Required Report - public distribution

**Date:** 7/30/2004

**GAIN Report Number:** HO4004

H

O4004

**Honduras**

**Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and**

**Standards**

**Annual**

**2004**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Stephen M. Huete, Agricultural Counselor

U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa

**Prepared by:**

Ana Gomez, Agricultural Specialist

**Report Highlights:**

This FAIRS Report provides updates to five sections: Food Laws, Labeling
Requirements, Pesticides and other Contaminants, Product Registration,
Copyrights & Trademarks and Import Procedures Sections. The current
Central American Customs Union process will provide changes in various
regulations in August 2004.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Annual Report

Tegucigalpa \[HO1\]

\[HO\]

Table of Contents

[**I. FOOD LAWS 4**](#i.-food-laws)

[II. LABELING REQUIREMENTS 5](#ii.-labeling-requirements)

[A. General Requirements 5](#a.-general-requirements)

[B. Nutritional Labeling Requirement
7](#b.-nutritional-labeling-requirement)

[III. PACKAGING AND CONTAINER REQUIREMENTS
7](#iii.-packaging-and-container-requirements)

[IV. FOOD ADDITIVE REGULATIONS 7](#iv.-food-additive-regulations)

[V. PESTICIDES AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS
8](#v.-pesticides-and-other-contaminants)

[VI. OTHER REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
8](#vi.-other-regulations-and-requirements)

[VII. OTHER SPECIFIC STANDARDS 9](#vii.-other-specific-standards)

[VIII. COPYRIGHTS AND TRADEMARKS 10](#viii.-copyrights-and-trademarks)

[IX. IMPORT PROCEDURES 10](#ix.-import-procedures)

[TARIFFS 12](#tariffs)

[APPENDIX I. GOVERNMENT REGULATORY AGENCY CONTACTS
13](#appendix-i.-government-regulatory-agency-contacts)

[APPENDIX II. OTHER IMPORT SPECIALIST CONTACTS
13](#appendix-ii.-other-import-specialist-contacts)

[POST INFORMATION 1](#post-information)4

**HONDURAS:**

**FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL IMPORT REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS (FAIRS)**

DISCLAIMER: This report was prepared by the Office of Agricultural
Affairs of the USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service in Tegucigalpa,
Honduras for U.S. exporters of domestic food and agricultural products.
While every possible care was taken in the preparation of this report,
information provided may not be completely accurate either because
policies have changed since its preparation, or because clear and
consistent information about these policies was not available. It is
highly recommended that U.S. exporters verify the full set of import
requirements with their foreign customers, who are normally best
equipped to research such matters with local authorities, before any
goods are shipped. FINAL IMPORT APPROVAL OF ANY PRODUCT IS SUBJECT TO
THE IMPORTING COUNTRY'S RULES AND REGULATIONS AS INTERPRETED BY BORDER
OFFICIALS AT THE TIME OF PRODUCT ENTRY.

# I. FOOD LAWS

In Honduras, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and
Livestock are involved in food safety matters. The Ministry of Health's
participation is governed by the Health Code of the Ministry of Health
(Congressional Decree 65‑91, dated 05/28/91) and its implementing
regulations (Decrees 0035 and 0077, dated 03/08/93 and 06/08/98,
respectively). Food safety issues dealing with animal products,
pesticides and agricultural chemicals, and veterinary products, are
governed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock through the
Phytosanitary & Zoosanitary Law (Congressional Decree 157‑94, dated
11/04/94) and its implementing regulations. The Consumer Protection Law
and the Municipalities Law also deal with food safety issues on a
limited scale. The main regulatory agencies regarding food safety are
the National Plant & Animal Health Service (SENASA) of the Ministry of
Agriculture & Livestock and the Sanitary Regulation Directorate (SRD)
(formerly the Division of Food Control) of the Ministry of Public
Health. As a general rule, SENASA is responsible for the inspection of
agricultural products that enter Honduras, such as imports of raw
materials and the process for consumer ready food products. The SRD is
responsible for securing the safety of processed food products sold to
the consumer. SENASA and the SRD normally coordinate their efforts
through a Working Group, which has already brought about changes in the
Government of Honduras' (GOH) regulatory framework pertaining to food
safety. One of the results has been the February 2003 agreement between
the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in
which the responsibilities for each Division are stated. The objective
of the Group is to strengthen the regulation of products and byproducts,
of animal and plant origin, and to coordinate such actions. The Working
Group meets regularly to review various matters such as Codex
Alimentarius and national production matters related to food safety.

In general terms, food safety legislation is geared toward: a)
protecting consumers' health related to the consumption of food
products; b) avoiding fraud in transactions dealing with food products;
and c) protecting Honduras' economic interests in both domestic and
international trade of food products.

Unfortunately, at times the GOH lacks the basic infrastructure and the
necessary human and economic resources to adequately enforce its food
safety regulations. Imported food products, for example, are inspected
at major ports and border crossings, and the Ministry of Health also has
monthly inspection programs for supermarkets and distributors of
imported processed food products. But many products enter through
alternative channels, and this forces the SRD to inspect products at
wholesale and retail levels. However, it is common knowledge that many
products go unchecked. As is the case in many countries with limited
resources, enforcement of existing laws and regulations is inconsistent.
Nevertheless, the GOH is making an effort to strengthen enforcement
through increased laboratory testing in terms of both quantity and
quality.

A process that is bringing changes in regulations is the Central America
Customs Union (CACU). The CACU has identified seven work areas and has
established technical groups to harmonize, unify and implement measures
at the regional level. The seven areas are:

1.  Free movement of goods

2.  Tariff harmonization

3.  Custom administration

4.  Tax harmonization and collection mechanisms

5.  Registration

6.  Intellectual property rights

7.  International commercial policy

Among the above-mentioned areas, the area of registration will lead to
some changes in food laws. Currently, advances have been made in
harmonizing the following regulation measures within the Central
American region.

Resolution 117-2004: Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures

Resolution 118-2004: Agricultural inputs - Fertilizers and Pesticides

Resolution 119-2004: Agricultural inputs -- Seeds

Resolution 120-2004: Food and Beverages

In Honduras, these regulations were signed into law on June 28, 2004.
The resolutions will enter into effect when they are published in the
Official Newspaper "La Gazeta", expected by August 2004.

Particularly, the new food and beverage regulation will apply to
products manufactured in Central America. The regulation for third party
countries will be analyzed in the second stage of the Customs Union,
which will end in December 2004. In developing the new food and beverage
regulation governments took into consideration the Codex Alimentarius,
FDA and EU regulations and applied them to the Central American
countries\' situation.

The Central America Customs Union is being implemented in three stages:
The first stage is ending now, which is mainly customs administration at
the borders. The second stage will analyze product registration of third
countries. The third stage is the political union.

# II. LABELING REQUIREMENTS

## A. General Requirements 

The following information must be specified on labels of any food
products. Labels must comply with the labeling requirements of the
Technical Norm for Labeling Processed Foods.

**Product Name**. The name, which is normally specific and not generic,
must indicate the true nature of the product. When a specific name is
not available, the common name normally associated with the product
should be used as long as it is not misleading to the consumer.

**Manufacturer Name** or packaging company.

**Origin**. Address and country of origin of the product.

**List of ingredients** (except for single‑ingredient products). The
list should be clearly marked and must be in descending order by initial
weight at the time the product was manufactured. The list must specify
if water has been added, except in cases when water is part of an
ingredient such as brine, syrup or broth. When a product contains one or
more additives, the label must specify the name, purpose, and
concentration of each. When a product contains enriched nutritious
substances such as vitamins, mineral salts and proteins, the label
should read: "Naturally Enriched Food Product" or "Enriched Artificial
Food Product," whichever the case may be. The label should also specify
the name and the content per serving or consumption unit.

**Lot number**. This number must be engraved or printed in a permanent
manner and may be placed on any external surface of the package.

**Expiration date**. When the product has a short life span, the day,
month and year of expiration must be specified. The following products
are excluded from this requirement: alcoholic beverages containing 10
percent or more of alcohol by volume, bakery products which due to their
nature are generally consumed within 24 hours of the time they were
produced, vinegar, salt, chewing gum, fresh fruits and vegetables.
However, it is a common practice for bakeries to put on the expiration
date of the product. The expiration date should be printed on top of the
label in a way that it will not be erased or easily changed.

**Net content**. The content must be specified in units using the
international system and in the following manner: volume for liquid food
products, weight for solid food products, and either weight or volume
for semi‑solid or viscous food products.

**Sanitary registration number**. The SRD has been working on a new
regulation because the current one has not been updated since 1993. The
SRD presented the draft to importers, distributors and supermarkets for
comments and they are in the last stage of discussion. The new
Regulation is called "Regulation for Sanitary Control of Goods and
Services". This process was expected to be completed in August 2004.
However, the SRD is already using a new format to request the sanitary
registration number and sanitary license. The requirements under this
new format are the same for: foods, medicine, medical devices, natural
products, chemical substances, and food supplements**.** The steps
needed to obtain a Sanitary Registration number are described in Part VI
‑ Product Registration.

**Additional Requirements:**

In addition to the above, the following labeling requirements apply:

1\. Labels may be made of paper or any other material that can be
attached or permanently printed on the package.

2\. All writing on labels has to be clear and legible, and should not
fade under normal use. All text should also be in Spanish.

3\. Labels that are attached to a container may have text on the reverse
side as long as it is clearly visible through the container.

4\. The information found on the label of pre‑packaged foods cannot be
misleading in any way as to the product's true nature, composition,
quality, origin, quantity, expiration date, essential properties and the
general treatment(s) to which it was submitted.

5\. When the product requires refrigeration it must be labeled
accordingly.

6\. When the product is easily contaminated and requires refrigeration
after opening or must be consumed immediately, the label must state
either: \"For immediate consumption after opening\" or \"Refrigerate
after opening\", whichever the case may be.

7\. When the product is artificial it must be labeled accordingly.

8\. All food products which have been treated with radiation (ionizing
energy) must specify on the label (close to the product\'s name) the
nature of the treatment. When a radiated product is used as an
ingredient in another product, it must be specified on the list of
ingredients.

9\. Product labels should not mislead, cause erroneous interpretations,
or cause confusion.

10\. Products should not be labeled so as to imitate another product.

11\. Labels are not permitted on the internal part of a package or
container where they would come into contact with the product itself.

12\. Product labels should not indicate that the product has
therapeutic, preventive, healing, or any other attributes not normally
associated with the product.

13\. Required labeling information should not be displayed on strips,
bands, lids, tops, covers, caps, or any other part of the package which
is used to open the product, unless authorized by the SRD.

14\. Labels of products for export may be partially or fully written in
the language of the country of destination and may contain the
inscription: "For Export."

Legally, products cannot be imported into Honduras with just the
standard U.S. label. However, since most imported foodstuffs are of U.S.
origin and the GOH recognizes that U.S. food products are wholesome and
safe to consumers, the SRD reports no complaints regarding U.S. labels
either from trade sources or consumers. Stick‑on labels are allowed, to
fully comply with Honduran labeling requirements, to provide extended
information about the product. The manufacturing or expiration date can
only be displayed on the stick-on labels with authorization of the SRD.
Labels must be placed prior to customs clearance and at the time of
product registration in the way the product will be sold. Enforcement of
these regulations is an uphill battle for the GOH, but the SRD is
working toward making improvements in this matter.

Samples need to be registered and labeled as will be sold. All samples
that are subject to laboratory analysis need a registration number and
the SRD approval.

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) may be included on the label. RDA
standards may vary from those in the U.S. as Honduras follows those of
the Codex Alimentarius. The U.S. bar code system is being implemented by
most retail outlets. The SRD is not opposed to the bar code being
included on labels. Any exceptions to the above requirements, such as
might be granted to products donated for humanitarian purposes, must be
approved by the SRD.

## B. Nutritional Labeling Requirement

Honduras has no requirements regarding nutritional labeling.
Consequently, the U.S. nutrition panel is fully acceptable. The SRD
treats nutrient content claims (i.e. low in saturated fat), absolute
descriptors (i.e. high fiber or low fat), relative descriptors (i.e.
"light" or "reduced sugar"), and other implied claims, on a case-by-case
basis when complaints are received from the public. As mentioned
earlier, product labels should not indicate that the product has
therapeutic, preventive, healing, or any other attributes not normally
associated with the product. While enforcement of such health claims is
often difficult, the SRD does take special care in ensuring that this is
the case with products that are widely used by the population and need
added ingredients to increase their nutrition such as the case of sugar,
salt and flour. By law, sugar for human consumption needs to have
vitamin A added to it (which the Honduras sugar industry does). Salt
must have iodine and wheat flour should have iron, folic acid, vitamins
B1, B2 and niacin added. Therefore, the SRD oversees that only these
products are labeled as such.

# III. PACKAGING AND CONTAINER REQUIREMENTS

Containers can be of plastic, metal, glass, paperboard or any other
material authorized by the SRD. The packaging materials or containers
should not absorb or pass components to the product that will change the
stability or quality of the product, or might cause loss of its content.

The quality control of the materials in contact with the food products
will be done according to each case. The controls will be done in an
official lab or in an international lab recognized by the Ministry of
Health. New or unusual packaging or containers are usually analyzed
prior to product registration. Honduras does not have waste disposal
laws.

# IV. FOOD ADDITIVE REGULATIONS

The SRD has neither a list of acceptable or unacceptable food additives.
The SRD accepts as safe additives and colorants those listed in the
Codex, for example the following seven (7) colorings in foods:

1\. Yellow #5

2\. Yellow #6

3\. Blue #1

4\. Blue #2

5\. Red #2

6\. Red #3

7\. Red #40

# V. PESTICIDES AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS

Pesticide/contaminants are regulated by the Plant Health Division of
SENASA at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. Ministerial Decree
No.642-98 establishes the requirements for registration, import,
manufacturing, formulation, re-package, re-bottle, transport, storage,
sale, use, management and export of pesticide and contaminants. The GOH
has not set regulations or limits on the amount of pesticides allowed on
food. SENASA uses a list of pesticides approved for use in Honduras and
applies the tolerance levels for imported food products set forth by
Codex. If the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) are not covered in Codex,
EPA MRLs are used.

Pesticides must be registered with SENASA's Plant Health Division. An
application for pesticide registration must be submitted with documents
such as Certificate of Origin and Certificate of Free Sale, which, at
the present time, must be authenticated by the Honduras Consulate
(though SENASA is studying the elimination of this requirement). In
addition, the following documents are also required: Certificate of
Analysis by a U.S. Laboratory, Identification of Active Ingredient,
Properties of the Product, Toxicological and Ecotoxicological Studies
among various. An application could be obtained through the SENASA
e-mail listed in Appendix II of this document.

# VI. OTHER REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

###### PRODUCT REGISTRATION

Product registration in Honduras is done through a process called
sanitary registration**.** Thus, all processed food products must be
registered, after which a sanitary registration number will be issued.
The product should have this sanitary registration number prior to
entering the country. Only samples to be used for the registration
process will be allowed to enter the country. The registration of a food
product is done at SRD.

The documents required to obtain a sanitary registration number are:
request of sanitary registration, letter of authorization of a legal
representative, operating license, free sale certificate, two labels and
packing samples, two samples of the product, general manufacturing
process, quantitative and qualitative list of ingredients, and proof of
payment of the laboratory analysis. These documents are explained below.

1\. Request of Sanitary Registration. The SRD has issued a new form that
is an integrated request for sanitary registration and sanitary license.
The sanitary license applies only to Honduran establishments. Through
the license the SRD authorizes the Honduran establishments to import and
sell food products, based on their meeting food safety and hygiene
requirements.

The new form to request sanitary registration applies to foods,
medicine, medical devices, natural products, chemical substances and
food supplement. The data requested in the form is the following:

-   Owner or legal representative data: Full name, number of national
    identification card, fax, P.O. box, e-mail and telephone number.

-   General data of establishment or company: Name, address, telephone,
    fax, P.O. box and e-mail.

-   Product classification data: Commercial brand, generic,
    manufacturer, type of product (food, drink), manufacturing country,
    current sanitary license number, type of registration (manufacturer,
    importer, distributor, etc).

2\. Letter of authorization to a legal representative. The sanitary
registration must be carried out by the legal representative of the
importer.

3\. Operating license. Copy of the Sanitary License of the Honduran
Establishment that will distribute the product. The establishment and
warehouse should have conditions for the product's protection.

4\. **Free Sale Certificate.** Issued by the appropriate State or Health
Authority in the country of origin. Please note that the requirement of
being authenticated by a Honduran Consulate has been eliminated.

5\. Two (2) labels and packing samples of the product. Any additional
sizes of the same product that will be sold under such label should be
indicated.

6\. Two (2) samples of the product.

7\. General manufacturing process.

8\. Quantitative as well as qualitative listing of product's ingredients
(including any additives). This data can be provided in percentages or
unit measure.

9\. Proof of payment of the laboratory analysis and sanitary
registration. Products undergo laboratory analysis prior to
registration. Products are divided in three risk areas. Category "A" for
animal products is the highest risk since these are the easiest to
contaminate. Category "B" is medium risk, such as flour, sugar, and
salt. Category "C" is the least risk, such as candy. The analysis may be
conducted by the GOH or it may be conducted by a private laboratory if
so authorized by the SRD.

SRD regulations allow up to 40 working days to process a sanitary
registration. It is important to keep in mind that the Legal
Representative must visit the SRD regularly to find out if there is a
document missing or if the SRD requires further explanations.

# VII. OTHER SPECIFIC STANDARDS 

The table that follows shows legislation and regulatory agencies
covering certain key issues regarding the importation of food products:

+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| **Issue**             | **Legislation**       | **Regulatory Agency** |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | **(Ministry)**        |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| 1\. Consumer          | Health Code & Regs.   | Public Health         |
| Packaging             | 1/                    |                       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| 2\. Weights and       | Consumer Protection   | Industry & Commerce   |
| Measures              | Law                   |                       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| 3\. Vitamin           | Health Code & Regs.   | Public Health         |
| Enrichment            | 1/                    |                       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| 4\. Novel Foods       | Health Code & Regs.   | Public Health         |
|                       | 1/                    |                       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| 5\. Dietetic or       | Health Code & Regs.   | Public Health         |
| Special Use Foods     | 1/                    |                       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| 6\. Food Sanitation   | Health Code & Regs.   | Public Health         |
|                       | 1/                    |                       |
|                       |                       | Agriculture and       |
|                       |                       | Livestock             |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| 7\. Marine Products   | Phyto & Zoosanitary   | Agriculture &         |
|                       | Law 2/                | Livestock             |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       | Health Code & Regs.   | Public Health         |
|                       | 1/                    |                       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| 8.Animal Quarantine   | Phyto & Zoosanitary   | Agriculture &         |
|                       | Law 2/                | Livestock             |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| 9.Wine/Beer/Alcoholic | Health Code & Regs.   | Public Health         |
| Beverages             | 1/                    |                       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| 10\. Organic Foods &  | Health Code & Regs.   | Public Health         |
| health Foods          | 1/                    |                       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| 11\. Product Samples  | 3/                    | 3/Public Health       |
| & Mail Order          |                       |                       |
| Shipments             |                       |                       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| 12\. Meat Products    | Phyto & Zoosanitary   | Agriculture &         |
|                       | Law 2/                | Livestock             |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       | Health Code & Regs.   | Public Health         |
|                       | 1/                    |                       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+

1/ ‑ Health Code (Congressional Decree 65‑91) and Implementing
Regulations (Ministry of Public Health Decrees 0035‑93 & 0077‑93).

2/ ‑ Phytosanitary & Zoosanitary Law (Congressional Decree 157‑94 and
Implementing Regulations).

3/ ‑ The postal system is generally not used for sending food product
samples.

Depending on the circumstances, other GOH agencies may be involved in
one way or another with imports of food products (see the List of Useful
Contacts at the end of this report).

# VIII. COPYRIGHTS AND TRADEMARKS

The GOH has taken recent actions to substantially improve the
Intellectual Property Right (IPR) climate. Traditionally, well‑known
trademarks have been routinely infringed, and protection under local law
did not approach international standards. However, in 1993 Honduras
passed a comprehensive IPR law. The GOH has since complied with this
legislation's requirements by creating an IPR Office within the Ministry
of Industry and Commerce to implement and enforce its copyright,
trademark, and patent laws.

As a signatory to the Uruguay Round agreements and member of the World
Trade Organization (WTO), Honduras has accepted the new TRIPS standard.
In addition, Honduras has negotiated and signed with the United States
the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which contains a
chapter on IPR. However, this agreement has not been ratified. To be
protected under Honduran Law, trademarks must be registered with the
Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Trademark Registrations are valid for
10 years starting from the registration date. "Notorious marks" are
protected under the Pan‑American Convention (1917) of which Honduras is
a member. Illegal registration of a notorious mark, however, must be
contested in court by the original holder.

# IX. IMPORT PROCEDURES

Imports of raw and processed agricultural products are reviewed by the
National Plant and Animal Health Service (SENASA) of the Ministry of
Agriculture and Livestock. Importers should submit an import request to
SENASA. The request should be clear with precise amounts, description,
origin and point of departure well differentiated. In order to get an
import permit, all importers of food products, additives, and inputs
used in food processing, must submit the request with the following
documents to SENASA:

a\. Phyto or Zoo Sanitary Certificate

b\. Certificate of Origin

> c\. Pro‑ Forma Invoice
>
> a\. [Phyto or Zoo Sanitary Certificates]{.underline}. These
> certificates should be from the country where the product originates.
> SENASA requests that the Certificate be issued by a federal government
> authority in the plant where the food has been processed. SENASA does
> not accept documents from commercial trading companies. SENASA has
> indicated that often products come with the incorrect Export
> Certificate. The appropriate certificate for each product follows:

-   FSIS Certificate for meat and poultry products

-   FDA Certificate for dairy products

-   APHIS Certificate for plants and vegetables

-   APHIS Certificate for live animals

-   State Certificate of Free Sale for canned meat products

Veterinary products and pet foods have another process by which they
need to register the product.

b\. [Certificate of Origin]{.underline}. SENASA requires the certificate
from the place where the product was manufactured. SENASA reports that
often importers are confused about "origin" and "point of departure".
U.S.-made products, shipped from whatever port, must have a certificate
indicating the United States as the origin.

c\. Pro-forma invoice.

Regarding imports of U.S. poultry products, SENASA has requested USDA to
add an Additional Declaration (AD) to the sanitary certificates. The AD
should indicate that \"the poultry product or sub‑product originates in
areas free of high or low pathogenic avian influenza\". APHIS provides
updates to SENASA indicating outbreaks by States and their current
status. However, SENASA has indicated it is the importers' as well as
the exporters' responsibility to keep themselves updated on this, so
they can assure SENASA that they are aware of the health status of the
area where the product comes in.

[The import process at port of entry]{.underline}. The Ministry of
Agriculture and Livestock and OIRSA (Regional‑International Organization
for Animal and Plant Health) have agreed to delegate to OIRSA the
responsibility of all quarantine inspections and treatment of
agricultural imports. OIRSA's Plant and Animal Protection Service (SEPA)
follows SENASA guidelines for requirements of raw material and processed
foods imports.

A SEPA Inspector, a Customs Inspector, and an Enforcement Official of
the Ministry of Finance are usually involved in clearing imports of food
products. In order to expedite Customs clearance all the information
pertinent to the import of food products should be in Spanish. Product
labels not in Spanish must be accompanied by a Spanish translation.

Prior to granting Customs clearance, the SEPA Inspector will conduct the
appropriate inspection of the product. Shipments of food products with
an Import Permit approved by SENASA, and for which all the necessary
documentation has been provided, are normally granted Customs clearance
within a short period of time, ranging from a few hours to a couple of
days (depending on the work load at the port). Shipments of food
products that were not registered with SENASA prior to import are
normally detained at the port of entry where product sampling is
conducted. The samples are later subjected to laboratory analysis to
check the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the
product. If the laboratory analysis indicates that the product does not
meet acceptable standards, the product may be confiscated and later
destroyed, re‑exported, or tagged for animal consumption depending on
its condition and characteristics as determined by the authorities. An
appeals system does exist for disputed product rejections. The Honduran
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has a Legal Department, which
handles these types of issues.

Currently, importers make an import request and an import permit is
issued. Due to the Customs Union and CAFTA process, SENASA is working to
modify the import procedure for 2005 to make it more expeditious.

## TARIFFS

Honduras did not negotiate any Tariff Rate Quotas when it became a
member of the WTO. It does, however, have limitations on imports of corn
and rice in order to protect local production. Imports of these two
products during harvest time are not allowed.

The grain duties require further explanation. There is a combination
price band mechanism and absorption agreement for corn, grain sorghum,
and corn meal. Under the price band mechanism, duties can vary from 5 to
45 percent, depending on the import price. The tariff is calculated
every 15 days using international prices and adding freight and
insurance to that price. Under a five-year agreement which is renewable
each year, the duty for these products drops to 1 percent when the end
users purchase a predetermined amount of corn and sorghum from farmers
Thus, industry is able to import 3 quintales (1 quintal=100 kilograms)
for each quintal bought from domestic production. Otherwise, the price
band remains in effect. The reduction can only take place during
non‑harvest season (March through August) and only end-users who have
signed the agreement may apply for this preferential treatment.
According to the agreement, this mechanism guarantees a market for the
producers of corn and sorghum, establishes a direct communication of
supply and demand volumes, purchase and sale prices, eliminating
commercial intermediaries.

Rice farmers and millers have also reached a similar absorption
agreement. However, in the case of rice, duties have been fixed at 1
percent for rough rice and 45 percent for milled rice for signers of the
agreement. For everyone else the duty is 45 percent across the board on
all rice products.

In addition, Honduras does not allow the import of raw poultry meat for
sanitary reasons. Imports of cooked poultry products and MDM must come
with an FSIS Certificate (Form 9060‑5) with an additional declaration
indicating \"the poultry product or sub‑product originates in areas free
of high or low pathogenic avian influenza\". USDA APHIS regularly
provides updates to SENASA as to which States have suffered outbreaks of
diseases and what their current status is. However, SENASA has indicated
that it is the importers' as well as the exporters' responsibility to
keep it updated about the health status of the area where the product
originates.

Duties in Honduras are in general:

0‑5% Raw materials

10% Intermediate goods

15% Finished goods

# APPENDIX I. GOVERNMENT REGULATORY AGENCY CONTACTS

**1. Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG)**

Name: Dr. Lizardo Reyes

Title: Director General

Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (SENASA),

Secretaría de Agricultura y Ganadería

Address: Blvd. Miraflores, Avenida La FAO, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Phone: (504) 239‑7067

Fax: (504) 239-1144

E-mail: Direccionsenasa@multivisionhn.net or

Senasa-SAG@multivisionhn.net

**2. Ministry of Public Health:**

Name: Dra. Mirna de Lobo

Title: Directora General

Dirección de Regulación Sanitaria

Secretaría de Salud Pública

Address: Barrio el Centro, Edificio Principal

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Phone: (504) 238‑3662

Fax: (504) 237‑8401

E-mail: Regulacionhond@yahoo.com

# APPENDIX II. OTHER IMPORT SPECIALIST CONTACTS

Name: Dra. Nidia Garcia

Title: Sub‑Directora de Salud Animal

Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (SENASA),

Secretaría de Agricultura y Ganadería

Address: Blvd. Miraflores, Avenida La FAO, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Phone: (504) 231-0786

Fax: (504) 239‑1144

E-mail: saludanimal@multivisionhn.net

Name: Ing. Eduardo Salgado

Title: Sub‑Director de Salud Vegetal

Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (SENASA)

Secretaría de Agricultura y Ganadería

Address: Blvd. Miraflores, Ave. La FAO, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Phone: (504) 235‑8425

Fax: (504) 239-1144

E-mail: sanidadvegetal@multivisionhn.net

Name: Dr. Max Alexis Rivera

Title: Director

Institution: Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis de Residuos y
Contaminantes

Address: Col. San José del Pedregal, contiguo al Instituto Guillén
Zelaya

Apartado. Postal 3416, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Tel/Fax: (504) 233‑6361 (504) 233‑1081

E-mail: Malexis_Rivera@yahoo.com

Name: Dra. Georgina Nasser

Title: Jefe Departamento de Regulación

Institution: Ministry of Health

Address: Edificio BANMA,frente a Farmacia Regis

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Tel.: (504) 237-1141, 220-7006

Fax: (504) 237-2726

E-mail: dresabis@yahoo.com

# POST INFORMATION

If you have any questions regarding this report or need assistance
exporting to Honduras, please contact the U.S. Agricultural Affairs
Offices at the following addresses.

Office of Agricultural Affairs, U.S. Embassy

Avenida Reforma 7‑01 Zona 10

Guatemala, Ciudad 01010

Phone: (502) 2332‑4030

Fax: (502) 2331‑8293

E‑mail:AgGuatemala@fas.usda.gov

Office of Agricultural Affairs, U.S. Embassy

Avenida La Paz, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Phone: (504) 238‑5114, ext. 4354, 4544

Fax: (504) 236‑8342

[E‑mail:AgTegucigalpa@fas.usda.gov]{.underline} or

ana.gomez@usda.gov

For further information on exporting U.S. agricultural products to
Honduras and other countries, please visit the Foreign Agriculture
Service home page: www.fas.usda.gov

#