When exports from India are fumigated
- Wood packaging. Methyl bromide (MB) and sulphuryl fluoride (SF) are approved ISPM 15 treatments, alongside heat treatment. Treated packaging must carry the ISPM 15 mark with the code MB or SF.
- Plant-based goods. Cane, bamboo, coir, jute, dried flowers and similar products may need treatment under the destination's import conditions. For Australia, check the conditions for the product in BICON.
- Buyer's requirement. Some buyers ask for container fumigation as a general precaution against insects.
In India, the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage accredits agencies for methyl bromide fumigation (standards NSPM-11 and NSPM-12). Methyl bromide is controlled under the Montreal Protocol, with an exemption for quarantine and pre-shipment uses.
What the fumigation certificate should show
The agency's name and accreditation number, the fumigant, the dose (grams per cubic metre), the exposure time, the temperature, the date and place, and the consignment: goods, marks, quantity and container number. Under the IMDG Code, a fumigated container travelling under UN 3359 carries a warning mark on its doors naming the fumigant and the date and time of fumigation, and it must be ventilated before anyone goes in.
Worked example: a certificate that does not match
A 40 ft container of cane baskets is fumigated after stuffing. The certificate shows the right dose and exposure time, but the container number differs by one digit from the number on the container and the bill of lading. Customs at destination can reject a certificate that does not identify the consignment, so the exporter asks the agency for a corrected certificate before the documents are sent.
How Clear To Load uses it
We do not fumigate or issue certificates. During container loading supervision, the inspector records whether fumigation is planned before or after stuffing, photographs the warning mark and seal where fumigation is done in our presence, and checks any certificate provided against the container number and the goods.