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India FTA Duty Toolkit

Import duty on long pepper from Dubai (UAE) to India

HS 09041110 · Dubai / UAE → India · PEPPER OF THE GENUS PIPER

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.

No CEPA benefit

This line is excluded from India's India–UAE CEPA tariff offer, so the 30% MFN basic customs duty applies regardless of origin. The goods are normally importable — there is simply no preferential rate to claim.

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 ₹3,00,000
Social Welfare Surcharge ₹30,000 ₹30,000
IGST ₹66,500 ₹66,500
Total duty ₹3,96,500 ₹3,96,500

CEPA duty saving on this example: ₹0 (no basic-duty benefit at these rates). Run your own numbers in the import-duty estimator. New to BCD, SWS and IGST? See the glossary.

What drives the rate

Importing long pepper (HS 09041110) from the UAE to India attracts a 30% MFN basic customs duty, and CEPA does not reduce it — this line is excluded from India's tariff offer, so the 30% MFN rate applies whatever the origin. Long pepper is on India's CEPA exclusion list, and Annex 2A carries EXC in every one of the ten year columns — a UAE-origin consignment pays the full 30% and no Certificate of Origin lowers it, so the Rules-of-Origin discussion does not arise at all. India protects its spice growers, and pepper, a signature Indian crop, was kept off the concession schedule entirely. IGST is 5%. Importers sourcing spices through Dubai should plan at the full MFN rate and budget the clearance sequence, which is longer than the duty line suggests: an FSSAI import licence held by the importer, consignment-level food-import clearance with labelling and residue checks at the port, and a Plant Quarantine import permit with a phytosanitary certificate under the 2003 Order. None of those shortens because the duty is high, and all of them need to be in hand before the goods sail. There is no basic-duty gap to claim on this line at current rates, so a Certificate of Origin buys nothing here today; it is worth re-checking when either the MFN rate or the CEPA schedule moves. 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, but the basic duty here is a real, unrecoverable cost. Confirm the live rate on ICEGATE before filing; ₹10,00,000 is only the worked example above.

Import compliance & clearances

Beyond duty, importing long pepper (HS 09041110) 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 long pepper from the UAE to India?
The basic customs duty is 30%. This line is largely excluded from India–UAE CEPA, so no preferential rate applies. SWS adds 10% on the basic duty and 5% IGST applies on top.
How much can CEPA save on long pepper?
At current rates there is no basic-duty saving on this line under CEPA, so the landed duty is the same as the MFN route.
What do I need to claim the CEPA rate on long pepper?
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.