Import rules · Sub-Saharan Africa

Wood packaging import rules: Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire: ISPM 15 status for pallets and crates, approved treatments, the plant protection authority, common pallet sizes and main ports.

Last checked: 2026-10
ISPM 15 on imports
Not confirmed
Enforced since
—
Treatments
Not confirmed; ISPM 15 methods (HT, MB, DH, SF)
Plant protection authority
Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, du Contrôle et de la Qualité (DPVCQ), Ministry of Agriculture
Common pallet sizes
1200 × 1000 mm
1200 × 800 mm (EUR)
Main ports
Abidjan, San-Pédro

Overview

I could not verify a dated rule or legal text for Côte d'Ivoire's enforcement of ISPM 15 on imported wood packaging, and the country is not in the Australian implementation table, so I record the status as unclear. Plant health controls fall to the agriculture ministry's plant protection and quality directorate, which inspects at the port, airport and land border points. Abidjan's Vridi container terminal is the main gateway for the country and also handles transit traffic to landlocked Mali and Burkina Faso, while San-Pédro serves cocoa, rubber and timber exports. Côte d'Ivoire is the world's largest cocoa producer, and exports of cocoa, cashew and processed goods are frequently shipped on palletised or crated wooden packaging that must meet the requirements of the EU and other markets, which has created local demand for treated and marked wood. Imports from France, China and Nigeria arrive on 1200 × 800 mm and 1200 × 1000 mm pallets, with the latter more common in Asian containers. No pooling operator was verified. Importers should check the position with their local consignee and customs broker, and use heat-treated, IPPC-marked pallets as a precaution, especially for transit cargo.

Key points

  • Not listed in the Australian implementation table; no start date confirmed
  • Abidjan is the largest port in French-speaking West Africa and a transit gateway for Mali and Burkina Faso
  • Cocoa, cashew and timber exports require treated packaging for their destination markets

Frequently asked questions

Does Côte d'Ivoire require ISPM 15 for wooden pallets?

It is unclear; no official start date could be confirmed.

Which port is main?

Abidjan, with San-Pédro second.

Why use marked pallets anyway?

Transit cargo and exports to the EU face ISPM 15 rules at the next border.

Sources

  1. Australian Dept of Agriculture – ISPM 15 implementation dates by country
  2. IPPC country page – Côte d'Ivoire

Import rules change. Confirm current requirements with the national plant protection organization or your importer before shipping. This page is general information, not legal advice.