Non-Tariff Barriers

Non-Tariff Measure

NTM classification

B31: Labelling requirements 

Date when the measure came into force

09 February 2007 

Publication where the measure is specified

GOVERNMENT NOTICE NO. 37 published on 9/2/2007 

Regulation where the measure is specified

Seeds Regulations, 2007 

Country/Region applying the measure

Tanzania 

Coded list of objectives

C: Protection of life and health of plants 

Description of the measure

12.-(1) No person shall mark or label a package of seed with a variety name unless that seed is of the variety to which the variety name refers.
(2) No person shall alter the name of a variety on the label of any seed container.
(3) Except for the mixture of lawn, turf grass or forage seed as specified in Tables 8, 9 and 11 set out in First Schedule to these Regulations, no person shall label a package of a mixture of seed with a variety name unless he is authorized in that behalf by the Chief Seed Certification Officer pursuant to Regulation 23, and the seeds to which the variety name refers is one of Tanzania seed class
13.-(1) The information required by these Regulations on the label or outside of a package of seed
shall be conspicuously, legibly and indelibly written or printed in both English and Swahili, and shall appear on one exposed face of the package or label and shall be of a size and colour that can be easily read.
(2) No label shall contain any incorrect or misleading information, mark or brand name that might be construed as a variety name.
(3) For purposes of these Regulations, the seed certification seal and the tag colours described under this sub-regulation shall be used as follows-
(a)the seed certification seal shall be applied on all tags relating to seed of “Pre-basic”, “Basic”, “Certified
1” or “Certified 2” classes as classified in the Second Schedule to these Regulations;
(b)in the case of tag on a package containing Pre-basic Seeds, white with diagonal violet colour shall be use
d, with the word “Pre-basic” conspicuously applied across one side of the tag;
(c) in the case of tag on a package containing Basic seed, white colour shall be used, with the word “Basic” conspicuously applied across one side of the tag;
(d) in the case of a tag on a package containing “Certified 1” seed, Blue colour shall be used, with the word ”Certified 1”or “C1 conspicuously applied across one side of the tag;
(e) in the case of a tag on a package containing “Certified 2” seed, Red colour shall be used, with the word “Certified 2” or “C 2” conspicuously applied across one side of the tag;
(f)in the case of label on a package containing standard seed, the tag shall be yellow with the word “ Standard” conspicuously applied across one side of the tag;
(4) The seed certification seal referred to in sub-regulation (3), shall be printed words thereon “Tanzania Certified Seeds” and for standard seed, the seal shall be printed with the words “Tanzania Standard Seed” and shall be of such material, shape, size as the Minister may approve.
14.-(1) Every package of seed marked with a class name shall have on its label a description that specifies the seed standard as provided for in these Regulations.
(2) Where the seed is a mixture or blend of two or more original seed lot of certified seed, the word “BLEND” preceded by the two digit seed year designation;
(3) Whenever seed is treated with a poisonous material it shall be thoroughly stained with a conspicuous contrasting colour to show that the seed has been treated and the container of such seed shall be marked or attached a conspicuous label reading as follows:-
“POISONOUS: DO NOT USE AS FOOD, FEED OR OIL; or SUMU: MBEGU HIZI SIO KWA MATUMIZI YA CHAKULA
CHA BINADAMU AUWANYAMA. “TREATED WITH.........or “IMEWEKWA SUMU YA.......:-(Name of poisonou material or substance in bold letters in Swahili and English).
(4) Seed for sale shall be packed in packages unless-
(a) it is delivered in a bulk container that is labeled in accordance with these Regulations and accompanied with other relevant information for importation of seed as provided under regulation 33; or
(b)it meets the following conditions:-
(i) it is of one of the Tanzania seed classes and is on transit within Tanzania and accompanied by a transport order issued by Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute or an authorized Inspector on Form SR IX as set out in the Fifth Schedule to these Regulations; and
(ii) it bears an inter-agency certification label pursuant to Regulation 23.
(5) No person, other than the ultimate user, shall remove label, seal or open mechanically sewn or closed package of the seed.
(6) Where certified seed lots are re-packaged, the re-packing shall be done only with the approval of the Chief Seed Certification Officer.
15.The labeling requirements prescribed under regulations, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 shall apply to seed of all plant species specified in these Regulations.
16.-(1) Every package of seed, offered for sale, of the plant species ” specified in Tables 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, or 15, 18 and 19 set out in the First Schedule to these Regulations shall be labeled with the following information-
(a)the name and address of the seed dealer;
(b)the name of the plant species;
(c)the name of the variety of the seed;
(d)seed class;
(e)lot number;
(f)weight of the package;
(g)month and year of germination test;
(h)in the case of seed that is imported, the name of the country of production; and in the case of seed that is a blend of two or more varieties, the name of each of the component varieties.
(2) For the purpose of sub -regulation (1), seeds provided hereunder shall be kind of seeds for purposes of these Regulations:
(a)“open pollinated”, is a seed produced by means other than controlled and selective breeding;
(b)“varietal cross”, is a seed of the first generation of a cross between two named open pollinated varieties, or an open pollinated variety and a hybrid;
(c)“top cross”, being seed of the first generation of a controlled cross between a named open pollinated variety and an inbred line;
(d)“hybrid”, is a seed of the first generation of a cross between two or more inbred lines or their combination including single crosses, double crosses and three-way crosses;
(e)“composite variety”, is a seed derived from selected strains which have been allowed to freely inter-pollinate;
(f)“inbred line”, is a seed derived from a relatively homogeneous line produced by inbreeding and selection;
(g)“synthetic variety”, is a seed produced through a combination of several intercrosses of genotypes which have been previously tested for their combining ability;
(h)“single cross hybrid”, is a seed obtained by crossing two unrelated homozygous strains to obtain uniform and enhanced trait expression in the first generation;
(i)“a three way cross hybrid”, is a seed obtained by crossing three unrelated homozygous stains to obtain uniform and enhanced trait expression in the first generation heterozygote; and
(j)“a double cross hybrid”, is a seed obtained by crossing four unrelated homozygous strains or two unrelated single cross hybrids to obtain uniform and enhanced trait expression in the first generation heterozygote.
17.Every package of a mixture of seed, offered for sale, of the specified in the Table 11 set out in the First Schedule of these Regulations shall be labeled with:
(a)the name and address of the dealer;
(b)seed class;
(c)the name and percentage by weight of each in the mixture, in order of its predominance;
(d) the name of the variety of each plant species in the mixture.
(e)germination percentage of each component of the mixture, in order of its predominance;
(f) month and year of germination test; and
(g) in the case of seed that is imported, the name of the country of production; 

Reference of the measure

Part V para 12-16 

Measure also domestic

Yes 

Products affected by the measure.

Description

Seeds 

Countries/Regions affected by the measure.

Description

All countries