Export Documents for Agricultural Commodities from India

Accurate documents are as important as the cargo itself. Missing or mismatched paperwork is a common cause of customs delays. The documents required depend on the commodity, the destination country and the payment method, but the following set is typical for agri exports from India.

Core commercial documents

• Commercial invoice — states the seller, buyer, goods, quantity, price, Incoterm, HS code and payment terms.
• Packing list — lists packages, weights, marks and container details.
• Bill of lading or air waybill — the transport document issued by the carrier.

Regulatory documents

• Phytosanitary certificate — issued by India’s plant-quarantine authority for plant products, confirming that the consignment has been inspected and meets the importing country’s plant-health requirements.
• Certificate of origin — confirms the country of origin and, where relevant, supports a preferential tariff claim.
• Fumigation or treatment certificate — where the importing country requires it.
• Health certificate or other product-specific certificates — for certain products and markets.

Quality documents

• Certificate of analysis (COA) — lot-wise laboratory results for moisture, purity and, where relevant, volatile oil, aflatoxin, pesticide residues and microbiology.
• Pre-shipment inspection certificate — from an independent inspection company, where requested.

Insurance and payment documents

• Insurance certificate — for CIF and similar terms.
• Letter of credit documents or bank collection documents — as required by the payment method.

Tips for buyers

• Tell your supplier early which certificates your authority requires.
• Check that names, addresses, HS codes and quantities are identical across documents.
• Ask for draft documents before shipment to avoid corrections after sailing.

Our export team prepares and checks the documentation set for every shipment.