Packaging, Labelling and Shelf Life for Agro Exports: A Practical Checklist (2026)

Good export packaging for agricultural products does three jobs: it keeps the product dry and sound until it reaches the buyer, it meets the plant-health and labelling rules at the border, and it tells the importer exactly what is inside. Many rejections and claims come from avoidable packing mistakes, not from the product itself. This checklist draws on Codex Alimentarius, FAO, IPPC and European Commission pages read in October 2026, and it avoids inventing numbers: where a figure depends on your crop or buyer, we say so. Always confirm requirements with your buyer and the authority of the destination country.

Start with the buyer's specification

Before you buy a single bag, get the buyer's written specification: pack type, net weight per pack, labelling language, moisture target and any certificates. Codex says safe moisture targets depend on cereal type, kernel size, grain quality, storage period and temperature, so there is no single number for all crops. For the legal side, ask whether your destination applies Codex-based labelling, EU rules or US FDA rules, and read the official pages linked at the end.

Dry before you pack: moisture and mould

Packaging cannot fix damp produce. The Codex Code of Practice for preventing mycotoxin contamination in cereals (CXC 51-2003) says to dry freshly harvested grain promptly, to measure moisture at several points in each load, and, where there is no mechanical dryer, to dry on clean surfaces protected from rain, dew, soil and pests, stirring often. It says grain is generally considered safe at about 15 percent moisture or lower, and that fungal growth is inhibited below a water activity of 0.70. That is a cereal reference. An older FAO publication on drying grains and groundnuts says produce should be dried to 12 to 14 percent moisture (wet basis) for safe storage, and that high-moisture crops, especially corn, can be contaminated with aflatoxin within 48 hours. Treat these as general guides, and use the number your buyer's contract specifies for your product. Buy or borrow a moisture meter and record readings per lot.

Bags, containers and pallets

Codex CXC 51 gives practical rules you can copy:

• Keep containers and vehicles dry, clean, and free of old grain, dust, visible fungus, musty smell and insects. Clean and disinfect as needed.
• Protect shipments from moisture with covers, tarpaulins or airtight containers, and limit temperature swings that cause condensation and create damp pockets.
• Use pest-proof containers or approved repellent treatments where appropriate.
• For bagged grain, use clean, dry bags on pallets, or place a water-impermeable layer under them, with airflow.
• Store in dry, well-ventilated structures protected from rain, ground water, condensation and pests, and check temperature and humidity regularly.

For fresh produce, Kenya's KEPHIS lists "proper packaging (labelled, clean, well ventilated)" among the standards it checks at exit points, alongside moisture and mechanical damage. See our avocado export guide.

Wooden pallets, crates and fumigation: ISPM 15

If you ship on wooden pallets or in wooden crates, the international standard ISPM 15 applies to wood packaging made from raw wood, including pallets, crates, boxes and dunnage. It requires debarked wood treated by an approved method and marked. The approved treatments include heat treatment (wood reaching 56 degrees Celsius for at least 30 continuous minutes through its entire profile) and methyl bromide or sulphuryl fluoride fumigation under set conditions. The mark must include the ISPM 15 symbol, the ISO two-letter country code, a producer or treatment-provider code assigned by the national plant protection organization, and the treatment code (for example HT for heat treatment). It must be legible, durable and not hand-drawn. Exempt items include wood packaging made entirely of wood 6 mm or thinner and packaging made wholly of processed wood such as plywood. Buy pallets from a supplier registered with your national agency, and check the mark before loading; unmarked wood may be refused or need treatment under the destination country's rules, so ask your buyer.

Fumigation. Do not fumigate on your own initiative. Fumigation appears in official procedures as a treatment required by the importing country or the agency. For example, Uganda's export guidance says that if fumigation is required, only a MAAIF certified fumigator may perform it and a fumigation certificate is needed before inspection. The ISPM 15 treatments above apply to wood, not to the food. For the food itself, ask your buyer and your national plant protection agency which treatments are accepted, because residues from treatments can themselves create compliance problems. The phytosanitary certificate states any treatment applied.

Label basics: what must be on the pack

Codex's General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (CXS 1-1985) lists the core information: the name of the food, the list of ingredients (except for single-ingredient foods), allergen declarations, net contents in metric units, the name and address of the manufacturer, packer, distributor, importer, exporter or vendor, country of origin where omitting it would mislead, lot identification, date marking and storage instructions. Mandatory information must be clear, prominent, indelible and legible, and the name and net contents must appear in the same field of vision.

Destination markets add their own rules. The European Commission lists mandatory particulars under Regulation 1169/2011, including date marking, storage conditions, the business name and address, origin where required and a nutrition declaration. FDA's labelling guide requires, among other things, that if any foreign language appears on the label all required statements also appear in English. Never copy a competitor's label; build yours from the destination rules and have the importer approve a proof.

Shelf life and date marking

Codex requires the date of minimum durability, shown as day and month for products lasting up to three months and month and year for longer shelf lives, using "best before" wording, with special storage conditions stated if the date depends on them. Do not set a shelf life by guesswork: base it on the product's moisture, packaging and storage tests, or on your buyer's requirement, and remember that a long ocean voyage uses up part of the shelf life before the goods reach the shelf. Ask the buyer how much remaining shelf life they require on arrival. Related costs are covered in our guide to landed cost.

Frequently asked questions

What moisture level should I pack at? It depends on the crop and buyer. Codex gives about 15 percent or lower as generally safe for cereals; an older FAO paper says 12 to 14 percent for safe storage of grains and groundnuts. Use your contract figure.

Do my wooden pallets need a stamp? If they are made of raw wood, ISPM 15 requires treatment and a mark. Plywood-type processed wood is exempt.

Which language should the label be in? The destination decides. FDA's guide requires English statements on US labels where any foreign language appears; for the EU, ask your importer which languages are needed.

Who sets the best-before date? The producer or packer declares it on the label under Codex rules, so it must rest on real storage evidence.

Getting started

Write a one-page pack specification for each product, covering moisture, bag or carton type, pallet type and label text, and have your buyer approve it. Browse the food and agro category, see how others describe packs, and create a free account to list your own products, with or without verification. Overseas buyers can send a request for quotation; Comilmart does not handle freight, customs or guarantee orders. See also the wholesale food and agro buyers' guide. Official sources: Codex CXS 1-1985, ISPM 15 and European Commission mandatory food information. Rules change, confirm with the destination authority before shipping.