Introduction
India is Iraq’s second largest import partner, shipping a wide variety of goods to the country each year. Food and agricultural products comprise more than 40% of India’s exports to Iraq and these include rice, meat and meat products, seeds, and much more. A large and consistently growing food importer in recent years, Iraq presents a tremendous opportunity for India’s food industry.
While the export process in most countries is common, exporting goods to Iraq does require some specific documents & certifications that will be explored below.
Before your goods can leave India:
The required export documents are dependent upon the products you are exporting and you should always check to make sure you have the correct documents for your products. In addition to these basic export documents, you should also ensure that you have the following:
Import/ Export Code: Issued by Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Ministry of Commerce of the Government of India, an Import/ Export Code is required to export goods from India. This IE Code is a one-time registration procedure for your business.
FSSAI License: If you are an Indian Food Exporter, you will also require FSSAI License to export any type of food item. This will also allow you to maintain a tracking record of your shipment. To obtain FSSAI License, you must ensure that the food you are exporting meets specified health requirements and has adequate shelf life before it is exported.
You must have an FSSAI Certification for your each food product type you export, but it is not required for each time you export the same product.
Before Entering Iraq:
IRAQ COC Certificate: More than 1000 products across 12 categories (including food) require an Iraq Certificate of Conformity (COC) upon entry to Iraq. This is meant to protect businesses, consumers, and public safety from potentially harmful counterfeit or defective products. To obtain an Iraq COC, your shipment must pass a Pre-Shipment Inspection at the Origin Port by an Iraqi government-approved inspection company.
The HQTS Advantage
HQTS is a global quality control service provider with offices in both India and Iraq, and is authorized to issue your next Iraq COC. We are a one-stop resource for all your Iraq export needs including pre-shipping inspection (PSI), as we as all required Iraq COC services. Contact us today for more details.
