Import duty on fresh dates from Dubai (UAE) to India
HS 08041010 · Dubai / UAE → India · DATES
Data last updated: · MFN duty & IGST verified against ICEGATE (Indian Customs EDI). CEPA preferential rate per the India–UAE CEPA schedule. Verify your exact HS line before filing.
Duty breakdown on a ₹10,00,000 shipment
Enter your own value to recalculate the table below.
| Component | Standard (MFN) | CEPA |
|---|---|---|
| Basic customs duty | ₹3,00,000 | ₹0 |
| Social Welfare Surcharge | ₹30,000 | ₹0 |
| IGST | ₹66,500 | ₹50,000 |
| Total duty | ₹3,96,500 | ₹50,000 |
CEPA duty saving on this example: ₹3,46,500 . Run your own numbers in the import-duty estimator. New to BCD, SWS and IGST? See the glossary.
What drives the rate
Importing fresh dates (HS 08041010) from the UAE to India attracts a 30% MFN basic customs duty, and the India–UAE CEPA preferential rate is 0%. Fresh dates are one of the few agricultural concessions the UAE can genuinely fulfil, since dates are a flagship UAE crop. The origin rule is Wholly Obtained, so UAE-grown dates qualify cleanly with a valid Certificate of Origin, making the full duty saving realistically achievable here, unlike most fresh-produce lines where the rule is satisfiable only in theory. The same simplicity cuts the other way: dates packed in the UAE but grown elsewhere do not qualify, and no certificate can cure that in a re-export hub. IGST is 5%. Confirm fresh versus the wet-date and processed-date lines, which sit on separate eight-digit codes with their own treatment. Clearance runs on food and plant control — an FSSAI import licence, consignment-level food-import clearance, and a Plant Quarantine permit with a phytosanitary certificate — none of which is shortened by the duty being zero. India's schedule (Annex 2A, modality TEI) took this line to zero in the agreement's first year, 2022, so the preference is fully phased in and nothing further changes. The preference is worth 33% of assessable value on every consignment — the 30-point basic-duty gap plus the 10% Social Welfare Surcharge that rides on it — so it scales with shipment size rather than with effort, and the Certificate of Origin costs the same either way. Social Welfare Surcharge adds 10% on the basic duty, not on the goods, and IGST of 5% then applies to the CIF + BCD + SWS total — IGST is recoverable as input tax credit, so the durable benefit is the basic duty alone. Confirm the live rate on ICEGATE before filing; ₹10,00,000 is only the worked example above.
Import compliance & clearances
Beyond duty, importing fresh dates (HS 08041010) into India requires the following regulatory clearances. The CEPA preferential rate does not waive any of these — they apply regardless of origin.
- DGFT Valid IEC (Importer-Exporter Code) required; ITC(HS) import policy: Free source ↗
- FSSAI Importer must hold a valid FSSAI licence; every consignment is cleared through FSSAI food-import at the port source ↗
- Plant Quarantine (DPPQS) Import permit and phytosanitary certificate under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 source ↗
- FSSAI An FSSAI import licence and food-import clearance are required, with labelling, additive and residue compliance verified at the port before release. source ↗
Indicative and non-exhaustive — verify the current DGFT / BIS / FSSAI / CDSCO notification for your exact 8-digit HS line before importing. Not customs or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the import duty on fresh dates from the UAE to India?
- The standard MFN basic customs duty is 30%; under India–UAE CEPA the preferential rate is 0%. SWS adds 10% on the basic duty and 5% IGST applies on the CIF + BCD + SWS base.
- How much can CEPA save on fresh dates?
- On a CIF value of ₹10,00,000, total duty falls from ₹3,96,500 (MFN) to ₹50,000 (CEPA) — about ₹3,46,500 saved per shipment, scaling with consignment value.
- What do I need to claim the CEPA rate on fresh dates?
- A valid preferential Certificate of Origin (eCoO 2.0) proving UAE origin under the Rules of Origin. Without it, customs charges the 30% MFN rate.