hello just want to ask is it possible for me to send some orchids to US. My friend is in Arizona and the other one is in New Jersey and California. They want me to send them orchids from here since the price here is much cheaper compared there. What would i need to do that. I am planning to send it in pots and the vandas have good new roots and already established. would it be possible if i do that? would the orchids die? the orchids are hybrid and the rest are orchid species.... Hope you can give advise many thanks...
Check with the US Department of Agriculture. There are some restrictions and the Post Office and other shipping sources use moisture detection equipment to check for plants in packages. Plants that come in without import documents are destroyed. Your friends may also need to apply for an agricultural import document. Those are relatively easy to acquire and the last time I got one, there was no cost. But again, both you and the recipient need to check with the agriculture. I'm relatively certain you will need to have the plants inspected on your end and there is often a charge for that from your government. Species orchids are often prohibited. This can be easily found on the net "All international shipments of nursery-grown CITES-protected plants must be accompanied by a CITES permit or certificate. Plants and plant parts, products, and derivatives grown by nurseries must meet the CITES definition of "artificially propagated" in order to qualify for an exemption certificate. Check with APHIS, the State, and foreign country to meet their requirements." In the long run, it is usually cheaper to just buy them here.
Obtaining a USDA permit should be feasible--it's a matter of whether it's worth the effort. Taiwan has a rather large orchid-growing industry that exports to the US, but the greenhouse facilities are managed very strictly to ensure they're highly sanitary and, especially, that the rooting material is free of pests. Several years ago, a proposal to import penjing plants with rooting material received close scrutiny. I'm pretty sure it was accepted, based on good experience with the orchids. Bare-root orchids without rooting material should be easier. Orchids aren't on the USDA's prohibited list (which focuses on plant material that may carry disease). http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/plantproducts.shtml I wonder whether members of the American Orchid Society might be able to help. They have a forum open to the general public.
Both of your points are correct. But to import orchids you still must have an agriculture permit which is relatively easy to get. Still, with every shipment I brought in, I had to pay for the CITES and santitary certificate. Turned out in most cases to be cheaper to buy here. Unless of course you're importing hundreds of plants at a time.
I'm not sure about through the mail. The plants I imported from SE Asia came through quite quickly through customs and agriculture via Miami International Airport. Took only a couple of days. But I do recall having to pay a licensed customs broker to do the paper work. And that fee was extra. Something tells me the Post Office would be tougher since you are not likely to find an agriculture agent at any individual Post Office.
From what I know, exporting orchids and other plants or fruits in the USA is not that easy. You must prove that the orchid has no unfestation of any kind and this require documentations for several years. Another thing, there are certain species of orchids from the Philippines that are nor allowed to be exported. At the end of the day, it is still cheaper to acquire the orchid in the USA. There are also many species of orchids that grow or thrive in Hawaii and buying from them is cheaper still. My mom who lives there told me so.
