How to Import Spices from India: The Steps

How do I import spices from India?

Fix the spice, grade and quantity, request a costed FOB or CIF quote, agree the destination test limits in writing, then move on documents: exporter CRES, invoice and packing list, phytosanitary certificate and certificate of origin.

The order of operations

• —Define the spice, grade (e.g. Guntur Sannam S4 chilli, Alleppey-type turmeric) and the moisture and contaminant limits your market enforces.
• —Set the volume against a realistic minimum: samples run 50-100 kg, a 20ft container holds roughly 18-22 MT of dense seed spice.
• —Choose the Incoterm (FOB, CFR or CIF) so it is clear who carries freight and insurance.
• —Confirm the exporter holds CRES, the mandatory Spices Board registration to export India's scheduled spices.
• —Agree the pre-shipment test dossier your side needs (aflatoxin, pesticides, Salmonella, ETO) before goods load.

The document set that moves the goods

A compliant Indian spice shipment travels on a repeatable paper set: the exporter's CRES and IEC, commercial invoice and packing list, a phytosanitary certificate, and a certificate of origin. For the UAE a DGFT preferential certificate of origin unlocks 0% CEPA duty; elsewhere a non-preferential origin certificate is used.

The destination adds its own layer. The EU applies increased official controls on some Indian spices, and the US requires FDA Prior Notice per shipment with FSVP sitting on the US importer.

Frequently asked

Do I need a licence to import Indian spices?

The exporter needs India's CRES to ship. On your side the requirement is destination-specific: the US wants FDA Prior Notice and FSVP, the EU wants compliance with its border-control regime.

What is the smallest quantity I can import?

Trade practice starts samples at 50-100 kg and private-label runs near 100 kg per variant; sea LCL carries 1-5 MT before you commit to a full container.