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Exporting pet food from India

Dog and cat food put up for retail sale is free to export from India, but shipments to the EU need a consignment-wise Shipment Clearance Certificate from CAPEXIL and a health certificate issued jointly by CAPEXIL and the Regional Animal Quarantine Officer. Feed additives and premixtures fall under the Export Inspection Council's mandatory certification.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Export policy
Heading 2309, free; conditions for the EU
EU shipments
CAPEXIL Shipment Clearance Certificate, per consignment
EU health certificate
Jointly by CAPEXIL and the Regional Animal Quarantine Officer
Feed additives and premixtures
Export Inspection Council certification
RCMC
CAPEXIL, for animal by-products

Before the goods leave

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is the product classified under heading 2309, and is it going to the EU? Read more
  2. 2Does the importing country want a veterinary certificate from the animal quarantine service? Read more
  3. 3Is it a feed additive or premixture that EIC must certify? Read more
  4. 4Which council issues the exporter's RCMC? Read more
  5. 5Is the IEC current, and which documents travel with the shipment? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Pet food to the European Union

A condition in India's export policy for preparations used in animal feeding, put up for retail sale.

  • Preparations of a kind used in animal feeding (heading 2309) put up for retail sale are exported freely, except to the European Union, where conditions apply (Notification No. 34/2015-20 of 13 January 2017).
  • For the EU, CAPEXIL issues a Shipment Clearance Certificate for each consignment, showing the exporter's name and address, the registered plant's address and approval number, the IEC, the product, quantity, invoice, port of loading and destination.
  • After shipment, the exporter gives the buyer a health certificate for each consignment, with the HS code, packaging, origin, destination, vessel, date of departure and health requirements.
  • That health certificate is issued jointly by CAPEXIL and the Regional Animal Quarantine Officer of the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, as the export policy names it.
  • Dog or cat food put up for retail sale is tariff item 2309 10 00.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the shipment clearance and health certificate with the consignment and invoice they name, and reads them against what the EU importer asks for. Ask about this

Animal Quarantine and Certification Services

The central veterinary service that certifies livestock products for export.

  • Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) aim to provide an internationally accepted certification service for exports.
  • Its functions include testing livestock products meant for export, pre-shipment quality control, and supervising production and packing of livestock products for export to the importing country's specifications.
  • AQCS inspects and registers plants and mills exporting animal by-products.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the plant's registration and each veterinary certificate with the lot they cover, dated. Ask about this

Export inspection of feed additives

The Export Inspection Council's mandatory certification reaches some feed products.

  • Under the Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963, the Central Government notifies commodities for inspection before export and may bar their export without a certificate.
  • DGFT's export guide lists feed additives and premixtures, and gelatine, ossein and crushed bones, among the products EIC certifies on a mandatory basis.
  • Bone and bone products, including ossein, for human consumption need a CAPEXIL shipment clearance and an EIC health certificate for the EU.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the EIC certificate with the lot it covers, and shows which lots still lack one before shipment. Ask about this

RCMC from CAPEXIL

The council for animal by-products.

  • An RCMC is required to apply for an authorisation or any other benefit under the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP para 2.57), and comes from the council for the exporter's main line of business.
  • DGFT's list of councils gives CAPEXIL for animal by-products.
  • An RCMC is valid for five years from 1 April of the year it is issued.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the RCMC with the exporter's record and shows when it falls due. Ask about this

IEC, origin and shipping documents

The general rules every export from India meets.

  • No export or import of goods is made without an Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) unless specifically exempted (FTP 2023, para 2.05).
  • The IEC is a 10-character code, the same as the firm's PAN, issued separately by DGFT on an online application.
  • The IEC holder updates its details online every year between April and June; an IEC not updated is de-activated.
  • Mandatory export documents are the bill of lading, airway bill or other transport receipt; the commercial invoice cum packing list; and the shipping bill or bill of export (FTP 2023, para 2.06).
  • The shipping bill is an electronic declaration in the Indian Customs EDI System, entered by the exporter or an authorised customs broker through ICEGATE or a service centre.
  • Where goods carry restrictions or need an NOC under another law, the regulator may notify additional export documents.
  • Certificates of origin for exports from India are issued only by agencies DGFT has authorised, and only through trade.gov.in (FTP para 2.62; HBP para 2.90).

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the shipping bill, invoice and certificates of each consignment together, so an importer's question can be answered from the record. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
ExporterThe IEC, the RCMC, the shipping bill, and giving the buyer the health certificate after shipment.Certificates kept with each consignment, with gaps shown before it leaves.
Manufacturing plantIts registration and approval number, which appear on the shipment clearance.Plant registrations kept dated with the products they cover.
CAPEXILThe Shipment Clearance Certificate for the EU, and the joint health certificate.Each certificate read against the consignment it names.
Regional Animal Quarantine OfficerThe joint health certificate for pet food to the EU.The certificate kept with its lot and invoice.

Where are the goods going?

Most of what pet food have to meet is set where they are sold. Each guide sets out the rules on arrival, with the official source for each.

Questions businesses ask

Can I export dog and cat food from India freely?
Preparations used in animal feeding, put up for retail sale (heading 2309), are free to export. Exports to the European Union carry conditions: a CAPEXIL Shipment Clearance Certificate and a joint health certificate.
What certificates does pet food from India need for the EU?
A Shipment Clearance Certificate from CAPEXIL for each consignment, and a health certificate for each consignment issued jointly by CAPEXIL and the Regional Animal Quarantine Officer, which the exporter gives the buyer after shipment.
What does the CAPEXIL shipment clearance show?
The exporter's name and address, the registered plant's address and approval number, the IEC, the product, quantity, invoice number and date, port of loading and destination.
What does the pet food health certificate for the EU show?
The product with its HS code, packaging, origin, destination, vessel name, date of departure and the health requirements.
Who issues veterinary export certificates in India?
Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) provide export certification for livestock products and inspect and register plants exporting animal by-products.
Do feed additives need Export Inspection Council certification?
DGFT's export guide lists feed additives and premixtures among the products the Export Inspection Council certifies on a mandatory basis.
Which council issues an RCMC for pet food exporters?
DGFT's list of export promotion councils gives CAPEXIL for animal by-products. An RCMC is needed to claim authorisations or benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy.
Do I need an IEC to export pet food?
Yes. No export of goods is made without an Importer-Exporter Code unless specifically exempted, and the IEC is updated online every year between April and June.
How does Compliant Always help with exporting from India?
Our team reads the rules for the routes you ship. Compliant Always shows which export documents apply to your product, keeps them with the shipment beside what the destination asks for, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

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