How importing from India works

From enquiry to delivery

1. Enquiry. Send the product (common or botanical name), grade or specification, quantity and destination port.
2. Quotation. You receive a written specification and price, with the Incoterm, packing and lead time. There is no minimum order: we quote any quantity.
3. Sample. Samples are available before you order. Ask for one in your enquiry.
4. Order and payment. A proforma invoice confirms the product, quantity, price, payment terms and shipping date.
5. Testing and packing. The lot is tested against the agreed parameters and packed to your specification.
6. Export from India. Cargo moves from Jaipur to a west-coast port such as Mundra or Nhava Sheva, is cleared for export and loaded.
7. Sea freight and import. Your customs broker clears the cargo at destination using the documents we send.

The buyer's guide covers packing options and the order steps in more detail.

Payment terms

The payment terms for your order are stated in the quotation and the proforma invoice. These are the terms most often used in this trade:

Incoterms: FOB, CFR and CIF

The Incoterm decides who arranges the sea freight and insurance, and where the risk passes from us to you.

Under all three, import duties, taxes and clearance at destination are the importer's responsibility. If you already work with a freight forwarder, FOB usually suits you; otherwise CFR or CIF keeps the booking with us.

Typical transit times

Indicative port-to-port times from Nhava Sheva or Mundra. Most services to the Americas transship at least once, so times change with the carrier, routing and season.

Allow extra time for transport from Jaipur to the port, export clearance in India and import clearance at your end. Your quotation gives the current schedule.

Documents checklist

We send

• Commercial invoice and packing list
• Bill of lading, issued by the carrier or forwarder
• Certificate of Origin
• Phytosanitary certificate for plant products and seeds
• Specification sheet and test report / certificate of analysis for the lot
• Insurance certificate when the shipment is CIF

You or your broker usually need

• A customs broker at the destination port
• Any import permit your product requires (for example, for seeds for sowing)
• Your importer registration: a customs bond in the USA, the Padrón de Importadores in Mexico

Customs steps: USA

1. Appoint a customs broker. A licensed broker files the entry with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and pays duties for you.
2. Importer Security Filing (ISF, "10+2"). For ocean cargo, the ISF must be filed at least 24 hours before the goods are loaded on the vessel in India. We send the data your broker needs.
3. FDA Prior Notice. Food shipments, including herbs, spices and dietary ingredients, need FDA Prior Notice before arrival. FDA also requires registration of the facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food for the USA. Ask us about the facility for your product.
4. Plant products and seeds. USDA APHIS rules apply to plant material. Seeds for planting may need an import permit and a phytosanitary certificate with specific declarations.
5. Release. CBP and FDA may inspect or sample the shipment before release.

Customs steps: Mexico

1. Importer registration. The importer must be listed in the Padrón de Importadores (SAT), with any sector registrations the product needs.
2. Customs broker. An agente aduanal files the pedimento and pays duties, IVA and customs fees.
3. SENASICA. Plant products and seeds must meet SENASICA's phytosanitary requirements for the product and origin (the Hoja de Requisitos Fitosanitarios). A phytosanitary certificate from India is usually required, with inspection at the port of entry.
4. COFEPRIS. Some foods and dietary supplements need COFEPRIS sanitary permits or notices. Check with your broker for your product.

This guide is general information, not legal or customs advice. Rules change; confirm the requirements for your product with your customs broker before you order.

Questions importers ask