Step 1: write the specification
Everything that follows is priced and planned from the specification, so write it before you ask for a price. State the variety or the target heat and colour, the mesh, the maximum moisture, the treatment your market requires, the packing, the quantity and the destination port. If you do not yet know the variety, give the SHU and ASTA you need and let the exporter propose one.
Our specification guide explains each line and includes a template. The specification builder on this site produces the same sheet in five minutes.
Step 2: quotation and Incoterm
Ask for the price per tonne under a named Incoterm and port. FOB (free on board) at an Indian port means the exporter delivers the container onto the vessel with export clearance done, and you book and pay the sea freight and insurance. CFR and CIF add freight, and insurance, to your port. DAP delivers to your door with import duties for your account.
A quotation should state its validity, usually 7 to 14 days because prices follow the Guntur auction, the lead time, the packing, the payment terms and the test plan. Most importers prefer FOB because they already have freight rates; first-time importers often find CIF simpler.
Step 3: samples and your own laboratory test
Request a representative sample of 250 g to 1 kg, plus the exporter's recent laboratory report. Test the sample yourself for the parameters that matter to your customer: colour, heat, moisture, Sudan dyes, aflatoxins, microbiology, and for the EU ethylene oxide and pesticide residues. Agree in writing that the shipment will match the approved sample and the specification, and keep a retained portion of the sample.
Step 4: contract, proforma invoice and payment
The exporter issues a proforma invoice carrying the specification, quantity, price, Incoterm, shipment window, packing, documents and bank details. Check that the bank account is in the name of the exporting company. Typical terms for a first order are an advance with the balance against copies of the shipping documents, or an irrevocable letter of credit at sight. Open-account terms come later, with history.
Step 5: processing, treatment and testing
After confirmation the pods are cleaned, de-stemmed and milled to your mesh, then treated by the route your market accepts: steam sterilisation for the EU and UK, ETO where it is permitted, or no treatment for extractors with their own kill step. The treated lot is cooled and packed, and a sample goes to an accredited laboratory. Expect two to three weeks from confirmation to container stuffing for a standard specification.
Ask for the batch certificate of analysis and the treatment certificate before the container is sealed. If a result is outside the specification, this is the moment to reject or re-work the lot, not after it has sailed.
Step 6: shipment and the document set
A 20-foot container holds roughly 16 to 18 tonnes of chilli powder in 25 kg bags, less when palletised. Once the vessel is booked the exporter prepares the documents and sends copies by email before departure.
| Document | Issued by | Needed for |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice and packing list | Exporter | Customs at both ends |
| Bill of lading | Shipping line | Release of the container |
| Certificate of origin | Chamber of commerce or export council | Duty assessment |
| Phytosanitary certificate | Plant quarantine authority, India | Where the importing country requires it |
| Batch certificate of analysis | NABL-accredited laboratory | Your quality release, customs queries |
| Treatment certificate (steam or ETO) | Treatment facility | Proof of the kill step |
| Spices Board analytical report or health certificate | Spices Board of India | EU consignments under the Board's testing scheme |
| Fumigation certificate | Licensed fumigator | Whole pods, where required |
Step 7: arrival and customs clearance
- European Union. Dried, crushed or ground chilli from India is listed in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, so the importer or agent pre-notifies each consignment with a Common Health Entry Document (CHED-D) in TRACES NT at a designated border control post. Documents are checked on every consignment and 20 percent are sampled for ethylene oxide. Allow for a hold of several days when sampled.
- United Kingdom. Pre-notification is made in IPAFFS for high-risk food not of animal origin, with checks at a border control post.
- United States. The importer or broker files FDA Prior Notice before arrival, the foreign processing facility must be registered with FDA, and the importer keeps Foreign Supplier Verification Program records.
- Everywhere. Classify powder and flakes under HS 0904.22 and whole dried pods under 0904.21, and check the current duty in your national tariff before you agree the price.
From India's east coast, sea transit is roughly three to four weeks to northern Europe and the Mediterranean, four to six weeks to the United States, and one to two weeks to the Gulf and Southeast Asia. Plan six to eight weeks door to door for a first European order.
Questions on this topic
What documents are required to import chilli powder from India?
Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, a batch certificate of analysis from an accredited laboratory, a treatment certificate for steam or ETO, a phytosanitary certificate where the importing country requires one, and for the EU the Spices Board analytical report or health certificate. EU importers also file a CHED-D in TRACES before arrival and US importers file FDA Prior Notice. Richvane emails the full set before the vessel sails.
What is the HS code for chilli powder?
Crushed or ground fruits of the genus Capsicum, which covers chilli powder and chilli flakes, fall under HS 0904.22. Whole dried chillies, neither crushed nor ground, fall under 0904.21. Turmeric is 0910.30. National tariffs add further digits.
How long does it take to import chilli powder from India?
Two to three weeks from order confirmation to container stuffing for a standard specification, then three to four weeks at sea to Europe, four to six to the United States, or one to two to the Gulf and Southeast Asia. Six to eight weeks door to door is a realistic plan for a first European order.
How much chilli powder fits in a container?
A 20-foot container holds roughly 16 to 18 tonnes of chilli powder in 25 kg bags and a 40-foot high-cube about 24 to 25 tonnes, less when palletised. Flakes load at 12 to 14 tonnes per 20-foot container. Whole dried pods are bulkier: about 6 to 7 tonnes in a 20-foot container and 13 to 14 in a 40-foot high-cube. Richvane confirms the exact load plan in each quotation.
Can I order less than a full container?
Yes, for powder and flakes. Richvane's minimum is 2,000 kg per product, shipped in a shared container, so that a new buyer can prove the specification before committing to regular volumes. Whole pods are sold from one 20-foot container. Smaller trial lots are discussed case by case together with a sample programme.
Sources
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2026/194, prior notification by CHED-D and 20 percent checks for Indian dried Capsicum
- US FDA, Prior Notice of Imported Foods and Foreign Supplier Verification Programs
- World Customs Organization, Harmonized System heading 0904
- International Chamber of Commerce, Incoterms 2020
- Spices Board of India, export procedures and mandatory testing