On this page
- How Does Importing Dehydrated Onion and Garlic from India Work?
- Which Dehydrated Onion and Garlic Forms Can You Import?
- What Quality Specifications Should Importers Ask For?
- Which Documents and Certificates Are Needed for Import?
- How Do Packaging, Shelf Life and Container Loading Work?
- Which Shipping Terms and Logistics Apply from Indian Ports?
- How Do You Import Dehydrated Onion and Garlic from Elysium?
- Frequently asked questions
To import dehydrated onion and garlic from India, choose the cut and size you need, agree moisture and microbiology limits in writing, approve a sample, and ship with a Certificate of Analysis, a certificate of origin and any health or phytosanitary certificate your country requires. India is the world’s largest exporter of dried onion, and most of its dehydration units are around Mahuva in Gujarat. This guide sets out the forms, specifications, documents and shipping steps for a first order.
Key takeaways
- Flakes, chopped, minced, granules and powder are the same dried product cut to different sizes, so always state sizes in mm or mesh.
- Microbiology is the key specification. Ready-to-eat uses need steam-sterilised, low-micro lots, never ethylene oxide.
- Container loads vary widely: about 6–7 MT of onion flakes in a 20 ft, against 14–15 MT of onion powder.
- Dried onion and garlic from India are not under increased EU border checks, but every lot should still be tested.
How Does Importing Dehydrated Onion and Garlic from India Work?
You buy dehydrated onion and garlic from India the same way as other bulk food ingredients. You send a specification, receive a quote and sample, sign a contract, and the exporter tests, packs and ships the lot. Most buyers import dehydrated onion by the container, often mixing onion and garlic cuts in one load.
Supply is strong. India shipped about 1.13 lakh tonnes of dried onion worth US$ 221 million in 2024, according to World Bank WITS data, and was the world’s largest exporter ahead of the USA, Egypt and China. The main buyers were the USA, Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, Belgium, the UK and Russia. Gujarat alone shipped about 83,000 tonnes of dehydrated white onion in 2023-24. Garlic comes mainly from Madhya Pradesh and is dried in the same Gujarat units.
Onion is dried mainly during the Gujarat harvest, from about February to May, and finished stock ships all year. Garlic follows the Madhya Pradesh harvest in spring.
Which Dehydrated Onion and Garlic Forms Can You Import?
You can import five main cuts of dehydrated onion and garlic: flakes, chopped, minced, granules and powder. They are the same dried product cut to different sizes. Choose the cut by how it behaves in your product.
| Cut | Onion size | Garlic size | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flakes / slices | 8–25 mm (kibbled) | 1.5–2 mm thick slices | Soups, stews, frying, milling |
| Chopped | 3–5 mm (large 5–8 mm) | 3–5 mm | Sauces, ready meals, toppings |
| Minced | 1–3 mm | 1–3 mm | Rubs, dressings, meat products |
| Granules | 0.2–0.5 / 0.5–1 mm | 8–80 mesh | Seasoning blends, snack coatings |
| Powder | 80–100 mesh | 80–100 mesh | Seasonings, soups, sauces |
Standard export cuts of Indian dehydrated onion and garlic.
Flakes and chopped pieces stay visible in the finished food, while granules and powder dissolve into it. Powder gives the strongest flavour release but absorbs moisture fastest. Many seasoning makers buy flakes and mill them in-house, while ready-meal and snack makers usually buy finished granules or white onion powder.
What Quality Specifications Should Importers Ask For?
Ask for size, moisture, ash, microbiology and pesticide limits, written as numbers. Words such as “chopped” or “fine” are not enough. Indian dehydrated onion is made to IS 4452:2009, which is aligned to ISO 5559, and to FSSAI standards. Key parameters are:
- Moisture: 5% maximum for powder and 8% maximum for other cuts under FSSAI. Garlic powder is usually below 5%.
- Ash: total ash 5% maximum and acid-insoluble ash 0.5% maximum.
- Microbiology: total plate count, yeast and mould, coliforms, E. coli and Salmonella. A standard onion powder is often within 10⁵ cfu/g total plate count, and many EU snack makers ask for 10⁴ or lower.
- Pesticide residues: within the limits of your destination market.
- Foreign matter: controlled by sortex sorting and metal detection.
For products that are eaten without cooking, such as dips and snack coatings, ask for low-micro lots. These are steam-sterilised. Do not accept ethylene oxide treatment, which is banned for food in the EU. Garlic buyers may also ask for a test of volatile sulphur compounds, which shows flavour strength. Our lab testing page explains the test panel we run on each lot.
Three mistakes cause most disputes. The first is a contract that names the cut but not the size range, so the buyer receives granules that are coarser or finer than expected. The second is a micro limit that does not match the end use, for example a standard powder bought for a ready-to-eat dip. The third is a Certificate of Analysis that does not carry the lot number printed on the cartons. Write all three points into your purchase order, and ask for a pre-shipment sample from the actual lot, not from general stock. If you have an in-house laboratory, test the arrival sample against the same methods the exporter used.
Which Documents and Certificates Are Needed for Import?
A dehydrated onion or garlic shipment from India usually travels with these documents:
- Commercial invoice and packing list: showing product, cut, quantity, value and packing.
- Bill of lading: the title document needed to collect the goods.
- Certificate of Analysis: moisture, ash, microbiology and pesticides for your lot.
- Certificate of origin: a preferential version can lower duty under a trade agreement.
- Phytosanitary or health certificate: where the destination requires one.
Dehydrated onion is classified under HS 0712 20 for all forms. Indian exporters use 0712 90 20 for dehydrated garlic, and some garlic flakes are filed under 0712 90 90, so confirm the tariff line with your customs broker. In the EU, dried onion, garlic and potato from India are not on the list for increased border checks under Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 as amended. Normal official controls still apply, so a clean lab report remains important. Our certificates page lists our registrations and the documents we issue.
How Do Packaging, Shelf Life and Container Loading Work?
Dehydrated onion and garlic are packed in 20–25 kg poly-lined cartons, with foil liners on request, or in lined bags. Powder is sealed straight after milling because it absorbs moisture from the air. Kept sealed in cool, dry storage, the products last about 18–24 months.
Container loads depend on the cut, because lighter flakes fill the space before they reach the weight limit:
- Onion flakes: about 6–7 MT per 20 ft and 14–15 MT per 40 ft high cube.
- Onion powder: about 14–15 MT per 20 ft and 25–26 MT per 40 ft high cube.
- Garlic granules or powder: about 13–14 MT per 20 ft and 24–25 MT per 40 ft high cube.
Because flakes load at a low weight, compare the landed cost per kilo rather than the price per tonne. You can mix several cuts of onion and garlic in one container. Our container load calculator estimates how much of each product fits.
Which Shipping Terms and Logistics Apply from Indian Ports?
Most dehydrated onion and garlic from Gujarat is shipped from Mundra or Pipavav, which are close to the Mahuva processing belt. Exporters usually quote FOB, CFR or CIF. Under FOB you book the freight yourself. Under CFR and CIF the exporter books it, and under CIF the exporter also buys marine insurance. If you are new to these terms, read our guide to FOB vs CIF for agri imports.
Lead time is usually two to three weeks from a confirmed order to loading, depending on the product and season. Common payment terms are advance TT, part advance with the balance against documents, cash against documents (CAD) or an irrevocable letter of credit at sight. Scanned documents are sent first, and originals follow by courier or through the bank.
A sound sequence for a first order is a type sample, a written contract with the cut, size and micro limits, a pre-shipment sample with its Certificate of Analysis, and then loading. On larger orders you can appoint an independent inspection company to sample at stuffing.
Related reading: White Onion Powder vs Red and Pink Onion Powder: Buyer's Guide and How to Prepare Garlic Powder: The Commercial Process Explained.
How Do You Import Dehydrated Onion and Garlic from Elysium?
To import dehydrated onion with fewer surprises, work with an exporter that states every size in numbers and tests every lot. Elysium Agri Corporation, based in Jamnagar, Gujarat, exports dehydrated white onion, garlic and potato in flakes, chopped, minced, granules and powder, including garlic powder in 80–100 mesh.
Every lot is tested for moisture, ash, microbiology and pesticides. Our low-micro grades are steam-sterilised, and we never use ethylene oxide. We hold an APEDA RCMC that covers processed and dehydrated vegetables, an FSSAI Central Licence, an IEC and a GST registration. We can combine several products and cuts in one container.
Tell us the products, cuts, micro grade, quantity and destination port, and we will send a price with the specification sheets. Request a dehydrated onion and garlic quote →
Frequently asked questions
How do I import dehydrated onion and garlic from India?
Send a specification with the cut, size, moisture and microbiology limits to a registered Indian exporter. Approve a type sample, sign a contract naming the Incoterm and payment terms, and review the pre-shipment Certificate of Analysis. The goods then ship by container, usually from Mundra or Pipavav in Gujarat, with the export documents.
What documents are needed to import dehydrated onion into my country?
Most shipments need a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, Certificate of Analysis and certificate of origin. Some countries also ask for a phytosanitary or health certificate. Dehydrated onion is classified under HS 0712 20. Check your local import rules and permits with your customs broker before the goods are loaded.
What is the difference between dehydrated onion flakes, minced and powder?
They are the same dried onion cut to different sizes. Flakes are 8–25 mm pieces used in soups and frying. Minced onion is 1–3 mm and suits rubs and dressings. Powder is milled to 80–100 mesh and dissolves fully into seasonings, sauces and snack coatings.
How is dehydrated garlic tested for quality before shipment?
Each lot is sampled and tested for moisture, ash, total plate count, yeast and mould, coliforms, E. coli, Salmonella and pesticide residues. Some buyers also ask for volatile sulphur compounds, which show flavour strength. Low-micro lots are steam-sterilised. The results are sent to the buyer on a Certificate of Analysis before loading.
How do I find a reliable Indian exporter of dehydrated vegetables?
Look for an exporter that states sizes in mm or mesh, tests every lot for microbiology and pesticides, and uses steam sterilisation rather than ethylene oxide. Check its APEDA, FSSAI, IEC and GST registrations on official portals, ask for sample reports, and confirm bank details before paying an advance.
Related reads
