / makhorob@yahoo.co.uk Official Website:
Processing Time	2 -3 Days
Fee	LSL 30, plus 2.5% variable fee baed upon value of the invoice

Required Documents

No.	Type of information	Note
	Department of Marketing / Department of Agricultural Research
1	Traders License (License issued to a fruit and vegetables trader by the Lesotho government)	Documents necessary for the application
2	Business Registration Certificate	Documents necessary for the application
	Specifically for Vegetables and Fruit, Legumes for General Traders and Legumes for Packers
3	Import Return Form (If the trader has imported has imported before)
4	Previous Approved Permit (only for those not processed through the LNSW)
	Specifically for Wheat Import permit
5	Valid Recommendation on Quotas to Millers

Process Steps

This procedure is now to be handled through the Lesotho National Single Window (LNSW) from 1 September 2025 and is a fully electronic process.

To make an application, an applicant must first be registered with the LNSW. Information regarding the process to register and its requirements can be found at the Lesotho National Single Window portal.

The LNSW is the national system that manages all trade related authorisations. It is the one location from where applications can be made for all types of permits, certificates and licenses required for the import, export and transit of goods in Lesotho. As an electronic system, the LNSW receives a single application and directs it to all involved responsible agencies for their processing.

An applicant can track the progress of their applications through the LNSW and do not need to physically visit the offices of the agencies involved. Where payment is required for a permit, this can be made either at the Agency's cashier office or shall soon be possible fully electronic through the LNSW without need to visit the involved agencies cashier.

Upon issue, the permit reference number need only be referenced when making a Customs declaration in ASYCUDA World and there is no need to attach a scanned image of the permit as was previously required with paper-based permits.

The diagram below describes the application process steps for the above-mentioned permit on LNSW.

** IMPORTANT NOTE ***

With the introduction of processing on LNSW, there is now no need to obtain an Import Permit for selected plant products from the Department of Marketing and then apply to the Department of Agricultural Reseach for its corresponding Import Permit. A single application to the LNSW for import of plants / plant products will send the application to both Department of Marketing and Department of Agricultural Reseach and a single Import Permit for Plant / Plant Products will be issued upon successful processing. Only the one, single consolidated Import Permit for Plant / Plant Products on LNSW will be required for ASYCUDA World for Customs processing.

1^st Agency Processing - Department of Marketing
2^nd Agency Processing - Department of Agricultural Research

Category

Import

The following form/s are used in this procedure

Title	Description	Created Date	Updated Date	Issued By
No results found.

This procedure applies to the following measures

Name	Measure Type	Description	Comments	Legal Document	Validity To	Measure Class
Requirement to obtain an Import Permit for Plants and Plant Products	SPS	All persons wishing to import legumes and their seeds into Lesotho shall do so only when in possession of a permit issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Research.	The trade in plants and plant products is governed by the Plant Protection Act. Importation is subject to compliance with relevant import and phytosanitary requirements, as stipulated on the plant import permit. All Importers are only authorized to import plant material under conditions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security as stipulated on the import permit.	PLANT PROTECTION POLICY FOR LESOTHO	31-12-9999	Good
Requirement to obtain an Import Permit for Legumes (Beans and Peas)	Permit Requirement	All persons wishing to import legumes and their seeds into Lesotho shall do so only when in possession of a permit issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Marketing.	Legumes seeds do not require an Import Permit from the Department of Marketing, but will require from the Department of Agricultural Research. HS codes for legume seeds include: 07131010, 07132010, 07133110, 07133210, 07133310, 07133410, 07133510, 07133910, 07134010, 07135010, 07136010, 07139001	Legal Notice No. 178 of 1986 Agricultural Marketing (Import of Beans and Peas) Regulations, 1986	31-12-9999	Good
Requirement to obtain an Import Permit for Fruits and Vegetables	Permit Requirement	All persons wishing to import fruits and vegetables into Lesotho shall do so only when in possession of a permit issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Marketing.	.	Legal Notice No. 28 of 1992 Agricultural Marketing( Trading in Fruits and Vegetables) regulations, 1992.	31-12-9999	Good