Fumigation certificates for natural pet toys: when, who and where
A fumigation certificate shows that a shipment was treated against pests before it left the country. For natural pet toys from us it is issued when your market requires it, alongside the invoice, packing list and B/L that go with every shipment. Fumigation is done before export customs clearance; under CIF and DAP our forwarder arranges it, under FOB and EXW your forwarder does.
- For importers and wholesalers
- Wood and plant-fibre toys
- About 6 minutes to read
What fumigation is, and why an importing country asks for it
Fumigation treats goods against pests. Methyl bromide is one fumigant used for this; the US Environmental Protection Agency describes it as "an odorless, colorless gas used to control a wide variety of pests in agriculture and shipping".
The same EPA page explains what quarantine fumigation is for: "Quarantine fumigation prevents the introduction of specific quarantine pests into a defined geographical area, such as an importing country." Coffee wood, hemp, coco coir and loofah are all plant-origin goods.
Does my order need a fumigation certificate?
It depends on your market, and the answer comes from your importer or customs broker. Our document set works in two layers:
- Every shipment: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill.
- When your market requires them: fumigation certificate, phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin.
We do not decide for you that a certificate is needed. Send us your broker's document list before the booking, and we plan fumigation into the shipment if it is on the list. The full list of what we can and cannot provide is on our documents page.
Production and fumigation are two different things
No chemicals are added in production. Fumigation, when a market requires it, is a separate treatment of the packed shipment before export customs clearance. Keep the two apart in your own wording too: a listing line about how the chew is made says nothing about how the shipment was treated before export, and the reverse is also true.
Fumigation is also a separate question from moisture. For coffee wood, moisture is handled at the factory: we measure it at the core, below 14%, and vacuum-seal the wood. That is explained in coffee wood moisture.
Who arranges it under FOB, CIF and DAP
| Shipping term | Who arranges fumigation |
|---|---|
| CIF | Our forwarder |
| DAP | Our forwarder |
| FOB | Your forwarder |
| EXW | Your forwarder |
On FOB and EXW shipments, the gap to watch is two sides each assuming the other has it in hand. As soon as there is a booking, we confirm in writing with your forwarder who is doing the fumigation. How the shipping terms split other costs is in FOB, CIF or DAP for a small mixed order.
Where and when it is done
- When: fumigation is done before export customs clearance.
- Where: on the pallets before the container is loaded, or at the container yard. We can do either; it depends on what you or your importer ask for.
If your broker has a preference, tell us at the booking stage.
Why the certificate arrives after the B/L
The fumigation certificate carries the B/L number, the container number and the seal number, so it comes after the B/L. The B/L itself is issued by the shipping line or forwarder. Plan your import paperwork around that order.
Before any original is issued, we send drafts of the B/L, fumigation, phyto and origin certificates for you to approve. We do this on every shipment. The vessel and voyage details on the certificates match the final B/L. A typo in a consignee name is easy to fix on a draft and slow to fix on an original. Reading the B/L itself is covered in how to read a bill of lading.
Fumigation certificate and phyto
A fumigation certificate and a phytosanitary certificate are different documents. A phyto is issued in Vietnam by the Plant Production and Protection Department, when the importing country requires a plant health inspection. Details on the phyto are in phytosanitary certificates for wooden dog chews, and the EU set is in export documents for natural pet toys to the EU.
Questions buyers ask about fumigation
Do natural pet toys always need a fumigation certificate?
No. It is issued when your market requires it. Your importer or customs broker can tell you if your shipment needs one.
Who arranges fumigation?
Under CIF and DAP our forwarder arranges it. Under FOB and EXW your forwarder does, and we confirm that in writing once there is a booking.
When is fumigation done?
Before export customs clearance, either on the pallets before loading or at the container yard, depending on what you ask for.
Why does the fumigation certificate come after the B/L?
Because it shows the B/L, container and seal numbers, so it is completed after the B/L.
Can I check the certificate before it is final?
Yes. We send drafts of the B/L, fumigation, phyto and origin certificates for your approval on every shipment.
Send us your broker's document list
Tell us your market and shipping term when you ask for a quote, and we plan the documents with the goods. Samples come first: your first 3 are free, you pay the shipping.