Citrus Fruits Now Allowed in Montserrat

The Governor of Montserrat, acting on the advice of Cabinet, has enacted The Plant Protection (Amendment of Schedules) Regulations 2025 (S.R.O. 4 of 2025), allowing the importation of citrus fruits into the island. The statutory rule and order, made on February 13, 2025, establishes specific guidelines that importers must follow to ensure compliance with biosecurity measures.

Under the new regulations, importers are required to:

• Submit a list of citrus fruit commodities intended for importation and specify their country of origin;
• Obtain an Import Permit from the Department of Agriculture and/or an Import Licence from the Trade and Quality Infrastructure Division before proceeding with importation;
• Secure a Phyto-sanitary Certificate from the exporting country to confirm that the commodities meet health and safety standards.

The Department of Agriculture, under the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Housing, Environment, Youth Affairs & Sports, will continue to collaborate with importers and other stakeholders to enforce biosecurity protocols. These measures are designed to prevent the introduction and spread of pests and diseases that could impact Montserrat’s agricultural sector.

The full text of The Plant Protection (Amendment of Schedules) Regulations 2025 (S.R.O. 4 of 2025) is available for public access on the Government of Montserrat’s website, under the Attorney General’s page. Alternatively, the SRO can be downloaded here.