Indonesian Vegetables: ISPM 15 Pallets 2025 Guide

A practical, save-and-use pre-loading checklist for ISPM 15 pallets in 2025. Built from our packhouse floor experience shipping Indonesian vegetables to the EU, US, and Asia. What to verify on the stamp, how to inspect wood condition, when documents are really needed, and how to avoid costly holds.

If you’ve ever had a container held over a faint stamp or a strip of bark you missed at 2 a.m., you know why this guide exists. ISPM 15 compliance for pallets sounds simple. But in fresh vegetables, a tiny lapse can stall a reefer for days and ruin a load of Baby Romaine (Baby Romaine Lettuce) or Japanese Cucumber (Kyuri).

We’ve distilled what actually matters in 2025. This is the pre-loading verification system our team uses on every export pallet leaving Indonesia.

The three pillars of trouble-free ISPM 15 compliance

Stamp integrity. Correct format, readable, placed on two opposite sides, and genuine.
Wood condition. Debarked, pest-free, dry enough for reefers, no repairs without re-treatment.
Documentation sanity. The mark is the certificate. Additional paperwork is buyer- or lane-specific.

When you consistently nail these three, EU and US inspections are uneventful, and your vegetables arrive the way you packed them.

Step-by-step: pre-loading verification that works

We run this in three passes. It sounds rigorous, but a trained QC can do it in minutes per pallet.

Pass 1: Receiving from pallet supplier

Confirm supplier registration. In Indonesia the country code is “ID”. Ask for their Barantan/NPPO registration certificate and match the producer/treatment number to the stamp you’ll see later. Keep a PDF on file.
Random stamp audit. From each lot, photograph 3–5 pallets’ stamps. You’re looking for the IPPC wheat symbol, “ID”, the unique producer/treatment code (e.g., ID-123), and the treatment code (HT, MB, or DH). If you see only KD, reject.
Moisture check. We aim for ≤20% with a handheld meter. Over 22–25% is where we start to see mold in reefers on temperate routes.

Pass 2: Before pallets enter the packing area

Visual wood check. Zero loose bark. Tiny residual specks are allowed only if less than 3 cm in width regardless of length, or larger than 3 cm but under 50 cm² in area. We reject anything with insect galleries or frass.
Cleanliness. No soil, plant residues, oil stains, or odors. Remember, leafy items like Loloroso (Red Lettuce) absorb odors.
Stamp position and legibility. The mark must be permanent, legible, and on two opposite sides. If one side is faint but readable and the other is clear, we pass. If one side is missing or illegible, we reject or send back for re-marking by the authorized provider only. We never re-stamp in-house.

Pass 3: During loading and container sealing

Dunnage control. Every piece of wood used for blocking/bracing in the reefer must carry a compliant mark. We prefer plastic or metal bracing to eliminate risk.
Condensation risk. Cold, humid air plus warm pallets equals sweating and mold. We stage pallets in a cool room 2–4 hours pre-load so wood temperature is closer to setpoint. It’s a small step that prevents headaches on long hauls with Tomatoes and Carrots (Fresh Export Grade).
Photo log. Take one clear photo per pallet showing both sides’ stamps, and a close-up. It’s saved us more than once when inspectors questioned legibility.

What must be shown on a compliant ISPM 15 pallet stamp in 2025?

IPPC wheat ear symbol.
Country code: ID for Indonesia.
Producer/Treatment provider code: assigned by Indonesia’s NPPO (Barantan).
Treatment code: HT (heat treatment), MB (methyl bromide fumigation), or DH (dielectric heating).

Notes from experience:

KD (kiln dried) alone is not an ISPM 15 treatment. If you see KD-HT, that’s fine because the HT is the qualifying treatment. KD by itself is a fail.
Date, batch, or facility info may appear but isn’t required.

Is a fumigation or heat-treatment certificate required if the pallet already has a stamp?

In most lanes, no. The ISPM 15 mark itself is the compliance attestation. US CBP and EU plant health authorities rely on the mark.

When might someone still ask? Some buyers, shipping lines, or certain markets request a treatment or compliance letter. We provide a supplier declaration and a copy of the registration certificate when asked, but it’s not an ISPM 15 requirement. If your customer wants extra documentation, agree upfront so you’re not scrambling during VGM or AMS deadlines.

How do I verify an Indonesian pallet supplier’s registration number?

Ask for their current NPPO/Barantan registration certificate and check the ID-XXX number matches the stamp you see.
Confirm the treatment type they’re authorized for (HT or MB or DH).
Keep certificates on your QA drive and share with buyers who require due diligence.

If the printed code on the stamp doesn’t match their certificate, don’t load. We’ve stopped containers for less.

Do EU and US inspectors check different things for fresh produce pallets?

They apply the same ISPM 15 standard but focus can differ slightly:

EU: Very particular with dunnage. Illegible marks or bark on blocking wood trigger holds more often. They also look closely at mold staining, which, while not an ISPM 15 violation, can lead to more inspection.
US CBP: Two opposite-side marks are non-negotiable. Improper or missing marks lead to an Emergency Action Notice. Dunnage without marks is a common cause of re-export orders.

Practical takeaway: Treat dunnage with the same rigor as pallets. And make stamps easy to find.

What should I do if one pallet stamp is faint or missing on one side?

Faint but legible on one side and clear on the other: allow. Photograph both.
Missing or illegible on one side: reject or return to an authorized treatment provider for proper marking. Exporters and packhouses cannot legally re-stamp.
Multiple faint stamps from prior repairs: see the next section on repaired pallets.

Are plastic or plywood pallets exempt for vegetable exports?

Plastic pallets: exempt from ISPM 15. Still, keep them clean and odor-free because residue can taint sensitive items like Premium Frozen Okra or Purple Eggplant.
Processed wood products such as plywood, OSB, and particleboard: generally exempt under ISPM 15. Some ports still scrutinize blocking wood, so we avoid mixing solid-wood dunnage with plywood pallets unless all blocking is also exempt or compliant.

Can repaired pallets be used and how should multiple ISPM 15 marks be handled?

Repaired pallets are allowed under strict conditions. If any new solid wood is added, the entire pallet must be re-treated and re-marked by an authorized provider. That’s why you’ll see multiple stamps. We accept repaired pallets when:

There’s a current, legible mark indicating HT/MB/DH after the last repair.
Older marks are present but not the only legible ones.
No untreated inserts or mixed, unstamped components.

If the re-treatment timing is unclear or stamps conflict, we reject. It’s not worth the risk.

Does methyl bromide fumigation affect fresh vegetables?

We avoid MB-treated pallets when possible. While MB treatment is done before pallets reach food contact zones and degasses, many buyers and retailers prefer HT due to sustainability and perception. EU still accepts MB-coded pallets under ISPM 15, but MB is being phased out globally for most uses. Our rule of thumb: use HT for fresh produce unless a buyer or market specifies otherwise.

ISPM 15 for dunnage in reefer containers

Yes, it applies. Every piece of solid wood dunnage must carry a compliant mark. If your carrier supplies wood bracing without marks, ask for alternatives or insist on marked pieces. We switched to composite or plastic bracing for sensitive lines like Red Cayenne Pepper (Fresh Red Cayenne Chili), and our inspection rate dropped.

Common 2025 violations that cause EU/US holds

Illegible or missing stamp on one or both sides.
Dunnage without a mark.
Bark pieces outside the tolerance or evidence of live pests.
KD only, no HT/MB/DH.
Repaired pallets with added wood but no re-treatment mark.
Excess moisture leading to mold and a deeper inspection.

We’re seeing increased attention on mixed-material shipments where pallets are compliant but blocking wood isn’t. Treat them equally.

Quick QA checklist you can tape to the dock door

Stamp: IPPC symbol + “ID” + supplier code + HT/MB/DH. Two opposite sides, legible.
Wood: Debarked. No insect holes, frass, mold, soil, or odor.
Moisture: ≤20% preferred for reefers.
Repairs: Re-treated and re-marked or reject.
Dunnage: Each piece stamped or use non-wood alternatives.
Photos: Both sides’ stamps per pallet saved to the load folder.

If you need a sanity check for your next load or want us to share our stamp photo reference set, just Contact us on whatsapp. Sometimes a second set of eyes saves a container.

Where this advice applies (and where it doesn’t)

This is focused on solid-wood pallets for fresh vegetables out of Indonesia in 2025. It doesn’t cover carton specs, plastic pallet handling, or general export documentation beyond wood packaging. If you’re shipping processed items like Premium Frozen Sweet Corn or Frozen Mixed Vegetables, the same pallet checks apply. But you may be more flexible with dunnage since temperature setpoints are higher and condensation risk is lower.

Final takeaways

The stamp is your certificate. Keep it legible on two sides and photo-documented.
Control moisture and cleanliness as seriously as you control temperature. Reefers don’t forgive wet wood.
Treat dunnage as first-class citizens. Unmarked blocking wood causes more detentions than you think.

We ship everything from Beetroot (Fresh Export Grade) to Onion and Tomatoes on HT-marked, bark-free pallets and we run this checklist every time. It’s not glamorous, but neither are holds. If you’d like our team to review your current pallet SOP or recommend vetted Indonesian suppliers, Call us.