Black cardamom exporter to the UAE
The UAE is the largest re-export hub for black cardamom outside South Asia, and most of what lands in Dubai arrived under an Indian label after a detour through Siliguri. We ship from Kathmandu under Nepali documentation, which is the difference between a certificate of origin that says where the crop grew and one that says where it was last re-packed.
Who regulates the import
Food imports also pass municipality food-control inspection at the emirate level — Dubai Municipality for shipments clearing through Dubai.
MOCCAE — official guidanceDocuments your customs broker will want
- 1Phytosanitary certificate issued by Nepal's Department of Agriculture
- 2Certificate of origin (FNCCI), naming Nepal as the country of origin
- 3Commercial invoice and packing list
- 4Bill of lading or air waybill
- 5Per-lot laboratory report covering aflatoxin and moisture
- 6Halal documentation where the buyer's channel requires it
- 7Fumigation certificate where the buyer or lane requires it
Ports and transit
| Port | Code | Mode and transit |
|---|---|---|
| Jebel Ali | AEJEA | Sea · via an Indian transhipment port |
| Dubai International | DXB | Air · 3–5 days from Kathmandu |
Regional guide transit: Air freight · 3 – 5 days. Nepal is landlocked, so sea freight routes through an Indian transhipment port; air freight leaves Kathmandu direct.
HS code and duty treatment
GCC common external tariff applies to spice imports at the standard rate; cardamom is not on a prohibited or restricted list.
Confirm your own tariff line and any exemption with your customs broker before you model landed cost — the rate is a function of your import channel, not of the goods alone.
Who buys black cardamom in the UAE
Spice importers and re-packers supplying the Gulf retail trade, hypermarket private-label programmes, and restaurant and catering suppliers cooking biryani, machboos and slow-braised meats at volume. Bold grade dominates here: the pod is visible in the dish, so size carries a premium.
How we ship to this market
We have not yet shipped a consignment to the UAE. Everything above is the regulatory route your broker will follow and is checkable against the regulator; what we cannot claim yet is a clearance history on this lane.
What we can put in front of you today is a sample of the exact lot we would ship, with its laboratory report, and a proforma invoice priced to your port and Incoterm.
the UAE — common questions
Do you ship black cardamom to Dubai?
Yes. The UAE is our primary export market. We quote FOB Kathmandu, CIF Jebel Ali, CIF Dubai Airport or DDP Dubai, and every shipment carries a Nepali phytosanitary certificate, an FNCCI certificate of origin, a commercial invoice and packing list, and a per-lot laboratory report covering aflatoxin and moisture.
What documents does UAE customs need for black cardamom?
A phytosanitary certificate from Nepal's Department of Agriculture, a certificate of origin from FNCCI, a commercial invoice and packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, and a laboratory report for the lot. Halal paperwork and a fumigation certificate are supplied where your channel requires them. MOCCAE governs the import at federal level; the emirate's food-control authority inspects on arrival.
Is this the same cardamom I already buy from Indian suppliers?
Very often it is the same crop, bought earlier in the chain. Nepal grows roughly half the world's large cardamom and around 99% of its exports go to India first, where much of it is re-graded and re-exported. Buying at origin removes those layers. The comparison worth making is landed cost against landed cost, not FOB against FOB.
What is the minimum order for a first shipment to the UAE?
One sealed 25kg jute sack, so you can trial a lot before committing to volume. Samples of 200–500g are couriered to qualified buyers so your QA team can check pod size, aroma and moisture first.
Related: Importing black cardamom into the UAE, step by step · Quality and lab testing · Price per kg and landed cost