FAQs

VFC is always ready to serve customers 24/24 hours. However, for fumigation work to be proactive and for technical requirements to be fully met, customers should notify VFC (via phone, email, Zalo) before the fumigation time, ideally 24 hours or more in advance (for container fumigation). When there is a request for large-scale warehouse fumigation or vessel fumigation, customers should notify VFC as soon as possible so that the survey and technical consultation work (if necessary) can be carried out effectively before fumigation.

VFC currently provides a very diverse range of services. Besides fumigation of goods, VFC also provides environmental sanitation services (control of flies, mosquitoes, ants, cockroaches, rats… in hotels, restaurants, offices, industrial parks…); container lining and supply of desiccants for export containers. In addition, VFC also provides consulting and training on fumigation and integrated pest management (IPM)… It supplies marine safety equipment (masks, toxic gas filter canisters, toxic gas detectors, firefighting equipment, life buoys…) depending on customer requirements.

Reasonable and simple are VFC’s criteria in container fumigation in order to create maximum convenience for customers:

Customers send fumigation requests to VFC by phone, email at the office or directly to fumigation stations in the relevant areas. For VFC to serve customers in the best way and ensure that the container is certainly fumigated, customers are requested to send the request via email or Zalo with confirmation of receipt. The more detailed the information provided, the better.

・VFC technical staff at fumigation stations (all ports and key areas) carry out the work as requested or provide consultation on related technical issues for customers. Fumigation will be carried out in accordance with the National Technical Regulation on fumigation technical procedures issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (QCVN 01-19: 2010/BNNPTNT).
・The fumigation record confirmed by both parties is sent to the VFC office. ・The exposure time depends on the nature of the chemical used. Minimum 24 hours (Methyl Bromide) and 120 hours (Aluminium Phosphide).
・VFC ventilates the container after the exposure time is sufficient at the ports, and collects AlP residues (if required).
・Based on the B/L sent by the customer, VFC issues the certificate according to the customer’s request.

Note: Customers can download the fumigation request form from the website: www.vfc.com.vn under the fumigation registration section.

・Customers send a request according to the form (via email or phone).
・VFC discusses further if additional information is needed.
・VFC technical staff conduct an on-site survey and discuss directly with the customer.
・Prepare an implementation plan; write an overall control program and send it to the customer while waiting for confirmation of implementation (for large warehouses, factories…); sign a contract (upon request).
・Carry out fumigation of the shipment, sanitary spraying outside the shipment or the entire warehouse as required.
・Carry out fumigation of the shipment, sanitary spraying outside the shipment or the entire warehouse as required.
・Exposure time depends on the nature of the chemical used.
・Ventilate the shipment, inspect, evaluate and confirm fumigation results by record.
・VFC issues the certificate according to the customer’s request.

VFC is the first fumigation company in Vietnam, with more than 45 years of experience and close cooperation with many international specialized organizations, ready to provide free and complete consultation on issues related to pest control in general and fumigation in particular, build Integrated Stored Pest Management programs, and conduct many training courses and on-site consultations for relevant customer personnel in order to bring customers the highest efficiency in cargo storage and export.

Currently, many chemicals in the world are used as insecticides; however, among them, only 2 chemicals are most commonly used and accepted in most countries: Methyl Bromide (CH3Br) and Aluminium Phosphide (AlP) – the initial component that generates Phosphine gas (PH3). Both of these chemicals – Methyl Bromide and Phosphine – act on insects in gaseous form. After the necessary exposure time, the fumigant gas is ventilated out of the fumigation space so that the cargo can be used according to the required purpose…

Depending on the location, the space to be sprayed and the type of product to be stored, suitable active ingredients are used. Currently, in the list of plant protection chemicals permitted for use by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, only Actellic 50EC (active ingredient Pirimiphos-methyl) is suitable for spraying to control insects in cargo storage warehouses as well as in production workshops.

For insects to be eliminated, the fumigant gas must act on the insects for a sufficiently long period of time at a certain required concentration level (the C x T product). To thoroughly control all stages of insect development, the required exposure time for Methyl Bromide must be at least 24 hours or more, while for Aluminium Phosphide it must be at least 120 hours because Phosphine gas is slow-acting on insects and AlP itself is not yet the insecticide; Phosphine (PH3) is released from the reaction: AlP + 3H2O = PH3 + Al(OH)3.

Fumigant: Phosphine (PH3) is the fumigant gas that has an insecticidal effect, released from the chemical reaction: AlP (Aluminium Phosphide) + 3H2O (Humidity) = PH3 (Phosphine) + Al(OH)3. Phostoxin, Gastoxin, Quick Phos, Celphos… are trade names of products made by different manufacturers with the main active ingredient of Aluminium Phosphide 56%. Normally, during fumigation, every 03 g of AlP generates 01 g of PH3 if there is sufficient exposure time for the chemical reaction to occur completely. In practice, depending on the wording stated in the contract or L/C, the fumigation company prepares documents and issues certificates accordingly. Therefore, when the certificate states the fumigant as Aluminium Phosphide (9 g/m³) or Phosphine (3 g/m³), both are reasonable as long as they comply with the L/C or contract.

The requirement for fumigation with internal gas circulation is often applied when fumigating with Aluminium Phosphide. Reason: Aluminium Phosphide reacts with moisture to release Phosphine, which is a relatively light gas (specific gravity 1.17 compared with air), making it difficult to diffuse deep into the cargo layers at the bottom of the vessel hold, especially in holds with large volumes. To ensure uniform fumigant concentration at all positions in the vessel hold as well as increase certainty of fumigation results, many customers require the use of an internal gas circulation system – J System. VFC is currently the only company in Vietnam applying this copyrighted fumigation method. The operating principle of this system is presented in detail in the Technical Information section – J System – Advanced Fumigation Method. -> Jsystem is also applied to other types such as fumigation of goods stored in silos, bins, bulk warehouses…

Absolutely not. Some customers understand in-transit fumigation as quick fumigation – this is incorrect. To save unnecessary waiting time for vessels, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has regulations for in-transit fumigation in the document Recommendations on the Safe Use of Pesticides in Ships. In-transit fumigation is carried out when all prescribed conditions are complied with. After placing fumigant in the cargo hold and checking the safety of areas according to regulations, the fumigation officer instructs and hands over the next tasks during the voyage to the ship’s Master, such as maintaining the exposure time according to the nature of the chemical, ensuring safety, proper ventilation, preventing reinfestation… and then the vessel can depart. Therefore, in practice there is no concept of quick fumigation; there is only in-transit fumigation.

Fumigation is a method that uses toxic gas to eliminate harmful insects on goods at different stages of development in a gas-tight space such as tarpaulin-covered cargo, vessel holds, barges, silos, containers…

According to plant quarantine authority regulations, imported and exported goods in general, especially agricultural commodities, must be fumigated to prevent the spread of pests from one country to another, as well as to protect goods from insect damage. A fumigation certificate (fumi cert) is often required in import-export sales contracts.

Agricultural commodities in general (rice, coffee, cassava chips, spices such as pepper, ginger, cinnamon, edible nuts such as cashew nuts, almonds…). Wood products, handicrafts, wooden packaging materials such as pallets, supports, skids…

- Goods must be in normal condition according to storage or export standards (moisture content, temperature…).
- The fumigation space must be able to be sealed (covered with tarpaulin, sealed…).
- Sufficient exposure time is required for each type of fumigant.
- Packaging must not be gas-tight.
- There must be space to ventilate fumigant gas after fumigation.

The plant protection authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is the state management authority responsible for managing and supervising fumigation activities within the territory of Vietnam. When goods are exported, the national plant protection authority of the importing country has the function of inspecting the insect or pest status on goods and making necessary decisions.

・Already present on the cargo.
・Able to move by themselves from one area to another by flying or crawling.
・Infestation through cargo transport vehicles, people, birds, rats…
・Infestation through cargo transport vehicles, people, birds, rats…

Therefore, there are many routes through which insects can appear on the cargo that we observe. Fully understanding these infestation routes helps us have the most effective insect control measures.

Stored-product insects in general belong to the orders Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. Their life cycle goes through 04 development stages: egg – larva – pupa – adult, of which the egg and pupa stages are more difficult to eliminate. Therefore, when conducting fumigation, attention must be paid to technical solutions so as not only to eliminate adult insects but also to control all stages of insect development.

Plant quarantine pests are species that are capable of developing and causing serious damage, have never appeared or have only appeared within a narrow range in a country, and pose a very great threat to a country’s agriculture. Therefore, when they are detected, the plant quarantine sector must conduct very strict control measures (zoning, isolation, fumigation combined with sanitary spraying…) to thoroughly eradicate these insect foci, prevent dispersal and spread to other areas, and continue monitoring for a necessary period of time.

Absolutely possible if there are no protective measures. We all know that fumigation has the effect of eliminating existing pests on goods; after fumigation, the fumigant gas is ventilated from the goods so that the goods return to normal condition for their original intended use. A shipment that has been fumigated satisfactorily (pests thoroughly eliminated), if completely isolated and protected from external infestation, will certainly have no insects appearing. However, in practice we cannot always control every issue. Therefore, fully understanding the causes that may lead to insect reinfestation and the remedies deserves attention from both cargo owners and fumigation companies.

Absolutely possible if protective measures for the shipment are not properly considered and fully implemented, because fumigation only eliminates insects already present on the goods at the time of fumigation; afterward, the fumigant gas is ventilated so that the goods return to normal condition according to the intended use. This issue is presented in detail in the Technical Information section – Why are live insects found at the discharge port?

Yes. There are some other methods such as controlled atmosphere (based on the principle of low oxygen content combined with CO2), heat treatment, cold treatment, irradiation… However, in practice, implementing these treatments requires very complex technical conditions, high costs, and the movement of goods to specialized treatment areas, so their feasibility is currently still low.

Imported and exported goods moving from one country to another are always subject to insect control based on plant quarantine regulations and requirements in import-export contracts. However, accompanying wooden packaging materials (pallets, skids, supports…) are often not given attention from an insect perspective, and the exact origin of these packaging materials is not identified (due to reuse), leading to the spread of pests from one country to another. The IPPC (International Plant Protection Convention) issued ISPM 15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures), which uniformly requires these materials to be treated to eliminate pests before being used to package export goods.

According to ISPM 15, wooden packaging materials must be fumigated with Methyl Bromide or heat treated, with the requirement that the temperature in the wood core must reach at least 56 oC for a minimum of 30 minutes. Along with the treatment, these wooden packaging materials must be marked to confirm the treatment using the prescribed mark. The accepted mark sample is as follows:

Fumigants act on insects as well as goods in gaseous form. After proper technical ventilation, most of the fumigant gas in the shipment is ventilated back into the environment. Whether the goods are affected in quality or safety for users depends entirely on fumigation technique. Selecting the proper fumigant, injecting/placing it correctly, and carrying out thorough ventilation will ensure that goods after fumigation are not affected in quality. This can only be achieved by reputable fumigation companies with adequate knowledge and practical experience.

Insects on goods are only thoroughly eliminated when the fumigant gas penetrates at sufficient concentration for the necessary period of time. Common packaging types such as jute bags and PP bags allow fumigant gas to penetrate, so they are suitable for fumigation techniques. Conversely, packaging types such as PE bags, two-layer packaging with PE film, BOPP bags, Laminate… prevent fumigant gas from penetrating to eliminate insects on the goods, so they are not suitable when the goods require fumigation. When goods are required to be packed in these types of packaging, they must be perforated, opened, not sealed, or the goods must be fumigated before packaging.

In principle, cargo loading must create conditions for the fumigant gas to diffuse evenly throughout the fumigation space, so that the fumigant concentration is uniform at all positions and sufficiently effective to thoroughly eliminate insects. Therefore, when loading goods into a container, the cargo volume must not occupy the entire container volume, the goods should be placed on a layer of pallets at the container floor, and the cargo surface should be at least 30 cm from the container ceiling so that the fumigant gas can circulate evenly through the cargo mass.

There is always a certain amount of water vapor in the air, about 30 g of water vapor in 01 m³ of air when the temperature is 30–32°C and the relative humidity is 80%. When a container is sealed, air exchange is limited, causing the temperature to rise, possibly to 50–60°C; at that time, the amount of water vapor in the air also increases, possibly up to 100 g/m³ of air. The outside temperature is usually lower than inside the container, so the rising water vapor meets the metal ceiling, condenses, and falls onto the cargo surface, causing wet cargo and subsequent mold growth. The purpose of using desiccants is to maintain the air humidity in the container at a safe level, prevent the above condensation phenomenon, and thereby protect goods from being damaged by moisture or mold.

In fact, the largest amount of water vapor causing the above condensation comes from the container floor, because most container floors are made of wood with quite high moisture content (from 25–30%), and about 5% of that water will participate in the evaporation and condensation process on the cargo surface. Therefore, if desiccants are not used in the container, the risk of mold and cargo damage is very likely, especially for high-value goods, where the loss can be very large. VFC currently provides a service using PVC bags to protect all goods inside the container – please contact VFC for further consultation.