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Processed food

Export chocolate and cocoa products

Chocolates, compound coatings and cocoa powder from Indian makers; bean-to-bar craft chocolate is a growing niche.

Free to exportHS 1806
HS code
1806
Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa: sweetened cocoa powder (1806 10), blocks and bars (1806 20–32), chocolate products, spreads and drink mixes (1806 90).
Export policy
Free to export
Free under ITC(HS) Schedule 2.
Registrations
5
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 187 mn
to 101 countries

What is exported

India grows cocoa in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, and exports cocoa products, chocolates and compound coatings. Small bean-to-bar makers sell origin chocolate abroad. APEDA reports cocoa products went mainly to the USA, the Netherlands, the UAE, Germany and Turkey in 2025-26.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Chocolate bars and filled chocolates (1806 31–32)Brands and private label.
  • Compound chocolate and coatingsFor bakery and confectionery makers.
  • Sweetened cocoa powder and drink mixes1806 10 and 1806 90 40.
  • Craft bean-to-bar chocolateSingle-origin bars from Indian cocoa.

Where it is grown or made

  • Kerala and KarnatakaCocoa growing (Idukki, Dakshina Kannada) and processing; craft makers in Kochi and Bengaluru.
  • Andhra Pradesh and Tamil NaduCocoa in coconut and arecanut gardens (West Godavari, Pollachi).
  • Maharashtra, Gujarat and Himachal PradeshLarge chocolate plants (Pune, Baddi).

Export packing

  • Retail packs printed to the destination’s labelling law, in master cartons on pallets; mixed-product containers are common for diaspora buyers.
  • Temperature-controlled (reefer) containers, typically kept cool, to prevent bloom.

Who buys abroad

  • Gulf hypermarket chains and their private labels
  • Speciality and gourmet retailers (craft chocolate)
  • Food manufacturers buying ingredients in bulk

The quality buyers ask for

Codex standard
Chocolate and chocolate products CXS 87-1981 — minimum cocoa solids and cocoa butter by product name
Vegetable fats
Limited or declared under EU and Codex rules; otherwise sold as compound
Cadmium
Within EU maximum levels for cocoa products
Allergens
Controlled and declared to the destination’s list (the EU has 14 allergens; the USA includes sesame)

Certificates

  • FSSAI licenceRequiredCentral licence from FSSAI for the premises where the food is made, packed or stored for export. Apply on FoSCoS.
  • APEDA RCMCRequiredRegistration with APEDA, issued as an RCMC on the DGFT portal. Since 15 Sep 2026, a consignment up to ₹3 lakh FOB can go without it.
  • ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000Often askedFood-safety management certification; FSSC 22000 is GFSI-recognised, which large retailers and brands look for.
  • BRCGS Food SafetyOften askedGFSI-recognised standard asked for by UK and many EU retailers for private label.
  • HalalOften askedAsked for by many buyers in the Gulf, Malaysia and Indonesia. Use a body the destination recognises.
  • KosherOften askedAsked for by some US buyers and ingredient buyers supplying kosher brands.
  • Organic (NPOP / NOP / EU)Often askedOnly if you sell the product as organic: NPOP certification plus the buyer market’s own organic rules.
  • US FDA food-facility registrationOften askedEvery facility making food for the USA must register with the FDA, and each shipment needs prior notice. Canned and acidified foods also need FCE/SID process filing.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Reefer containers kept cool (typically about 15–18 °C) to prevent bloom; cartons on pallets.

How it travels

Sea reefer; air or courier for craft samples.

Storage

Cool, dry, odour-free and away from light.

Shelf life

Typically 9–18 months for solid chocolate; less for filled products.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • EU retail packs (Regulation 1169/2011): name of the food, ingredients with allergens highlighted, net quantity, best-before or use-by date, storage conditions, the EU importer’s name and address, origin where required — in the language of the country of sale.
  • USA (21 CFR 101): product name, net quantity in US and metric units, ingredients, major allergens (including sesame), the packer’s or distributor’s name and place of business, Nutrition Facts unless exempt, and “Product of India”.
  • Gulf countries: Arabic text (Arabic plus English is normal), production and expiry dates, net weight, country of origin and importer details. Confirm current rules with your importer.
  • Name the product correctly (“chocolate”, “milk chocolate”, “compound”) and state cocoa solids where the law requires it.
  • Lot or batch number on every pack and carton, matching the invoice and packing list, so the goods can be traced and recalled.
Where to get it tested

Use an FSSAI-notified laboratory (fssai.gov.in → notified labs) or an NABL-accredited lab with your product and test in scope (nabl-india.org). APEDA-recognised labs are listed on apeda.gov.in → Quality → Recognised Organisations. Ask the buyer which lab reports they accept before you send samples.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • FSSAIFood business licence. Food exporters come under the Central licence; apply on FoSCoS and keep it valid for the premises you make or pack from.foscos.fssai.gov.in ↗
  • APEDARegistration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) for APEDA-scheduled products. Apply on the DGFT portal after you have your IEC.dgft.gov.in ↗
  • Buyer-country food registrationMany importing countries register the foreign plant or the product — for example US FDA food-facility registration, GACC registration for China, or product registration in some Gulf states. Check APEDA’s importing-country regulations page.apeda.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • Product name rules: “chocolate” needs minimum cocoa solids under Codex and EU law; products with vegetable fat may have to be called “compound” or carry a declaration.
  • Cadmium limits in cocoa products (EU) and allergen declaration for milk, nuts and soy lecithin.
  • Labels made for the destination: ingredients, allergens, net quantity, best-before date, importer details and the language that country requires.
How to start small

Craft makers can start with small air or courier shipments to speciality shops in the Gulf or UK; larger makers should begin with private-label compound chocolate for Gulf distributors. Ship in temperature-controlled containers. Since 15 September 2026, a consignment worth up to ₹3 lakh FOB does not need an RCMC (DGFT Notification 36/2026-27); licences that a law requires, such as FSSAI, still apply.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Fat bloom from heat during transit — chocolate turns white and is rejected; use reefers in summer.
  • Shipping with the Indian label — wrong format, undeclared allergens or a non-permitted colour gets the goods detained or destroyed.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (6)
  1. APEDA — Cocoa Products (exports and destinations, 2025-26)
  2. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification No. 32, 30 Sep 2024)
  3. Codex Alimentarius — list of standards
  4. EU — Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers
  5. FSSAI — FoSCoS food licensing portal
  6. DGFT Notification 36/2026-27 (15 Sep 2026) — no RCMC needed for consignments up to ₹3 lakh FOB

Trade data

Indian chocolate and cocoa products exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 187 mn
+11.7% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +17.2%
US$ 160 mn → US$ 187 mn
Buyer countries
101
Average export price
US$ 4.54
per kg · 41,202 tonnes shipped · US$ 4.76 the year before
United Arab Emirates: US$ 23.1 mnTürkiye: US$ 12.2 mnBrazil: US$ 11.9 mnIndonesia: US$ 10.6 mnNepal: US$ 9.4 mnMalaysia: US$ 8.9 mnPhilippines: US$ 8.4 mnSri Lanka: US$ 7.5 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 7.4 mnNigeria: US$ 6.1 mnThailand: US$ 5.8 mnHong Kong: US$ 5.6 mnBenin: US$ 4.4 mnSingapore: US$ 4.2 mnNetherlands: US$ 3.6 mnIraq: US$ 3.3 mnVietnam: US$ 3 mnIsrael: US$ 2.9 mnBangladesh: US$ 2.6 mnTogo: US$ 2.5 mnMozambique: US$ 2.3 mnKuwait: US$ 2.2 mnSenegal: US$ 2.1 mnMaldives: US$ 2 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 23.1 mnUnited Arab EmiratesTürkiye: US$ 12.2 mnTürkiyeBrazil: US$ 11.9 mnBrazilIndonesia: US$ 10.6 mnIndonesiaNepal: US$ 9.4 mnNepalMalaysia: US$ 8.9 mnMalaysiaPhilippines: US$ 8.4 mnSri Lanka: US$ 7.5 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 7.4 mnNigeria: US$ 6.1 mnThailand: US$ 5.8 mnHong Kong: US$ 5.6 mnBenin: US$ 4.4 mnSingapore: US$ 4.2 mnNetherlands: US$ 3.6 mnIraq: US$ 3.3 mnVietnam: US$ 3 mnIsrael: US$ 2.9 mnBangladesh: US$ 2.6 mnTogo: US$ 2.5 mnMozambique: US$ 2.3 mnKuwait: US$ 2.2 mnSenegal: US$ 2.1 mnMaldives: US$ 2 mnIndia
Where Indian chocolate and cocoa products goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 107 mn1072020-212021-22: US$ 120 mn1202021-222022-23: US$ 115 mn1152022-232023-24: US$ 130 mn1302023-242024-25: US$ 160 mn1602024-252025-26: US$ 187 mn1872025-26
India’s chocolate and cocoa products exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2020-21, lowest in 2025-26 — a 50% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 6.79 per kg6.792021-22: US$ 6.24 per kg2022-23: US$ 4.93 per kg2024-25: US$ 4.76 per kg2025-26: US$ 4.54 per kg4.542020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian chocolate and cocoa products · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 107 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 120 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 115 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 130 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 160 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 187 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 195 mn (US$ 174 mn – US$ 217 mn)1952026-272027-28: US$ 217 mn (US$ 192 mn – US$ 245 mn)2172027-28
India’s chocolate and cocoa products exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 217 mn

Likely range US$ 192 mn to US$ 245 mn.

Trend
+11.3% a year
Fit (R²)
0.89
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United Arab EmiratesUS$ 23.1 mn+50.4%
2TürkiyeUS$ 12.2 mn+8.6%
3BrazilUS$ 11.9 mn+19.8%
4IndonesiaUS$ 10.6 mn-19.7%
5NepalUS$ 9.4 mn-26.1%
6MalaysiaUS$ 8.9 mn+100.9%
7PhilippinesUS$ 8.4 mn+29.8%
8Sri LankaUS$ 7.5 mn-3.4%
9Saudi ArabiaUS$ 7.4 mn-24.9%
10NigeriaUS$ 6.1 mn+17%
11ThailandUS$ 5.8 mn+51.6%
12Hong KongUS$ 5.6 mn+8.7%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. MozambiqueUS$ 660k → US$ 2.3 mn+251.5%
  2. BeninUS$ 1.3 mn → US$ 4.4 mn+230.8%
  3. MalaysiaUS$ 4.4 mn → US$ 8.9 mn+100.9%
  4. VietnamUS$ 1.5 mn → US$ 3 mn+99.3%
  5. IraqUS$ 1.8 mn → US$ 3.3 mn+79.8%
  6. CameroonUS$ 2.9 mn → US$ 5 mn+76.5%
  7. ThailandUS$ 3.8 mn → US$ 5.8 mn+51.6%
  8. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 15.3 mn → US$ 23.1 mn+50.4%

Low demand

  1. NetherlandsUS$ 5.4 mn → US$ 3.6 mn-33.6%
  2. NepalUS$ 12.7 mn → US$ 9.4 mn-26.1%
  3. BangladeshUS$ 3.5 mn → US$ 2.6 mn-25.9%
  4. Saudi ArabiaUS$ 9.8 mn → US$ 7.4 mn-24.9%
  5. IndonesiaUS$ 13.2 mn → US$ 10.6 mn-19.7%
  6. United States of AmericaUS$ 1.9 mn → US$ 1.6 mn-15.5%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Other food preparations containing cocoa1806 90 90 · Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa in chapter 18US$ 90.4 mn+7.2%9,388 tonnesUS$ 9.63 per kgwas US$ 9.20
Chocolate and chocolate prdcts1806 90 10 · Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa in chapter 18US$ 29.5 mn+22.3%7,510 tonnesUS$ 3.93 per kgwas US$ 4.14
Sugar cnfctnry containing cocoa1806 90 20 · Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa in chapter 18US$ 20 mn+36%13,534 tonnesUS$ 1.48 per kgwas US$ 1.46
Other food preparation in blcks slbs/bars not fild1806 32 00 · Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa, in blocks, slabs or bars,, weighing 2kg or lessUS$ 18.1 mn-2.6%2,089 tonnesUS$ 8.66 per kgwas US$ 8.05
Other food preparation containing cocoa in blks/slbs wghng>2kg/in lqd,pste,pwdr,grnlr/other bulkform in cntnrs etc. of a cntnt >1806 20 00 · Chocolate & other food preparations containing cocoa, in blocks, slabs or bars weighing more than 2kg or in…US$ 10.3 mn+51.4%3,350 tonnesUS$ 3.07 per kgwas US$ 2.58
Other food preparation in blcks slbs/bars flled1806 31 00 · Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa, in blocks, slabs or bars, filled, weighing 2kg or lessUS$ 10.3 mn+137.7%1,815 tonnesUS$ 5.66 per kgwas US$ 5.09
Prepns containing cocoa for mkg bevrges.1806 90 40 · Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa in chapter 18US$ 5.8 mn+14.5%2,588 tonnesUS$ 2.23 per kgwas US$ 2.36
Cocoa pwdr contng sugar/other swtng matrl1806 10 00 · Cocoa, powder, containing added sugar or other sweetening matterUS$ 1.8 mn+53.5%740 tonnesUS$ 2.37 per kgwas US$ 2.73
Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa in chapter 18 — spreads containing cocoa1806 90 30US$ 740k+89.7%188 tonnesUS$ 3.93 per kgwas US$ 4.15

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 36.1 bn
2023
India among exporters
#36
of 148 countries
India’s share of world exports
0.3%
US$ 125 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 36.7 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1GermanyUS$ 6.43 bn 17.5%
  2. 2BelgiumUS$ 3.41 bn 9.2%
  3. 3PolandUS$ 2.72 bn 7.4%
  4. 4ItalyUS$ 2.66 bn 7.2%
  5. 5NetherlandsUS$ 2.59 bn 7%
  6. 6CanadaUS$ 2.06 bn 5.6%
  7. 7USAUS$ 1.8 bn 4.9%
  8. 8FranceUS$ 1.75 bn 4.7%
  9. 9United KingdomUS$ 1.06 bn 2.9%
  10. 10SwitzerlandUS$ 1.03 bn 2.8%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 4.05 bn 11.2%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 3.15 bn 8.7%
  3. 3United KingdomUS$ 3.11 bn 8.6%
  4. 4FranceUS$ 2.75 bn 7.6%
  5. 5NetherlandsUS$ 1.72 bn 4.8%
  6. 6CanadaUS$ 1.29 bn 3.6%
  7. 7PolandUS$ 1.22 bn 3.4%
  8. 8BelgiumUS$ 1.11 bn 3.1%
  9. 9SpainUS$ 837 mn 2.3%
  10. 10ItalyUS$ 780 mn 2.2%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 4.92 bnIndia 0% · gap US$ 4.92 bn
GermanyUS$ 3.84 bnIndia 0% · gap US$ 3.83 bn
FranceUS$ 3.38 bnIndia 0% · gap US$ 3.38 bn
United KingdomUS$ 3.11 bnIndia 0% · gap US$ 3.11 bn
NetherlandsUS$ 2.06 bnIndia 0% · gap US$ 2.06 bn
CanadaUS$ 1.55 bnIndia 0% · gap US$ 1.55 bn
SpainUS$ 960 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 960 mn
ItalyUS$ 904 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 904 mn
JapanUS$ 682 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 682 mn
ChinaUS$ 655 mnIndia 0.4% · gap US$ 652 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export chocolate and cocoa products

World chocolate trade is led by European makers, with cocoa beans coming mainly from West Africa. India is a small cocoa grower, but its chocolate and cocoa-product exports are growing, along with a lively craft bean-to-bar scene. APEDA reports cocoa products went mainly to the USA, the Netherlands, the UAE, Germany and Turkey in 2025-26. The openings are compound coatings and private label for Gulf retailers, and single-origin Indian craft chocolate for speciality shops.

  1. 01Decide chocolate or compound

    Check the recipe against the destination’s naming rules.

  2. 02Source cocoa

    Buy beans or mass with traceability; craft makers often source from Kerala and Karnataka farms.

  3. 03Test contaminants

    Test cadmium, allergens and micro.

  4. 04Make the export label

    Design a label for the destination’s law — not the Indian label — and have the importer approve it before printing.

  5. 05Plan the cold chain

    Book temperature-controlled containers and cool storage at both ends.

  6. 06Book, stuff and file

    Book the container, stuff it with a pre-shipment check, file the shipping bill on ICEGATE and get the certificate of origin and any health certificate.

  7. 07Get paid and close the file

    Send the original documents through your bank (or to the buyer if paid in advance). Once the money arrives, get the e-BRC and claim RoDTEP and drawback where they apply.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting chocolate and cocoa products

Can I call my product chocolate?
Only if it meets the destination’s minimum cocoa solids and fat rules; otherwise call it compound or a coated product.
Why did my chocolate turn white?
Heat caused fat bloom. Ship in reefers and keep storage cool.
What RoDTEP applies?
All lines under 1806: 0.5% of FOB.
Can I use my Indian label abroad?
Rarely. Each market has its own label law — make a separate export label and get the importer to approve it.
Do I need an RCMC for my first small shipment?
Since 15 Sep 2026, a consignment up to ₹3 lakh FOB can go without an RCMC (DGFT Notification 36/2026-27). FSSAI and other legal licences still apply, and you need an RCMC to claim most export benefits.
Sources (5)
  1. APEDA — Cocoa Products (exports and destinations, 2025-26)
  2. Codex Alimentarius — list of standards
  3. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification No. 32, 30 Sep 2024)
  4. EU — Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers
  5. FSSAI — Notified food testing laboratories

Who buys Indian chocolate and cocoa products

All countries →

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