Skip to content
Get started
Commodities

Importing dried fruit and spices from Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka and India to the EU

Dried fruit from Uzbekistan and spices from Sri Lanka and India are natural import lines for European wholesalers, but they are also among the most closely controlled food categories at the EU border. The commercial question is price and quality; the practical question is whether the lot will clear. This guide covers the tariff heading, the preference schemes (GSP and GSP+), the contaminant and pesticide rules that decide most rejections, the documents, and how to pack and ship.

By Hiram Trade Editorial Desk

Published

8 min read

Product groups

GroupExamplesWhat drives the deal
Dried fruitraisins, apricots, figs, prunes, datesmoisture, sulphite use, size grade, mould and insect damage
Nuts and kernels (often traded together)almonds, walnuts, pistachiosaflatoxin risk, shelling, calibre
Whole spicespepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cuminvariety and origin, volatile oil, cleanliness
Ground spices and blendsturmeric, chilli, paprika, curry blendsadulteration risk, colour agents, microbiological load
Organic linesany of the abovecertification chain and TRACES e-certificate

Cinnamon is a good example of origin sensitivity: Ceylon and cassia cinnamon are different products with different quality and coumarin profiles, so name the species and origin in the contract.

Tariff code

Dried fruit, nuts and spices fall under different HS chapters: edible fruit and nuts are in chapter 08 (dried fruit in headings such as 0806 for grapes and 0813 for other dried fruit), and spices are in chapter 09 (for example pepper in 0904, cinnamon in 0906). Processing, such as grinding or blending, can change the heading. Check the duty rate and any preference for your exact 10-digit code and origin in TARIC and Access2Markets, never from a supplier quotation. See our guide to HS and CN codes.

Specification and quality

Put these in the contract and the inspection brief:

  • species, variety, origin and crop year;
  • moisture content and water activity, which drive mould and aflatoxin risk;
  • size grade, defects, insect damage and foreign matter;
  • preservatives, in particular sulphur dioxide for dried apricots and some other fruit, which must stay within what EU additive rules allow and be declared on the label;
  • testing for aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, pesticide residues and, for spices, adulterants and illegal dyes;
  • microbiological criteria such as Salmonella for spices, and who bears the cost of treatment (for example steam sterilisation);
  • packing, marking and lot coding that allow traceability.

Lab testing on every lot before shipment is cheaper than a detained container. See pre-shipment inspection and quality control.

EU law

  • Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 (General Food Law): safety, traceability and withdrawal duties for the importer.
  • Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 (food hygiene): HACCP-based procedures for storage and handling.
  • Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 (contaminants): maximum levels for contaminants such as aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in nuts, dried fruit and spices. Check the current limits for your product in the act.
  • EU maximum residue levels for pesticides (Regulation (EC) No 396/2005): residues above the MRL are a leading cause of rejections for spices. Request lab reports per lot.
  • Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 (increased official controls on certain food and feed from certain countries): lists products and origins subject to higher border checks or special conditions, including mandatory pre-export testing certificates for some. The list is updated often, so check the current version for your product and origin before agreeing the order.
  • Regulation (EU) 2018/848 (organic production): organic dried fruit and spices need a certified chain and an electronic certificate of inspection in TRACES.

If a product on the list fails at the border, it is usually re-exported or destroyed at your cost, so treat the list as part of your price calculation.

Origin and preference

Preferences depend on the origin country and on the current beneficiary status.

  • GSP+ is the EU's enhanced preference for vulnerable developing countries that ratify and implement international conventions. Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan are examples of countries that have been beneficiaries, and Pakistan is another. Do not assume the status is fixed: verify the current beneficiary list and the preference for your exact code in Access2Markets.
  • India uses the standard GSP framework, and its coverage varies by product, so check the specific code.
  • Where a product is not covered, or the origin rule is not met, the normal duty applies.

Proof of origin: a statement on origin made out by an exporter registered in the REX system, or an EUR.1 movement certificate where the scheme still uses it. Confirm the accepted instrument and keep the supplier's supporting records. For how preference schemes and proof instruments differ across agreements, see rules of origin and preferential proof. Remember that "origin" is where the product was grown or sufficiently processed, not where it was last packed.

Documents

A typical set for a sea shipment:

  • commercial invoice and packing list;
  • bill of lading;
  • phytosanitary certificate;
  • proof of origin (REX statement or EUR.1) when claiming a preference;
  • laboratory test reports for aflatoxins, pesticide residues and any other required analysis, in the form required by the current official controls rules;
  • certificate of inspection for organic products in TRACES;
  • customs declaration and the importer's EORI number.

See international trade shipping documents and EU customs clearance and EORI.

Logistics

OptionWhenWatch out for
20' or 40' container, cartons or bagsstandard for dried fruit and whole spicesmoisture and condensation; use dry containers, liners and desiccants
Container, vacuum or foil-lined packagingground spices and delicate fruitseal integrity, odour contamination between spice lots
LCL consolidationtrial orders and small lotsmore handling, risk of cross-odour from other cargo
Air freightsamples and high-value saffron-type linescost; check that labelling and documents travel with the cargo

Spices absorb odours, so avoid mixed loads with strongly scented cargo. Insure the cargo: see cargo insurance and the Institute Cargo Clauses.

Incoterms

  • Containers: FCA, CPT or CIP are the Incoterms 2020 rules designed for containerised cargo. For Uzbekistan, a landlocked country, expect a multimodal route (rail or road to a port), so a named place of handover before the port is often more accurate than FOB.
  • Testing and treatment: state in the contract who pays for laboratory tests and sterilisation, and what happens to a lot that fails.

See our guide to Incoterms 2020, and compare offers using landed cost, noting that duty and import VAT are charged on the customs value. If you also source from Asia in other categories, see importing basmati rice.

Checklist before signing

  • Species, variety, origin, crop year, moisture and grade defined.
  • TARIC code, duty and preference (GSP or GSP+) checked for the exact origin and current beneficiary status.
  • Proof of origin route (REX or EUR.1) confirmed with the supplier.
  • Current increased-controls list under Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 checked for the product and origin.
  • Aflatoxin, pesticide and (for spices) adulterant testing agreed, per lot, against EU limits.
  • Preservative and additive use compliant and declared on the label.
  • Packing, lot coding, fumigation or sterilisation method agreed.
  • Pre-shipment inspection, cargo insurance, Incoterm and port fixed.
  • Supplier verified; see verifying a foreign supplier.

On Hiram you can post a request with a full specification and compare quotes by total landed cost. Go to the market.

Sources

This article is for information only and is not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules and rates change: check the current official sources or consult an adviser before you decide.

Related articles