⚡ DIRECT ACCESS TO MAGA
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food — Guatemala
Which one to use?
- MAGA Portal — institutional, news, programs, vice-ministries
- SIMA Prices — daily/weekly market prices, historical series, price maps
- Simplification — online forms and trámites (sanitation, registrations, certificates)
- UBA Animal Welfare — animal cruelty complaints and rescues
📞 Phone: 1557 · 📍 7a Av. 12-90 Zone 13, Edificio Monja Blanca, Guatemala City · 🕒 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM · 🆔 Verified: May 2026
MAGA (Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Alimentación) is Guatemala’s agricultural regulator. It covers everything from animal and plant health, pesticide and seed registration, fitosanitary and zoosanitary export certificates, to monitoring market prices via SIMA (Market Information System).
Quick rule: Producing food for sale? → Register with VISAR. Going to export? → Phytosanitary or zoosanitary certificate. Importing pesticides or fertilizers? → VISAR Plant Health registration. Looking for current prices? → SIMA at precios.maga.gob.gt. Reporting animal abuse? → UBA via 1557.
4 Vice-Ministries — what each does
| Vice-Ministry | What it regulates |
|---|---|
| VISAR — Agricultural Sanitation and Regulations | Animal and plant health, pesticides, fertilizers, certified seeds, producer registries |
| VISAN — Food Security and Nutrition | Crecer Sano nutrition program, food assistance |
| VIDER — Rural Economic Development | Small producer support, technical extension, value chains |
| VIPETÉN — Petén | Special vice-ministry for Petén department (CONAP, agricultural frontier) |
Most-searched MAGA services
Animal health (zoosanitary)
| Service | For whom | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Zoosanitary Constancy | Livestock movement between departments | $6.25 |
| Zoosanitary Export Certificate | Exporting animals or animal products | $6.25-$31.25 |
| Veterinary Medicine Sanitary Registry | Companies marketing veterinary medicines | Q0 |
Plant health (phytosanitary)
| Service | For whom | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Phytosanitary Export Certificate | Coffee, banana, vegetable, fruit exporters | $6.25 |
| Phytosanitary Import Permit | Importing plants, seeds, plant products | $31.25 |
Pesticides and fertilizers
| Service | For whom | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Pesticide Registration | Companies that manufacture or import pesticides | Q0 |
| Fertilizer Registration | Fertilizer companies | Q0 |
| Agricultural Producer Registration | Commercial producers | Q0 |
Seeds
| Service | For whom | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Seed Certification | Certified seed producers | $3.75-$6.50 |
Useful MAGA sub-portals
| Portal | What it does | URL |
|---|---|---|
| SIMA — Agricultural Prices | Weekly/monthly price reports, historical series, price maps, product fact sheets | precios.maga.gob.gt |
| Trámite Simplification | Online forms for sanitation, registrations, certificates | apps.maga.gob.gt/simplificacion |
| Crop Monitoring System (SMC) | Crop yield and condition data | smc.maga.gob.gt |
| Open Data MAGA | Public data via SENACYT | catalogo.senacyt.gob.gt |
Before any MAGA service — checklist
| Have ready | Why |
|---|---|
| Scanned DPI (or passport) | Required ID for all services |
| Active NIT | For companies + some individual producer services |
| Trade patent (Patente de Comercio) | For companies (importers, manufacturers, distributors) |
| Payment receipt | When applicable (most fees in USD: $3.75-$100) |
| Technical documentation | Lab analyses, dictamens, labels per service |
| Floor plan or GPS coordinates | For farm registries, processing plants |
For small producers
MAGA has specific programs for small producers and family agriculture:
- Crecer Sano — maternal-infant nutrition program focused on high-malnutrition areas
- Triángulo Norte — support for producers in food-insecure zones
- VIDER technical extension — free agronomic assistance in rural municipalities
- Subsidized fertilizer — program activated based on annual budget
Check current availability and how to apply at your municipality or by calling 1557.
Diaspora — exporting Guatemalan products from the US
If you live abroad and have a business importing Guatemalan products:
- Guatemalan coffee: requires MAGA-issued phytosanitary certificate of origin + ANACAFE country certificate. Coordinate with your exporter in Guatemala.
- Artisanal products with vegetable elements (textiles dyed with natural dyes, palm products, etc.): may require CITES permit if plant is protected.
- Animals or animal products (leather, dairy): MAGA zoosanitary certificate + comply with USDA APHIS.
- Fresh fruits/vegetables: extremely regulated by USDA — coordinate in advance with a certified phytosanitary broker.
For more info: your Guatemalan consulate in the US can refer you to MAGA’s commercial attaché.
MAGA Contact
| Channel | Detail |
|---|---|
| Phone | 1557 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM |
| Address | 7a Avenida 12-90, Zona 13, Edificio Monja Blanca, Guatemala City |
| Public Information (UIP) | maga.gob.gt/uip (request form) |
| Animal Welfare (UBA) | Call 1557, ask for UBA |
More Guatemala government resources
- SAT Guatemala — for your NIT, RTU, IVA (needed to register agricultural business)
- RENAP Guatemala — DPI, required for all MAGA applications
- MSPAS Guatemala — sanitary licenses for processed food (where MAGA and MSPAS overlap)
- Guatemala Trámites — complete directory