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Processed food

Export eggs

Table eggs from Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal belt to the Gulf, Maldives and Asia. Veterinary certificate and bird-flu status decide access.

Free to exportHS 0407
HS code
0407
Birds’ eggs in shell, fresh, preserved or cooked: fertilised eggs for incubation (0407 11), other fresh table eggs of hens (0407 21), other (0407 90). Egg powder is under 0408.
Export policy
Free to export
Free under ITC(HS) Schedule 2 as far as we could check. Each consignment needs a veterinary health certificate accepted by the importing country; confirm the current line on DGFT.
Registrations
6
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 212 mn
to 31 countries

What is exported

India ranks second in the world in egg production (149.11 billion eggs in 2024-25, per APEDA citing DAHD). Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal and Karnataka produce most eggs, and Namakkal in Tamil Nadu is the main export cluster. APEDA reports poultry products went mainly to the UAE, Oman, the Maldives, Indonesia and Japan in 2025-26; egg powder and frozen yolk are also exported.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Table eggs of hens (0407 21)White-shell eggs graded by weight; the main export.
  • Hatching eggs (0407 11)Fertilised eggs for hatcheries abroad.
  • Egg powder and frozen yolk (0408)From EIC-approved egg-processing plants.

Where it is grown or made

  • Tamil NaduNamakkal — the main export cluster.
  • Andhra Pradesh and TelanganaThe largest egg-producing states (East Godavari, Chittoor, Ranga Reddy).
  • Karnataka and West BengalCommercial layer farms.

Export packing

  • Moulded pulp or plastic trays of 30 eggs, in cartons of 360 eggs (typical trade practice).
  • Reefers at a steady cool temperature; avoid temperature swings that cause sweating.

Who buys abroad

  • Importers and wholesalers in Oman, the UAE and the Maldives
  • Food processors buying egg powder
  • Hatcheries buying hatching eggs

The quality buyers ask for

Grading
Graded by weight class; clean, uncracked shells
Freshness
Air-cell depth and age at packing to the buyer’s specification
Safety
Salmonella control and antibiotic residues within limits; Codex code of hygienic practice for eggs (CXC 15-1976)

Certificates

  • Veterinary health certificateRequiredSanitary certificate for each consignment, including avian-influenza status, accepted by the importing country.
  • 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.
  • FSSAI licenceRequiredCentral licence from FSSAI for the premises where the food is made, packed or stored for export. Apply on FoSCoS.
  • EIC approval (egg products)Often askedEgg powder and frozen egg plants need EIC approval where the importing country requires it.
  • HalalOften askedAsked for by many buyers in the Gulf, Malaysia and Indonesia. Use a body the destination recognises.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Reefers at a steady cool temperature; trays in cartons on pallets.

How it travels

Sea reefer from Chennai or Tuticorin to the Gulf and Maldives.

Storage

Cool and steady — typically about 8–12 °C; avoid swings that cause condensation (your forwarder confirms).

Shelf life

Typically a few weeks under cool storage; buyers set the maximum age at arrival.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Cartons: grade and weight class, number of eggs, packing date and best-before, packer and farm code, “Product of India”, storage instructions.
  • 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.
  • 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

EIC and its Export Inspection Agencies run laboratories and approve private labs for export certification (eicindia.gov.in). NABL-accredited labs (nabl-india.org) test residues, heavy metals and microbiology.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • APEDARegistration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) for APEDA-scheduled products. Apply on the DGFT portal after you have your IEC.dgft.gov.in ↗
  • 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 ↗
  • Animal Quarantine and Certification Service (DAHD)Sanitary/veterinary health certificate for livestock products, including avian-influenza freedom declarations where the importer asks for them.dahd.gov.in ↗
  • Export Inspection Council (EIC)Plant approval and export health certificate for products notified for compulsory inspection, or where the importing country asks for an EIC certificate (fishery products, egg products, milk products and others).eicindia.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • Salmonella control at the farm, clean and uncracked shells, and grading by weight.
  • Antibiotic residues within the importer’s limits.
  • Farm or zone free of notified avian influenza, as stated on the health certificate.
How to start small

Work with a Namakkal exporter-packer that already ships to Oman or the UAE, and begin with a reefer container of graded table eggs on advance payment. 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

  • A bird-flu outbreak in India can close markets suddenly — keep stock and payment risk low.
  • Condensation on eggs moved from cold to warm air causes mould; keep the chain steady.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (4)
  1. APEDA — Poultry Products (egg production 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. Export Inspection Council of India (EIC)
  4. DGFT Notification 36/2026-27 (15 Sep 2026) — no RCMC needed for consignments up to ₹3 lakh FOB

Trade data

Indian eggs exports in numbers

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

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 212 mn
+54.9% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +121.4%
US$ 95.9 mn → US$ 212 mn
Buyer countries
31
Average export price
US$ 0.09
per kg · 2.44 mn tonnes shipped · US$ 0.09 the year before
United Arab Emirates: US$ 115 mnOman: US$ 51 mnMaldives: US$ 19 mnQatar: US$ 7 mnBahrain: US$ 2.6 mnRussia: US$ 1.6 mnUnited States of America: US$ 1 mnDjibouti: US$ 900kKuwait: US$ 830kSenegal: US$ 240kNigeria: US$ 190kBhutan: US$ 90kUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 115 mnUnited Arab EmiratesOman: US$ 51 mnMaldives: US$ 19 mnMaldivesQatar: US$ 7 mnBahrain: US$ 2.6 mnRussia: US$ 1.6 mnRussiaUnited States of America: US$ 1 mnUnited States of AmericaDjibouti: US$ 900kDjiboutiKuwait: US$ 830kSenegal: US$ 240kSenegalNigeria: US$ 190kBhutan: US$ 90kIndia
Where Indian eggs goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 23.8 mn242020-212021-22: US$ 33.4 mn332021-222022-23: US$ 62.4 mn622022-232023-24: US$ 113 mn1132023-242024-25: US$ 95.9 mn962024-252025-26: US$ 212 mn2122025-26
India’s eggs exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2021-22, lowest in 2025-26 — a 25% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 0.10 per kg2021-22: US$ 0.11 per kg0.112022-23: US$ 0.10 per kg2024-25: US$ 0.09 per kg2025-26: US$ 0.09 per kg0.092020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian eggs · 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$ 23.8 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 33.4 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 62.4 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 113 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 95.9 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 212 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 303 mn (US$ 224 mn – US$ 410 mn)3032026-272027-28: US$ 461 mn (US$ 329 mn – US$ 646 mn)4612027-28
India’s eggs exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 461 mn

Likely range US$ 329 mn to US$ 646 mn.

Trend
+52.2% a year
Fit (R²)
0.94
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$ 115 mn+495.7%
2OmanUS$ 51 mn+12.6%
3MaldivesUS$ 19 mn+9.9%
4QatarUS$ 7 mn+18.3%
5SomaliaUS$ 4.3 mn+276.5%
6BahrainUS$ 2.6 mn+62.7%
7GambiaUS$ 2.5 mn+318.6%
8Sierra LeoneUS$ 1.7 mn+219.2%
9RussiaUS$ 1.6 mn+35%
10United States of AmericaUS$ 1 mn—
11DjiboutiUS$ 900k+429.4%
12KuwaitUS$ 830k-41.5%

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. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 19.4 mn → US$ 115 mn+495.7%
  2. GambiaUS$ 590k → US$ 2.5 mn+318.6%
  3. SomaliaUS$ 1.2 mn → US$ 4.3 mn+276.5%
  4. BahrainUS$ 1.6 mn → US$ 2.6 mn+62.7%
  5. QatarUS$ 6 mn → US$ 7 mn+18.3%
  6. OmanUS$ 45.3 mn → US$ 51 mn+12.6%

Low demand

No sizeable country falls in this list this year.

New buyers: Countries that bought nothing from India in 2024-25 and did in 2025-26.

  • United States of America · US$ 1 mn
  • Equtl Guinea · US$ 810k
  • DR Congo · US$ 660k

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
Of fowls of the species gallus domesticus0407 21 00 · Birds' eggs, in shell, fresh, not for incubation, of fowls of the species Gallus domesticusUS$ 185 mn+172.8%2.37 bn piecesUS$ 0.08 per piecewas US$ 0.07
Of fowls of the species gallus domesticus0407 11 00 · Birds' eggs, in shell, fresh, fertilised eggs for incubation, of fowls of the species Gallus domesticusUS$ 25.6 mn-0.9%71.8 mn piecesUS$ 0.36 per piecewas US$ 0.35
Birds' eggs, in shell, preserved or cooked — other eggs of hdg. 04070407 90 00US$ 1.7 mn-25%1.3 mn piecesUS$ 1.29 per piecewas US$ 0.32
Fertilised eggs of other birds0407 19 90 · Birds' eggs, in shell, fresh, fertilised eggs for incubation, other than fowls of the species Gallus…US$ 10k—22k piecesUS$ 0.46 per piece

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$ 5.75 bn
2023
India among exporters
#14
of 122 countries
India’s share of world exports
1.7%
US$ 96.4 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 5.73 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1NetherlandsUS$ 1.02 bn 17.6%
  2. 2USAUS$ 594 mn 10.2%
  3. 3PolandUS$ 519 mn 8.9%
  4. 4TürkiyeUS$ 411 mn 7.1%
  5. 5GermanyUS$ 345 mn 5.9%
  6. 6ChinaUS$ 289 mn 5%
  7. 7SpainUS$ 246 mn 4.2%
  8. 8BelgiumUS$ 224 mn 3.8%
  9. 9FranceUS$ 199 mn 3.4%
  10. 10IranUS$ 165 mn 2.8%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1GermanyUS$ 870 mn 15.1%
  2. 2NetherlandsUS$ 474 mn 8.2%
  3. 3IraqUS$ 404 mn 7%
  4. 4China, Hong Kong SARUS$ 304 mn 5.3%
  5. 5MexicoUS$ 301 mn 5.2%
  6. 6SingaporeUS$ 224 mn 3.9%
  7. 7BelgiumUS$ 214 mn 3.7%
  8. 8CanadaUS$ 184 mn 3.2%
  9. 9United KingdomUS$ 181 mn 3.2%
  10. 10United Arab EmiratesUS$ 174 mn 3%

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.

GermanyUS$ 863 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 863 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 489 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 489 mn
CanadaUS$ 226 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 226 mn
SingaporeUS$ 190 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 190 mn
FranceUS$ 187 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 187 mn
United KingdomUS$ 181 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 181 mn
United Arab EmiratesUS$ 174 mnIndia 5% · gap US$ 166 mn
SpainUS$ 113 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 113 mn
ItalyUS$ 99.9 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 99.9 mn
Saudi ArabiaUS$ 99.5 mnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 99.3 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 eggs

India ranks second in the world in egg production (APEDA, citing FAO and DAHD), but exports are a small share because most eggs are eaten at home. The Netherlands, Turkey, Poland, the USA and Malaysia are big egg exporters. Indian eggs compete on price and short shipping distance in the Gulf, the Maldives and parts of Asia; APEDA lists the UAE, Oman, the Maldives, Indonesia and Japan as the main poultry-product markets in 2025-26. Access depends heavily on bird-flu status and veterinary certification.

  1. 01Check market status

    Confirm the importing country currently accepts Indian eggs and its certificate wording.

  2. 02Source from layer farms

    Buy from farms with biosecurity, vaccination and Salmonella control.

  3. 03Grade and pack

    Clean, candle, grade by weight and pack in trays.

  4. 04Get the health certificate

    Obtain the veterinary certificate in the agreed format.

  5. 05Book, 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.

  6. 06Get 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 eggs

What happens if there is a bird-flu outbreak?
Importers may suspend eggs from India or from the affected zone until freedom is declared again. Keep payment secure and stock low.
Why do eggs go mouldy in transit?
Condensation when eggs move between cold and warm air. Keep the temperature steady.
What RoDTEP applies?
Fresh table eggs of hens (0407 21 00): 2% of FOB, capped at ₹0.15 per egg.
Where is the export cluster?
Namakkal in Tamil Nadu is the main cluster for table-egg exports.
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 (4)
  1. APEDA — Poultry Products (egg production 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. Export Inspection Council of India (EIC)
  4. Codex Alimentarius — list of standards

Who buys Indian eggs

All countries →

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