Export onion from India to UAE: duty, documents and price

What UAE charges

Directional Source: Live search: https://icp.gov.ae/en/central-customs-tariff-system/. Live search, not cross-checked; verify before committing. FTA rate: one source only; VAT/GST: one source only No anti-dumping, safeguard, or CBAM measure could be established from the available official source. Confirm with UAE customs before pricing a deal.

Documents and registrations

• Importer Exporter Code (IEC)
• Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) from Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) for APEDA-scheduled agricultural products
• UAE importer commercial licence or import permission covering food/general trading
• UAE food establishment registration
• Dubai Municipality Food Import and Re-export System (FIRS) registration where importing into Dubai
• Certificate of Origin
• official health certificate for each food consignment
• phytosanitary certificate for plant-origin products
• inspection and sampling at the UAE port of entry
• export inspection or inspection certificate where required by the product or importing authority
• DGFT export authorisation or compliance with the applicable product-specific notification where the HS code is restricted
• APEDA RCMC from APEDA for scheduled agricultural/processed food products
• UAE importer registration of the food/product with the competent food authority before import
• health certificate for food/agricultural products issued by the competent authority in the country of origin
• label/packaging review as part of UAE product registration
• inspection/official clearance by the UAE food authority at import
• any additional product-specific certificate if the product is meat/poultry/fish/organic/GMO/halal where applicable
• Commercial invoice
• packing list
• bill of lading or airway bill
• health certificate
• customs declaration or bill of entry
• insurance certificate where applicable
• export licence or authorisation where applicable
• supporting documents for label health or nutrition claims where such claims appear

Where to get them: IEC and any export authorisation: Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Government of India; RCMC: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA); phytosanitary certificate: Plant Quarantine authorities under the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage, Government of India; export health or inspection certificate: Export Inspection Council of India or the competent Indian food or plant authority as applicable; UAE importer licence: relevant UAE emirate economic department or licensing authority; UAE food registration, FIRS registration and label assessment: Dubai Municipality Food Safety Department for Dubai; UAE food import approval and border inspection: the competent food safety authority of the importing emirate; certificate of origin: authorised Indian chamber or other authority accepted by UAE customs

The shipment commonly fails when the UAE importer has not registered the product and label in the applicable emirate system, or when the health and phytosanitary certificates do not match the invoice, packing list, quantities, batches and product description. Product-specific DGFT restrictions and UAE border sampling can delay or stop clearance, especially for regulated crops and consignments with incomplete or non-compliant labels.

Directional Compiled for agriculture exports to UAE from the official pages below, checked 3 Oct 2026. Confirm with the issuing authority.
https://apeda.gov.in/
https://dgft.gov.in/
https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/report/downloadreportbyfilename?filename=Food%20and%20Agricultural%20Import%20Regulations%20and%20Standards%202018%20_Dubai_United%20Arab%20Emirates_5-1-2019.pdf
https://agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/ImportRegulations/FoodandAgriculturalImportRegulationsUAE28102021.pdf
https://farmerconnect.apeda.gov.in/Content/APEDA_Agri_Export_Manual_FINAL.pdf
https://apeda.gov.in/dgft-notifications
https://www.dm.gov.ae/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Food-Code-2013-English.pdf
https://www.dm.gov.ae/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IRS-eng.pdf

Onion prices in Indian mandis

Median ₹5,000/quintal across 419 markets; middle 80% ₹3,000 to ₹6,750. Reported 3 Nov 2026.

Real Source: Agmarknet, Government of India, via data.gov.in (Onion). Domestic wholesale price, not an export or FOB price.

What this page does not know

• Freight and port costs for your shipment. Carrier rates are not connected yet, so we do not print a freight number here. Put your own quotes into the landed cost calculator; it fills in this duty.
• Your buyer's price. The mandi price is what onion costs inside India.