Indonesian Vegetables Packaging Requirements: 2025 Guide

A practical, field-tested guide to ISPM-15 pallets and wood packaging for Indonesian vegetable exports in 2025. What’s exempt, how to verify stamps, when to switch to plastic or plywood, and exactly how to document compliance so your shipment clears on the first try.

If you export vegetables from Indonesia, wood packaging is one of those small details that can quietly derail a perfect shipment. We’ve seen containers of beautiful produce sit because a corner brace wasn’t treated or a stamp was smudged. The product was flawless. The pallet wasn’t. Here’s the 2025 playbook we use to keep Indonesian vegetables flowing through Barantan and destination customs without a hiccup.

ISPM-15 in Indonesia: what actually applies to vegetables

ISPM-15 is the international standard for solid wood packaging material. In Indonesia, Barantan (Karantina Pertanian) enforces it for exports and imports. If your shipment uses solid wood packaging. Think pallets, crates, dunnage, wedges, blocking, skids. It must be treated and carry a valid ISPM-15 mark.

The good news. Vegetables aren’t singled out for extra rules. The bad news. Cold-chain schedules don’t forgive delays. So we design packaging to be compliant and inspectable from day one.

Key points we work by:

Treatment accepted: heat treatment (HT) is the default. Methyl bromide (MB) fumigation is still formally recognized under ISPM-15, but many buyers and some destinations discourage MB for sustainability and residue perception. We recommend HT for fresh vegetables unless your buyer insists otherwise.
Marking: the IPPC wheat-ear symbol plus country code (ID for Indonesia), a unique producer/treatment code, and the treatment code (HT or MB). It should appear on two opposite sides, be legible, and not in red or green.
Repairs/overstamping: repaired pallets must be re-treated and re-marked. Overstamping a dirty or painted surface invites rejections.

Do air-freighted vegetables need ISPM-15 pallets?

Short answer. Yes, if you use solid wood. ISPM-15 applies regardless of sea or air. Many air shipments unitize on airline ULDs with nets, but if you introduce solid wood pallets, crates, or dunnage into the chain, they must be compliant.

Our experience. For delicate items like Baby Romaine (Baby Romaine Lettuce) moving by air, we often avoid wood entirely. Plastic pallets or corrugated pallet bases cut weight and bypass ISPM-15. For sturdier items like Tomatoes or Carrots (Fresh Export Grade), HT pallets are fine if airfreight consolidators accept the dimensions and weight. Inside an airport cargo terminal, a plastic pallet with leafy greens stands next to a wooden pallet with tomatoes and carrots, with an aircraft cargo container and tow tractor in the background.

Takeaway. Air or sea doesn’t change the rule. It only changes the best packaging choice.

What wood packaging is exempt (and when to use it)

ISPM-15 exempts “processed wood” products that are manufactured using glue, heat, and/or pressure. That includes:

Plywood, particleboard, oriented strand board (OSB)
Engineered wood blocks (glued laminated blocks)
Paper, paperboard, fiberboard
Wood pieces under 6 mm thickness

Where this helps:

Plywood pallets and crates are exempt and perform well in airfreight where weight and speed matter. Singapore, EU, US, and most ASEAN markets accept these exemptions. We still label pallets clearly as “plywood” on the invoice/packing list to reduce questions at destination.
Corrugated pallet bases and paper cores avoid treatment and are easy to recycle at receivers. Watch humidity in reefers and ensure slip resistance.

Caveat. Some buyers’ internal policies still require ISPM-15 stamps on anything that “looks like wood.” If the customer is risk-averse, we align to their policy even if the standard says you’re exempt.

Verifying an ISPM-15 stamp in Indonesia: the 2-minute check

I’ve found that most stamp issues come from basic errors. Here’s the quick method we teach our team:

Look for the IPPC symbol plus “ID” country code, the producer/treatment facility number, and the treatment code “HT” (or MB if used). Example format: IPPC logo, ID-1234, HT.
Stamps on two opposite sides, large enough to read. No red or green ink. No handwritten additions.
Clean wood surface. No heavy paint or smudging. If you can’t read it with your phone camera, an inspector probably can’t either.
Ask the supplier for their treatment certificate or accreditation letter. You don’t need it to ship, but it helps if a destination officer has doubts.

How to document it:

Photograph both stamp locations plus a close-up showing the code clearly. Add a time/date overlay.
Capture one wide shot of each pallet stack before wrapping. This helps prove the marks were present pre-loading.
File the photos with the invoice/packing list under your shipment number.

Need a second set of eyes on your pallet markings or material mix? We’re happy to review photos before you load. If that saves you a hold at destination, it’s worth it. Contact us on whatsapp.

Can you avoid ISPM-15 with plastic or cardboard pallets?

Yes. Non-wood pallets like plastic, aluminum, steel, and paper-based are outside ISPM-15. We routinely use plastic for chilled greens and fragile lines, especially for short-haul Asia lanes.

What to consider before switching:

Airline/sea carrier acceptance and return policy. Some carriers restrict plastic pallets without a closed-loop plan.
Loading equipment and warehouse habits at the destination. If the buyer only has wooden pallet jacks designed for Euro sizes, a switch can backfire.
Moisture and stacking. Cardboard pallets need dry corrugated and plastic feet. In 0–4°C reefers, condensation management is key.

For high-turn items like Japanese Cucumber (Kyuri) going to Japanese retail, we often spec 1100 x 1100 mm HT wood or plastic depending on the customer’s DC setup. For leafy lines like Loloroso (Red Lettuce), plastic saves time at import since there’s no WPM check at all.

Is methyl bromide fumigation still accepted in Indonesia?

Yes, MB fumigation is still part of ISPM-15. But here’s the reality. Many receivers prefer heat treatment for fresh produce. MB raises sustainability questions and, for sensitive veg, the perception alone can trigger extra inspection. We recommend HT unless a destination’s biosecurity rules for a specific pest push you to MB.

What documents will Barantan or destination customs ask for?

For most markets, the ISPM-15 mark on the wood itself is the requirement. No separate certificate is mandatory. That said, we prepare a light paper trail to speed things up if questions pop up:

Packing list notes the pallet type and count. “20 pallets HT-marked, 1100x1100, 4-way.” If using plywood or plastic, write “plywood pallet” or “plastic pallet” explicitly.
Photo set of stamps as described above.
Treatment provider’s accreditation or treatment record. Optional but useful for challenging ports.

Australia and New Zealand are the strictest on WPM appearance and cleanliness. The EU and US focus on clear marks. Singapore follows ISPM-15 closely and accepts plywood/processed wood exemptions.

What happens if a pallet isn’t compliant at destination?

We’ve seen three outcomes, none of them fun:

On-arrival treatment or re-palletization. Expect delays of 2–5 days plus handling fees and demurrage.
Destruction of non-compliant wood packaging. Product may be salvaged if quickly re-palletized.
Re-export or rejection. Worst case, expensive and damaging to buyer relationships.

This is why we treat wood packaging like a product spec, not an afterthought.

Barantan checks and practical loading tips

Barantan conducts risk-based inspections at ports like Tanjung Priok and Tanjung Perak. Vegetable shipments with a strong compliance history move faster. Here’s how we load to pass on the first try:

Use only one wood type per container when possible. Mixing HT wood with unmarked dunnage is the top failure we see.
Dunnage and wedges must be treated and stamped or be plywood/plastic. Never toss in a random stick to fill a gap.
Keep pallets clean and dry. No bark, no visible mold, no soil. Inspect each pallet and reject any with bark pockets or repairs lacking restamps.
Place stamp sides facing out whenever possible so officers can see them without dismantling.

2025 update: enforcement, not new rules

There’s no major change to the ISPM-15 standard as we enter 2025. The shift we’re seeing is tighter enforcement and more photo evidence requested informally on pre-alerts. Some ASEAN ports are also pushing digital pre-advice where forwarders declare WPM type. Bottom line. The rule hasn’t changed, the scrutiny has.

Quick exporter checklist for vegetables

Choose your platform by lane and product:
- Air + delicate greens: plastic or plywood to avoid WPM holds.
- Sea + robust veg: HT-marked solid wood, 1100x1100 for Asia or 1200x1000/1200x800 for EU/UK.
Confirm exemptions when using plywood/OSB. Label clearly on docs.
Verify marks on every pallet. Two sides, legible, ID-xxxx, HT.
Treat dunnage like pallets. Use stamped wood or non-wood materials.
Photograph evidence. Two stamp shots per pallet stack plus a wide pre-wrap shot.
Note pallet type on packing list. Keep treatment records on file.
Align with buyer preferences. Some retail DCs mandate plastic or HT only.

Common mistakes we see (and how to avoid them)

Unstamped corner boards or blocking. Solution. Use plywood or plastic corners and stamped blocks.
Overwrapped pallets where stamps are buried. Solution. Leave window gaps or place stamps outward.
Mixed pallet sizes in one container leading to last-minute dunnage improvisation. Solution. Lock sizes early and pre-cut compliant spacers.
Assuming airfreight doesn’t need ISPM-15. Solution. If it’s solid wood, it’s in scope no matter how it flies.

Where to source compliant pallets in Indonesia

Reputable suppliers in Greater Jakarta, West Java, and East Java carry HT-marked pallets routinely. Ask for their treatment code and a sample stamp photo before ordering. If you want us to coordinate packaging tailored to your produce and lane, we can bundle pallets with product orders for lines like Red Radish, Beetroot (Fresh Export Grade), or Purple Eggplant so everything arrives aligned with your buyer’s specs. Questions about your route or retailer requirements? Call us and we’ll share what’s working for similar lanes.

Final thought. In fresh produce, time is quality. ISPM-15 isn’t glamorous, but a clean stamp and the right pallet choice are often the difference between a smooth delivery and a week of emails. Handle wood packaging like a core spec, and your vegetables will do the talking when they land.