The government has warned exporters of the cost and time adjustments they have to make in compliance with the revised international plant protection policy.

In a recent forum, Plant Quarantine Office of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) said that the cost of fumigation is expected to increase with the fumigators having to invest on equipment, materials and satisfy other additional requirements to comply with the new version of the International Standard for Sanitary Measure (ISPM) No. 15 (ISPM15).

ISPM No. 15 sets out the guidelines for regulating wood packaging materials in international trade to ensure that these will not serve as carriers of quarantine pests when transported to another country.

The revised regulation increases the number of required gas readings from two to three taken at a minimum two, four, and twenty-four hours thereby requiring three tubes, which cost P500 each. The entire fumigation process takes at least 24 hours plus 30 minutes and another three to fours hours for ventilation.

Other sources of added costs are the requirements to use fans for gas distribution and setting the maximum loading of containers at about 80% of their volume to ensure a thorough dispersal of the fumigant and to allow proper circulation of the gas.

The revised international plant protection regulation also requires sheets to be at least 150 microns in thickness and the floor must be impermeable to fumigant. Otherwise, gas-proof sheets must be laid on the floor. A vaporizer is also needed in applying the methyl bromide to fully volatize the fumigant prior to its entry into the fumigation enclosure