Fresh Fruits & Vegetables Exporter from India to UAE

Fresh fruits and vegetables are subject to agricultural and food-control requirements upon entry into the UAE. The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment offers a specific service for the release of agricultural products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, upon inspection at the port of entry and verification that the applicable import conditions are met.

For agricultural consignments presented for control under the UAE’s agricultural import-permit system, the competent authorities require that the required import authorizations be presented before shipment and that the consignment be inspected at the time of arrival. The service documentation indicates the Certificate of Origin, the Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the competent authority of the country of origin upon presentation for release, the customs declaration/Bill of Lading and packing list as documents for release.

Dubai Customs also require providing supporting documents for customs declaration, including an Invoice, Packing List, Certificate of Origin and any required permits from restriction authorities, if applicable.

Typical Export Documentation

Depending on the goods and/or the UAE’s import requirements, the following documents may be required:

Commercial Invoice
Packing List
Bill of Lading
Certificate of Origin
Phytosanitary Certificate
Fumigation/Treatment Certificate, if applicable
Import permit/approval, if applicable
Customs declaration documents
Product-specific certificates/testing reports, if applicable
Other documents as required by the UAE’s importer or competent authority

Note: Requirements may vary depending on the commodity, HS code, origin, packaging and the UAE emirate/port of entry. It is recommended to check with the competent authority for the latest requirements applicable to the specific commodity.

Jebel Ali Port — Dubai

Jebel Ali port serves as a gateway for international trade of containerized cargo from the UAE, as well as a favored destination for Indian agricultural exports.

For UAE destinations, DMK AgroExports can arrange transportation of cargo from Nhava Sheva / JNPT, Maharashtra, depending on the particularities of the commodity, the shipping company, the type of packaging, and commercial terms.

Typical export route

Indian Farm/Supplier → Quality inspection → Export packing → Documentation → Stuffing of containers → JNPT/Nhava Sheva → Ocean freight to Jebel Ali Port UAE → Customs and agricultural inspection → Import clearance → Buyer

For temperature-sensitive commodities, such as pomegranate, banana, green chilli, and others, a refrigerated-container shipping option can be explored, depending on the particular temperature requirements of the commodity.

For commodities like onions, a suitable container and airing options can be selected in accordance with the buyer’s requirements, season, and transportation conditions.

UAE as a transit point

In addition, for buyers from the UAE, the option of using the territory as a transit point for further re-export of goods to other Gulf countries is available, taking into account local laws and regulations.