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Food and farm goods

Import dates

20% duty on soft and hard dates, 30% on fresh. The UAE and Iraq are the main suppliers.

Free to importHS 0804.10
Basic customs duty
20–30%
20% (soft and hard dates); 30% (fresh and other)
Social welfare surcharge
10% of BCD
IGST
5%
5% (dried dates)
India’s imports, 2025-26
US$ 341 mn
from 15 countries

Tariff rates from the Customs Tariff as on 30.06.2025 (0804 10 20 and 0804 10 30 at 20%; 0804 10 10 and 0804 10 90 at 30%); notification 45/2025-Customs gives no lower general rate. Dates from the UAE may qualify for a lower rate under the India–UAE CEPA with a valid certificate of origin — check the effective rate on ICEGATE. IGST on dried dates is 5% from 22 Sep 2025; check the rate for fresh dates on ICEGATE. CBIC — Customs Tariff of India (as on 30.06.2025) ↗

What is imported

India imports soft dates for retail and Ramzan demand, and hard dates (chhohara) for religious use and sweets. Imports under 0804 10 were about US$ 341 million in FY 2025-26 (TradeStat), led by the UAE, Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Import policy · Free to import

Free under ITC(HS), subject to FSSAI import clearance and plant quarantine release.

Licences and registrations you need

  • FSSAICentral licence for food importers (FoSCoS), then a No Objection Certificate for each consignment through FICS at the port.fics.fssai.gov.in ↗
  • Plant Quarantine (PPQS)Import permit where the Plant Quarantine Order, 2003 requires one, plus inspection and release at the port. Apply on PQMS before shipment.pqms.cgg.gov.in ↗
  • Legal Metrology (Consumer Affairs)Importer registration under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules if you import or sell retail packs.consumeraffairs.nic.in ↗

What is checked at the port

  • FSSAI checks for insect infestation, moisture and added sugar or syrup in processed dates.
  • Plant quarantine inspection; hard dates are checked for live pests.
  • Correct sub-heading: soft, hard and fresh dates carry different duty.

Practical tips

  • Plan arrivals six to eight weeks before Ramzan; port clearance and FSSAI testing take time.
  • Use reefer containers for soft dates in hot months to avoid fermentation.

Where new importers go wrong

  • Claiming CEPA duty on dates only packed in the UAE but grown in another country.
  • Retail packs without the importer’s FSSAI details on the label.
Sources (6)
  1. CBIC — Customs Tariff of India (as on 30.06.2025)
  2. CBIC — Notification 45/2025-Customs (effective duty rates), 24 Oct 2025, as amended
  3. FSSAI — Food Import Clearance System (FICS)
  4. Plant Quarantine Management System (PQMS)
  5. Commerce Ministry TradeStat — commodity-wise imports by country (FY 2025-26)
  6. ICEGATE — Customs duty and tariff look-up

Import data

Where India buys dates

India’s imports from the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, financial years.

Imports, 2025-26
US$ 341 mn
Change from 2024-25
+17.5%
Supplying countries
15
Biggest supplier
United Arab Emirates
52%
United Arab Emirates: US$ 178 mnIraq: US$ 96 mnIran: US$ 35.4 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 17.8 mnIsrael: US$ 4.6 mnOman: US$ 2.5 mnAlgeria: US$ 1.8 mnJordan: US$ 370kEgypt: US$ 110kBahrain: US$ 20kKazakhstan: US$ 20kUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 178 mnUnited Arab EmiratesIraq: US$ 96 mnIraqIran: US$ 35.4 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 17.8 mnIsrael: US$ 4.6 mnOman: US$ 2.5 mnAlgeria: US$ 1.8 mnAlgeriaJordan: US$ 370kEgypt: US$ 110kBahrain: US$ 20kKazakhstan: US$ 20kKazakhstanIndia
Where India imports dates from — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 237 mn2372020-212021-22: US$ 229 mn2292021-222022-23: US$ 241 mn2412022-232023-24: US$ 277 mn2772023-242024-25: US$ 290 mn2902024-252025-26: US$ 341 mn3412025-26
India’s dates imports · US$ million

Biggest supplying countries

Name2025-26Change
1United Arab EmiratesUS$ 178 mn+33.9%
2IraqUS$ 96 mn+15.7%
3IranUS$ 35.4 mn-14.2%
4Saudi ArabiaUS$ 17.8 mn+53.7%
5IsraelUS$ 4.6 mn-7.4%
6TunisiaUS$ 3.5 mn-36.3%
7OmanUS$ 2.5 mn-53.4%
8AlgeriaUS$ 1.8 mn-58.4%
9JordanUS$ 370k-22.9%
10State Of PalestUS$ 300k+650%
11EgyptUS$ 110k+22.2%
12AfghanistanUS$ 90k—

Which sources are growing and shrinking

Growing sources

  1. Saudi ArabiaUS$ 11.6 mn → US$ 17.8 mn+53.7%
  2. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 133 mn → US$ 178 mn+33.9%
  3. IraqUS$ 83 mn → US$ 96 mn+15.7%

Shrinking sources

  1. AlgeriaUS$ 4.4 mn → US$ 1.8 mn-58.4%
  2. OmanUS$ 5.4 mn → US$ 2.5 mn-53.4%
  3. TunisiaUS$ 5.5 mn → US$ 3.5 mn-36.3%
  4. IranUS$ 41.2 mn → US$ 35.4 mn-14.2%

Which forms come in, and at what price

Imports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Dry dates soft (khayzur or wet dates)0804 10 20US$ 282 mn+12.7%4,39,307 tonnesUS$ 0.64 per kg
Dry dates hard (chhohara or kharek)0804 10 30US$ 58 mn+50.3%1,16,459 tonnesUS$ 0.50 per kg
Dates fresh (excludinguding wet dates)0804 10 10US$ 900k-30.8%532 tonnesUS$ 1.69 per kg
Fruit, edible, dates, fresh or dried — other dates0804 10 90US$ 160k-27.3%83 tonnesUS$ 1.92 per kg

Source: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

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