A practical exporter-side checklist for passing Korea’s APQA plant quarantine on green coffee in 2025. Exact Additional Declaration wording, fumigation options, ISPM‑15 pallet rules, and what to do if pests are found.
If you’ve ever had a Korea shipment held over one line of text, you know the pain. We’ve cleared dozens of Indonesia-to-Korea coffee consignments, and the pattern is consistent. APQA focuses on three things for green coffee: the Additional Declaration on the phytosanitary certificate, proof of acceptable treatment or pest freedom, and ISPM-15 wood packaging. Nail those, and most inspections are routine.
This guide is our 2025 playbook for Indonesian exporters and Korea buyers. We’re keeping it strictly to plant quarantine. No customs duties, HS codes, MFDS limits, or labeling here.
What APQA looks for in 2025
- A valid phytosanitary certificate (PC) from Indonesia’s Barantan with a correct Additional Declaration (AD).
- Clarity on coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei. Either the lot is found free on inspection or it’s treated by an accepted fumigation schedule.
- ISPM-15 compliant pallets and wood packaging, free of bark and live insect evidence.
- Cleanliness of the consignment. No live insects in bags, liners, container, or pallet voids.
In our experience, 8 out of 10 Korea holds come down to two avoidable issues: missing CBB mention in the AD, or non-compliant wood packaging.
The exact Additional Declaration wording APQA expects
Here are the two AD patterns we use successfully. Choose the one that matches your lot status.
Option A. Pest-freedom declaration (no fumigation used): “After official inspection, the consignment was found free from quarantine pests including Hypothenemus hampei (coffee berry borer).”
Option B. Treatment declaration (if fumigation was applied): “The consignment was fumigated with phosphine (aluminium phosphide) at [dosage] g/m³ for [duration] days at ≥[temperature] °C on [date]. After treatment, the consignment was found free from live insects including Hypothenemus hampei (coffee berry borer).”
Notes from the field:
- Spell the pest’s Latin name exactly. “Hypothenemus hampei.” APQA checks.
- Don’t use vague phrases like “to the best of our knowledge.” APQA wants official inspection or treatment wording.
- If methyl bromide is used under quarantine-and-pre-shipment (QPS) allowance, adapt Option B to “methyl bromide at [dosage] g/m³ for [duration] hours at [temperature] °C.” Attach the fumigator’s certificate.
- Barantan will insert the AD in the PC. Share the final English text with your importer before shipment so they can pre-clear with their broker.
Need a quick review of your AD text or treatment certificate before you book the container? Contact us on whatsapp.
Pre-shipment steps that prevent APQA headaches
Here’s the exporter-side checklist we use on every Korea-bound lot.
- Lot hygiene and pre-screening
- Sieve and hand-pick to reduce defect and insect evidence. Pay special attention to bored beans. We target <0.5% insect-damaged beans on export-grade Arabica.
- Randomly sample 1 kg per 10 tons for live insect checks. If you find mobile insects, treat. Don’t gamble.
- Decide on treatment vs. pest freedom
- If your supply chain has strong IPM and no live insects are found, go with Option A AD.
- If you detect live insects or the lot has high-risk storage history, schedule phosphine fumigation. Typical regimes accepted by APQA are 5–7 days at ≥20 °C with labeled dosage and monitoring by a licensed fumigator. Keep the certificates.
- Packaging and container prep
- Use clean, new bags or liner systems. Hermetic liners help a lot with re-infestation during transit.
- Clean and sweep the container thoroughly. We sometimes apply a food-safe residual spray on non-contact surfaces and let it air out fully. It prevents hitchhikers.
- Load during cooler hours and seal immediately. Less open-door time. Fewer insects.
- ISPM-15 pallets
- Only use heat-treated, IPPC-marked pallets. No bark. No bore holes. No repairs with untreated wood.
- Photograph pallet stamps and upload to the file. If APQA questions them, you have proof.
- Barantan PC timing
- Book official inspection and PC issuance within 7 days of ETD where possible. It reduces questions about “staleness” of inspection.
- Ensure the AD text is exactly as agreed, with treatment details if any. Cross-check Latin names.
We apply the same process to our export lots, whether it’s Arabica Bali Kintamani Grade 1 Green Coffee Beans, Sumatra Mandheling Green Coffee Beans, or Robusta Lampung Green Coffee Beans (ELB & Grades 2–4). Clean prep, correct AD, and compliant pallets are universal.
Quick answers to the questions we hear most
What exact text should go in the Additional Declaration for green coffee beans to Korea?
Use one of the two templates above. If no fumigation, state “found free from quarantine pests including Hypothenemus hampei.” If fumigated, state chemical, dosage, duration, temperature, date, and “found free from live insects including H. hampei.”
Do Indonesian green coffee beans need fumigation to pass APQA, or only if pests are found?
Fumigation isn’t automatically required. If official inspection finds no live insects, a pest-freedom AD is acceptable. We fumigate only when live insects are detected or when risk factors are high.
Does roasted coffee still require a phytosanitary certificate for Korea?
Roasted and soluble coffee are generally not subject to plant quarantine in Korea, so a PC isn’t required. Your importer still handles food clearance with MFDS, but that’s outside APQA.
What happens if APQA finds live insects or coffee berry borer during inspection?
APQA can order treatment at port, re-export, or destruction. Most importers choose on-arrival fumigation. Expect a delay of 2–4 days plus cost. The PC and AD will be scrutinized, and subsequent shipments may face higher inspection frequency.
Are ISPM-15 heat-treated pallets mandatory for coffee shipments to Korea?
Yes. All wood packaging must meet ISPM-15. APQA checks stamps and physical condition. Pallets with bark or fresh bore holes trigger holds or on-arrival treatment.
Who submits the plant quarantine application in Korea—the importer or the exporter?
The importer or their customs broker files the APQA application in Korea. Exporters can’t file on the Korea side, but we coordinate documents, treatment certificates, and AD wording to match what the importer submits.
How far in advance should the phytosanitary certificate be issued before shipment?
Issue the PC as close to ETD as practical. We aim for within 7 days of departure. While APQA doesn’t publish a strict validity period for coffee PCs, older PCs invite questions or re-inspection.
Common APQA failures and how to avoid them
- Missing H. hampei in the AD. Fix by using the exact pest name.
- Treatment without parameters. If you fumigate, list chemical, dosage, duration, temperature, and date in the AD and attach the fumigator’s certificate.
- Non-compliant pallets. Vet your pallet supplier. Look for the IPPC stamp. Reject anything with bark.
- Dirty containers. Sweep, vacuum, and photograph. Residual grains and dust attract insects.
- Poor bag-liner integrity. Torn liners or reused bags increase re-infestation risk during voyage.
A practical timeline that works
- D-21 to D-14: Finalize lot selection and pre-screen for live insects. Decide on pest-freedom vs. fumigation.
- D-10 to D-7: If fumigation is needed, schedule and complete. Get certificates.
- D-7 to D-5: Barantan inspection and PC issuance. Insert agreed AD text. Share draft with importer.
- D-3 to D-1: Container cleaning, loading on ISPM-15 pallets, photographs of IPPC marks and clean container.
- Arrival: Importer files APQA inspection. Clean docs usually clear in 1–2 business days. Any on-arrival fumigation adds 2–4 days.
When to choose specific Indonesian coffees for Korea projects
Korea buyers often mix profiles. For bright, clean cups, we ship Arabica Java Ijen Grade 1 Green Coffee Beans and Flores Green Coffee Beans (Grade 1). For syrupy, chocolate-forward bases, Sumatra Mandheling Green Coffee Beans and Sumatra Lintong Green Coffee Beans (Lintong Grade 1) are staples. We prep them with the same quarantine playbook, so the clearance experience is consistent.
Final takeaways you can use immediately
- Align on the AD text before Barantan prints the PC. Include “Hypothenemus hampei.”
- Treat only when necessary, but if you treat, document it precisely.
- Use real ISPM-15 pallets. Photograph stamps and keep them on file.
- Keep the PC within 7 days of ETD. It smooths APQA conversations.
APQA and Barantan both expanded ePhyto capabilities in the last year, but many Korea brokers still prefer the paper original for coffee. We can work both ways. If you want us to sanity-check your AD wording or preventive plan for a current PO, Call us.
Disclaimer: Regulations can change. Always verify specific requirements with APQA and coordinate PC content with Barantan on the week of shipment. Our guidance here reflects what we’re successfully using on live Indonesia-to-Korea coffee flows in 2024–2025.