Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-07-21 Origin: Site
'Why is the wooden pallet of this batch of goods without an IPPC logo?' The words of the customs inspector made the foreign trade manager Mr. Wang's heart sink instantly. In the end, this batch of imported equipment worth more than 5 million yuan was not only detained and destroyed due to wooden packaging violations, but also paid an additional 120,000 yuan in processing fees - this is not a fictional plot, but a real case reported by Shenzhen Customs in 2024.
What kind of punishment will the wooden packaging of imported goods face if there is no IPPC fumigation mark? Today I will explain it clearly in the most straightforward way, a must-read for foreign traders!
1. Understand first: What is the IPPC logo?
Simply put, the IPPC logo is a 'international pass' in wood packaging. It looks like this: a hexagonal pattern says 'IPPC' and follows the country code (such as China is CN) and enterprise code below, just like a 'physical examination pass' stamp on the wooden packaging.
This logo means:
Wooden packaging has been fumigated or heat treated
Can effectively kill pests, termites and other harmful organisms
Comply with the global unified standards of the International Plant Protection Convention
The wooden packaging without this logo is like passing the 'biological bomb' and customs in various countries will focus on interception!
2. Customs punishment is not 'one size fits all' and is handled in 5 situations
According to the 'Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Quarantine of Wooden Packaging in Imported Goods', the customs will 'prescribe the right medicine' according to different violations, and the penalties will be escalated from mild to severe:
1. Minor violation: no mark but actively report to the inspection
Treatment method: Pest control treatment (such as fumigation, high-temperature disinfection)
Cost reference: Charge by packaging volume, one standard pallet is about 200-500 yuan, and the processing cycle is 1-3 days.
Key points: Active declaration can avoid administrative penalties, but it will delay customs clearance time
2. Concealing and not reporting: I clearly used wooden packaging but lied that I didn't
Treatment method: pest control + administrative penalties
Legal basis: Article 59 of the 'Implementation Regulations on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine Law' may be fined not less than RMB 30,000
Typical case: When a Shanghai company imported electronic components in 2023, it concealed the wooden packaging and failed to declare it, and was fined RMB 18,000.
3. The logo is not qualified: there is a logo but the information is incorrect/forged
Processing method: Treat as 'no label' and destroy the packaging + trace the source
Special penalties: If the forged logo is found, the customs will include the company on the list of dishonest, affecting subsequent import customs clearance
4. Multiple violations: More than 3 violations have been made in 1 year
Processing method: overall return of goods + suspend the application qualification of relevant enterprises
Chain reaction: The return cost is as high as 15%-30% of the cargo value, and may also be notified by the General Administration of Customs to the exporting country
5. Serious risk: Detecting live pests
Treatment method: packaging is destroyed on the spot, goods are isolated and quarantined
Extreme case: In 2022, Qingdao Customs detected pine nematodes from unmarked wood packaging and directly destroyed the entire batch of packaging. The goods were seriously stagnant from the port, and the company lost more than 100,000 yuan.
3. The three most concerned issues for enterprises
Q: Do I need an IPPC logo to package in plastic pallets or plywood?
Answer: No! Only solid wood (such as pine and poplar pallets) are required, and artificial boards (plywood, fiberboard) are exempted.
Q: If you forget to check the sign when importing, can you make a replacement?
Answer: No! The marking must be applied in the exporting country and cannot be reissued in the country. If you find that there is no logo, you can only accept processing.
Q: Foreign suppliers say 'their country does not need to post' can they believe it?
Answer: Absolutely not! IPPC is a global standard, and any country's wooden packaging exported to China must comply with, otherwise it will be a violation of the regulations by the supplier.
4.3 Tips to help you avoid this pit completely
1. Add a sentence 'Life-saving clause' when signing the contract
In the procurement contract, it is stated: 'The seller must provide wooden packaging with a valid IPPC logo. If customs penalties arising from the logo are all borne by the seller.'
2. Video inspection before shipment
Ask the supplier to take close-up videos of wooden packaging, focusing on checking the integrity of the IPPC logo, and screenshots are archived as evidence.
3. Really unsure? Change the packaging!
If the supplier cannot provide compliant packaging, it is better to spend a small amount of money to replace the plastic pallet (about 50 yuan per piece) than to risk being punished by customs.
Data from the General Administration of Customs shows that in the first eight months of this year, a total of 12,000 cases without IPPC labels were investigated and dealt with nationwide, with a total fine of more than 30 million yuan. Don't think that 'it doesn't matter once in a while.' Now the customs' intelligent inspection equipment can automatically identify the mark, and it is almost impossible to get away with it.
Finally, if the imported goods have problems with the declaration of wooden pallets or wooden frames, they usually need to be disinfected/destroyed, and then the case is fined, and finally the order is changed. The customs approval process usually takes about 2 weeks, which can easily result in high fees such as overdue counter rental. If the circumstances are serious, you will have to return your luck. So don't be careless!
Source: Import Customs Declaration Network | If there is any infringement, please contact us to delete it
