Packaging Standards for Bulk Export from India

Export packaging is more than just a bag and a box — it's the difference between goods arriving in saleable condition and a damaged shipment.

Bulk packaging

For commodities like rice, pulses, and spices, the standard is 25kg or 50kg PP bags with inner liners for moisture protection. Bags are typically palletised or directly stuffed into 20'/40' containers.

Retail and private label

For retail-ready buyers, packaging extends to: - Buyer-branded retail pouches (100g, 500g, 1kg) - Custom labels with destination-country language - Barcodes (EAN/UPC) per buyer requirements - Compliance with destination food labelling laws (calories, allergens, nutrition tables)

Container loading

Specify clearly: - 20' vs 40' container - Loose loaded vs palletised - Number of bags / cartons per container - Weight (net and gross)

Labelling musts

Every export carton/bag should carry: product name, batch/lot number, manufacturing date, expiry/best before, net weight, country of origin, and exporter address. Destination-specific requirements (e.g. Halal, Organic, Saudi SFDA) sit on top of this base.

Wooden packaging — ISPM-15

Any wooden pallets, crates, or dunnage used for export must comply with ISPM-15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15) — the IPPC standard for regulating wood packaging material in international trade. Treated wood is stamped with the IPPC mark; non-compliant packaging can cause the entire shipment to be quarantined at destination.

Further reading

• →Documents Required to Import from India — the paperwork that pairs with your packaging spec.
• →The Complete Guide to Indian Export Certifications — including per-shipment documents like fumigation certificates.
• →Halal & Kosher Certifications — labelling requirements for faith-based markets.
• →IPPC ISPM standards — the phytosanitary standards library.