A practical 2025 checklist to get your Indonesian coffee fumigation certificate accepted at destination. Exact fields required, who can issue it, timing, validation steps, and the rejection traps we see most often.
If you ship coffee long enough, you learn this the hard way. An otherwise perfect container gets held because the fumigation certificate is missing a seal number or the exposure time looks wrong. We have seen five figure demurrage bills over single line errors. Here is the 2025 guide our own export team follows for Indonesian coffee containers so your fumigation certificate sails through US, EU and Asia customs.
What your fumigation certificate must include in 2025
What information has to appear on a fumigation certificate for coffee containers?
Every destination authority wants to see that the treatment was real, traceable and safe. The minimum fields we recommend are:
- Fumigator details. Company legal name, address, business license number and contact. Company stamp and original signature.
- Treatment location and method. Where the fumigation was carried out and whether it was in-container or under tarpaulin.
- Gas used. Typically phosphine. State the formulation (aluminium or magnesium phosphide), delivery method (tablets, sachets, blankets) and target pests if known.
- Dosage. The amount applied per cubic meter. Include total grams and grams per cubic meter.
- Exposure period. Start date and time and end date and time. Include ambient temperature if recorded.
- Aeration. Date and time of ventilation and clearance. Statement that gas levels were measured and safe to handle.
- Container and shipment identifiers. Container number, ISO type, initial seal number, vessel and voyage, BL or booking number, shipper and consignee names.
- Cargo description. Coffee beans, green or roasted, net weight, number of bags, palletized or floor loaded.
- Results and declaration. A line such as “Fumigation completed and container aerated to safe threshold per label and local regulations.”
A simple template you can mirror onto your fumigator’s letterhead:
- Certificate title. Fumigation Certificate
- Fumigator. Name, address, license no., phone
- Consignee and shipper. Names as per BL
- Container. ABCU1234567, 20 GP, initial seal 987654
- Cargo. Green coffee beans, 19,200 kg, 320 bags
- Location. Exporter warehouse, Semarang
- Gas and dosage. Phosphine from aluminium phosphide sachets, 2.0 g/m3, total 120 g
- Exposure. Start 12 Jan 2025 09:00. End 14 Jan 2025 09:00. Ambient 26–28 C
- Aeration. 14 Jan 2025 09:30 to 15:30. Clearance confirmed below threshold
- Final seal. 123987
- Statement. Treatment completed as declared. Container safe for handling and shipment
- Signature and stamp. Authorized signatory, date
Small thing, big impact. The container number and final seal must match your BL and packing list. If you reseal after aeration, record the new seal and inform your forwarder to update documents.
Who signs and what language is accepted?
The fumigation company’s authorized signatory signs and stamps the certificate. We issue bilingual Indonesian and English. English is strongly recommended so destination agents do not guess at translations.
Who is authorized to issue fumigation certificates in Indonesia?
In Indonesia, fumigation certificates for export cargo are issued by licensed pest control operators that are accredited to perform quarantine-related treatments. In practice, customs and quarantine officers look for companies recognized by Indonesia’s Plant Quarantine authority (Barantan) and active members of the national pest management association. Ask for their accreditation letter or license number and include it on the certificate.
How can I check if my fumigator is accredited?
We use a simple three-step verification:
- Documentation. Request a copy of their business license, quarantine treatment accreditation or recognition, and liability insurance. Ask for calibration records for gas detectors.
- Proof of practice. Ask for two recent coffee shipments they treated in the same port. Request anonymized certificates to review formatting and data quality.
- Onsite discipline. During treatment, confirm they measure container volume, place placards, record temperature and log gas readings at least twice. If they refuse to show meters or logs, change vendors.
We are happy to introduce fumigators we work with in Jakarta, Semarang and Surabaya. If your schedule is tight, Contact us on whatsapp and we will recommend the right operator by port and timeline.
Do the US or EU require fumigation certificates for green coffee beans?
Here is the thing many new buyers miss. For most shipments, neither the US nor the EU legally requires a fumigation certificate for green coffee beans. Importers and roasters sometimes ask for it as part of their QA program, and destination authorities can require treatment if pests are detected on inspection. Some Asian and Middle Eastern markets also request fumigation up front. So you should follow the buyer’s written requirement and the latest destination guidance. We treat the certificate as a risk reducer and a buyer confidence document.
What is the difference between a phytosanitary certificate and a fumigation certificate?
- Phytosanitary certificate. Government-issued by Indonesian Plant Quarantine. Confirms the consignment meets destination plant health requirements. It may include an additional declaration that treatment was performed when required.
- Fumigation certificate. Issued by the fumigation company. It records the actual treatment parameters. It does not replace a phytosanitary certificate when that is required by the destination.
We link the two. When a buyer requires both, we ensure the fumigator’s details and dates are consistent with the phytosanitary application so there are no data mismatches.
Timing, method and phosphine basics for coffee
Can fumigation be done after stuffing the coffee in the container?
Yes. Most coffee shipments use in-container phosphine fumigation after stuffing. The fumigator inserts sachets or blankets, seals the doors, monitors exposure, then aerates and reseals. Pallet or stack fumigation under tarpaulin before stuffing is also acceptable and sometimes faster for large multi-container lots.
How long before shipment should fumigation be done and documented?
Plan backwards from ETD. Exposure plus aeration usually takes 2 to 4 days depending on temperature and the operator’s schedule. Allow a buffer for weekends and terminal cutoffs. We aim for completion within 1 to 5 days of vessel cutoff so the certificate looks fresh and aligns with the BL date.
What about phosphine dosage and exposure time for a 20 ft container?
Always follow the product label and local rules. Typical Indonesian coffee practice we see accepted at destination is a phosphine equivalent of about 1.5 to 3.0 g per cubic meter with 48 to 96 hours exposure at 20 to 30 C. Cooler conditions need more time. The certificate should show both dosage and exposure time clearly.
Why fumigation certificates get rejected at destination
These are the avoidable mistakes we keep seeing:
- Container or seal number wrong or missing. Fix by cross checking against the BL after aeration and reseal.
- Dosage or exposure time not stated. A line like “phosphine applied” is not enough.
- Dates impossible. Certificate dated before stuffing or before the exposure ended.
- No aeration statement. Destination needs to know the container is safe to handle.
- Language and formatting unclear. Non-English certificates or scans without stamp and signature.
- Fumigator not recognized. Unknown company with no license number listed.
- Details do not match other documents. Consignee name, weight or vessel mismatch against the packing list or BL.
- Photocopy quality. Low resolution scans with unreadable numbers get flagged.
Our quick rule. If a busy customs officer can verify the who, what, where and when in 30 seconds, you are fine. Anything slower invites questions.
Costs, turnaround and practical tips in Jakarta and Surabaya
Turnaround time to get a fumigation certificate at Tanjung Priok
With normal temperatures, plan 2 to 4 calendar days from stuffing to stamped certificate. We typically see exposure of 48 to 72 hours, plus same day aeration and document issuance. If you miss the terminal cutoff, add another day for gate-in.
Cost of coffee container fumigation in Surabaya port
Market quotes in late 2024 to early 2025 for phosphine in-container fumigation are commonly:
- 20 ft. USD 120 to 250
- 40 ft. USD 180 to 350 Prices exclude port handling, monitoring surcharges and after-hours fees. Get the inclusions in writing. Ask if aeration, final seal and certificate copies are included.
Validity period of a fumigation certificate
There is no formal “expiry” date. Buyers and authorities generally accept certificates when treatment completed within 7 to 21 days of loading. Coffee is best treated as close to shipment as practical. If your ETD slips by weeks, consider re-treatment or a pest inspection letter from the fumigator.
Quick audit checklist you can use today
Before you release a container, tick these boxes:
- Container and final seal numbers match the BL and packing list.
- Dosage in g/m3, total grams, exposure start and end times are present.
- Aeration date and clearance noted. English statement that the container is safe to handle.
- Fumigator’s legal name, address, license number, signature and stamp included.
- Cargo description matches your invoice and packing list.
- Vessel, voyage and booking or BL number appear and are correct.
- Certificate scan is sharp and legible. Keep an original hard copy in the file.
We apply the same process when shipping our green coffees like Arabica Java Ijen Grade 1 Green Coffee Beans and Sumatra Mandheling Green Coffee Beans. If you prefer us to coordinate fumigation and paperwork end to end, just ask during the booking. You can also browse origins that fit your program and we will advise if your buyer expects fumigation in their market. View our products
In our experience, three out of five delays come from certificates that were rushed in the last hour. Build fumigation into your timeline, verify the fields against the BL, and use a fumigator who treats documentation as seriously as the gas. Your coffee will arrive, your buyer will be happy and you will sleep better before the next cutoff.