Black cardamom supplier to the UK
Since leaving the EU the UK runs its own retained food law and its own border model, so an importer who used to clear through Rotterdam now deals with a separate regime. The contaminant limits are inherited from EU law and are largely the same in substance; what changed is who you file with and where.
Who regulates the import
Plant and plant-product imports are notified through the UK's import notification system; the importer of record files, not the exporter.
FSA / Defra — official guidanceDocuments your customs broker will want
- 1Phytosanitary certificate issued by Nepal's Department of Agriculture
- 2Certificate of origin (FNCCI)
- 3Commercial invoice and packing list
- 4Bill of lading or air waybill
- 5Per-lot laboratory report covering aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxins
- 6Pesticide residue report
- 7Import notification filed by the UK importer of record
Ports and transit
| Port | Code | Mode and transit |
|---|---|---|
| Felixstowe | GBFXT | Sea · 24–30 days |
| London Gateway | GBLGP | Sea · 24–30 days |
| Heathrow | LHR | Air · 2–4 days from Kathmandu |
Regional guide transit: Sea freight · 24 – 30 days. Nepal is landlocked, so sea freight routes through an Indian transhipment port; air freight leaves Kathmandu direct.
HS code and duty treatment
Nepal is a least-developed country, so UK imports may qualify for duty-free treatment under the UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme where rules of origin are met.
Confirm the current rate and your eligibility with your customs broker.
Who buys black cardamom in the UK
Ethnic-food wholesalers and cash-and-carry operators supplying the South Asian grocery trade, spice blenders producing retail garam masala, and restaurant suppliers. Smoke profile is a live specification here: some buyers want the traditional Bhatti note, others want the cleaner flue-dried lot.
How we ship to this market
We have not yet shipped a consignment to the UK. 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 UK — common questions
Can smoke-dried black cardamom be sold in the UK?
Yes. The UK's retained contaminant rules follow EU Regulation 2023/915, which sets PAH limits for certain dried spices without covering cardamom among them. Bhatti-cured lots are therefore not barred on PAH grounds. We test and report PAH on every lot either way, so your compliance file has the number.
What paperwork does a UK importer need?
A phytosanitary certificate from Nepal, an FNCCI certificate of origin, commercial invoice and packing list, the transport document, and per-lot laboratory reports for aflatoxin and pesticide residues. The import notification itself is filed by the UK importer of record rather than by us, so build that step into your lead time.
Do you supply both smoked and unsmoked cardamom?
Yes, and you nominate which at quote time. Our closed-flue electric line dries with hot air that never contacts smoke, giving moisture below 9% and a non-detect PAH result. The traditional Bhatti line is wood-fired and carries the deep smoky note, at up to 12% moisture. They are two specifications of the same crop, not a premium and a budget tier.
Related: Bhatti-dried vs machine-dried · Quality and lab testing · Price per kg and landed cost