Lexicon of eCert Terms

This document serves to explain terms and acronyms associated and used on the eCert platform. The intended audience includes all stakeholders such as developers, testers, exporters, producers, and inspectors etc.

Glossary Of Terms for eCert/PhytClean/Titan & Plant-Based Sector

TermDescription & Reference
AddendumAuthorized by DAFF: Inspection Services. Historically a paper document attached or added to clarify and support the information in the export certificate by PPECB. For eCert purposes this information is shared and stored electronically only.
BayMarked area within a store where a group of pallets are stored.
Carton QuantityThe total number of cartons on a specific pallet sequence.
CBRCentral Business Register
CBRSCentral Business Register Service
CCSCommercial Cold Store
Central Business RegisterAn official database for DAFF clients or businesses that make use of DAFF services.
ChannelA destination category that the fruit will go to e.g. E = Export / L = local.
Clearance (of a consignment)Verification of compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary regulations at the time of an inspection.
CommodityA type of plant, plant product, or other article being moved for trade or other purpose
Commodity GroupA commodity group is a logical grouping of commodities
Cold DateThe calendar date that the fruit will be cold by.
ConsigneeA consignee is the person (or place) to whom a consignment is consigned. The consignee is the recipient or receiver
ConsignmentA quantity of plants, plant products or other articles being moved from one country to another and covered, when required, by a single phytosanitary certificate (a consignment may be composed of one or more commodities or lots)
Consignment in transitA consignment which passes through a country without being imported, and that may be subject to phytosanitary measures
Consignment NumberA unique number printed on the intake document that the fruit in stock was delivered on.
ConsignorA consignor is the person who is shipping the consignment. The consignor is generally referred to as the sender.
CountryThis field describes the country in which the product was produced, based on the international country code (e.g. ZA = South Africa).
DALRRDDepartment of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
eCertElectronic Certification
ePhytoElectronic Phytosanitary Certificate transmitted in XML format
ESAFIElectronic Standards Authority for the Fruit Industry
EXPOExporter
Export CertificateIssued under the APS Act 119 of 1990. A paper document certified by PPECB after quality and safety checks on fresh produce. An electronic equivalent document may be available.
Export ConditionsThe rules/requirements/conditions set by a country for any commodity imported into their country in order to reduce the risk of introducing pests and disease. Also see “Phytosanitary import conditions”
Export PermitA DAFF document to certify that a consignment complies with the requirements/ health conditions set out by the importing country.
GradeThe grade defines the quality at first acceptance of the fruit and after being approved by the inspector (e.g. 1 or X).
HS CodesHS Codes (or HTS Codes), also known as the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, or simply the Harmonized System, are a standardized international system to classify globally traded products
IPPCThe IPPC hub facilitates transfer of electronic certificates from the national plant protection organization (NPPO) of the exporting country to the NPPO of the importing country using a harmonized protocol. Sometimes referred to as the Hub. Not to be confused with the SA-based organization Agri-hub that gathers and disseminates information relating to the packing and shipping of fruit.
Inspection (Phytosanitary)Official visual examination of plants, plant products or other regulated articles to determine if pests are present or to determine compliance with phytosanitary regulations
Inspection (Quality/Sanitary)Official visual examination of plants, plant products or other regulated articles to determine compliance again the Quality Standards (Agricultural Products Standards Act (Act 119 of 1990)
Inspector (Phytosanitary)Person authorized by a national plant protection organization to discharge phytosanitary functions
Inspector (Quality/Sanitary)Person authorized by DAFF: Food Safety and Quality Assurance to discharge DAFF sanitary functions
Interception (of a consignment)The refusal or controlled entry of an imported consignment due to failure to comply with phytosanitary regulations
Interception (of a pest)The detection of a pest during inspection or testing of an imported consignment
IPPCInternational Plant Protection Convention
ISPMInternational Standard for Phytosanitary Measures
Network AddressIt is a unique three Alpha character code assigned to every depot / intake point / system; used to indicate where a transmission file came from or should be routed to.
NPPONational Plant Protection Organisation
OnrampColloquial term. On ramp refers to the different agricultural industry IT systems which will feed data into the eCert system. For plants this is PhytClean.
Food Business Operator (FBO)Business that is involved in the production, packing, handling, transporting, storage and exporting one or more commodities
Pallet IDIt is a unique check digited bar-coded number printed on a sticker and fixed to every pallet that passes through the system.
PFAPest Free Area
Pest Free AreaA region of a country where the pest is known to not occur
Phytosanitary certificateAn official paper document or its official electronic equivalent, consistent with the model certificates of the IPPC (refer to ISMP 12), attesting that a consignment meets phytosanitary import requirements.
Phytosanitary import conditionsSpecific phytosanitary measures established by an importing country concerning consignments moving into that country.
Phytosanitary import requirementsSee “Phytosanitary import conditions”
Plant quarantineAll activities designed to prevent the introduction or spread of quarantine pests or to ensure their official control
Point of entryAirport, seaport, land border point or any other location officially designated for the importation of consignments, or the entrance of persons
PPECBPerishable Products Export Control Board
ProtocolThe official procedure or system of rules governing the imports for a country when agreed bilaterally. The alternative is the importing country sets the importing conditions unilaterally and no “protocol” is signed between the two countries.
PUCProduction Unit Code
PHCPackhouse Code
Quarantine AreaAn area within which a quarantine pest is present and is being officially controlled
Quarantine pestA pest of potential economic importance to the area endangered thereby and not yet present there, or present but not widely distributed and being officially controlled
Re-exported consignmentConsignment that has been imported into a country from which it is then exported. The consignment may be stored, split up, combined with other consignments or have its packaging changed
Rejection (of a consignment)Non-compliance with sanitary or phytosanitary regulations at the time of an inspection
Sequence NumberA sequential number assigned per fruit specification on a pallet.
TreatmentOfficial procedure for the killing, inactivation or removal of pests, or for rendering pests infertile or for devitalization
UASUser Authentication Service
User Authorisation SystemA central register of users for associated eCertification system to facilitate a single login across these IT platforms.
UN/CEFACTThe United Nations Center for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business. Associated to this project as a reference in code standardization.
Virtual InspectorAn electronic system to perform data check on import or export documentation (usually electronic documentation)
Was this guide helpful?