What is SAG?
Chile's Agricultural and Livestock Service. Body under the Ministry of Agriculture, responsible for agro-food sanitation and safety.
Products SAG regulates
Plant-origin food (grains, flours, oils, fruits, seeds) and animal-origin food (meats, dairy, processed products).
Required documents
Origin phytosanitary or sanitary certificate, commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, sworn-use declaration.
Inspection process
Pre-submission, inspector assignment, document review, physical inspection at port and final resolution.
Common rejections
Expired certificates, inconsistent data across documents, products on active prohibition list, pests detected in sampling.
Key facts
- Body
- SAG · Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero · Ministry of Agriculture
- Regulated products
- Plant origin · animal origin · byproducts
- Official site
- sag.gob.cl
- Typical resolution time
- 1–3 business days without observations · 7–15 days with sampling
Frequently asked questions
When do I need SAG approval?
Any import of agricultural and livestock products intended for human consumption, animal feed or industrial use requires SAG approval prior to Customs clearance.
What is a phytosanitary certificate?
Document issued by the sanitary authority of the country of origin certifying that the product meets Chilean phytosanitary requirements. Must be valid at time of shipment.
How long does SAG resolution take?
For cases without observations, resolution is typically 1–3 business days from complete submission. With sampling or laboratory analysis, it may extend to 7–15 days.
Are there products SAG prohibits?
Yes, SAG maintains dynamic lists of restricted products by country of origin, active pests and sanitary emergencies. Always check the current list before each shipment.
Who pays for additional analysis?
The importer. Sampling and laboratory analysis costs, when required by SAG, are the importer's responsibility, not the exporter's.