Indonesian Coffee Export to India: FSSAI 2025 Guide

A practical, exporter-first playbook to clear Indonesian green coffee through India’s FSSAI in 2025. Step-by-step FICS workflow, exact documents, phytosanitary and testing expectations (OTA, pesticide residues), labeling do’s/rectifications, timelines at Nhava Sheva/Chennai, and the pitfalls we see most often.

If you get FSSAI right, your container clears in 4–6 working days. Get it wrong, and you’ll bleed demurrage, warehouse fees, and buyer frustration. We’ve moved Indonesian green coffee into India for years, and this is the exact 2025 playbook our team uses so consignments don’t get detained.

The three pillars of smooth FSSAI clearance

The importer is license-ready on FoSCoS and registered on FICS. 2) Documents are clean, consistent, and uploaded before arrival. 3) Labels are correct or rectifiable and the lot is pre-screened for OTA and residues. Nail these, and the Authorized Officer’s (AO) job gets easy. Your clearance gets fast.

Do Indonesian exporters need an FSSAI license to ship green coffee?

Short answer: no. The FSSAI license sits with the Indian importer. The exporter in Indonesia doesn’t need an FSSAI license. What you do need is to support the importer with correct documents, compliant labels, and reliable lot traceability. In our experience, 3 out of 5 delays happen because the importer’s FoSCoS license category or address doesn’t match the Bill of Entry.

Practical takeaway: Confirm your buyer’s details early and mirror them across Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading, and the FICS application. If the importer changes last minute, expect delays.

What documents does FSSAI check for green coffee at Indian ports?

Here’s the 2025 port file we maintain for each consignment. Have PDFs ready, signed, and easy to read.

Importer’s FSSAI Central License on FoSCoS. Category: Importer. Valid and matching address.
IEC (Importer-Exporter Code) and GST of importer.
Bill of Entry copy (ICEGATE) and Carrier Arrival Notice.
Commercial Invoice and detailed Packing List (bag counts, net and gross weights, lot/batch).
Bill of Lading or Air Waybill.
Phytosanitary Certificate issued by Indonesia’s NPPO with relevant additional declarations.
Certificate of Origin (preferential if claiming ASEAN-India FTA benefits).
Form 9 (FSSAI Import Declaration and Undertaking) signed by the importer.
Label artwork or clear sack photos showing mandatory particulars.
Optional but smart: Pre-shipment test reports for Ochratoxin A and pesticide residues from an accredited lab.
If used: Fumigation Certificate and ISPM-15 compliance for wood packaging.

We’ve found that uploading crisp, correctly named files on FICS cuts back-and-forth questions by half.

How do I apply on the FICS portal for a green coffee consignment?

The importer or their customs broker files this. Exporters don’t file FICS, but you should know the steps so you can nudge the process.

FoSCoS and FICS readiness. Importer ensures FoSCoS Central License is live and logs into FICS. Broker links ICEGATE and FICS accounts.
Create the FICS application. Map the Bill of Entry. Select product as green coffee beans under plant-origin foods. Enter lot details, bag counts, and HS code (commonly 0901.11/0901.12 depending on decaf and form).
Upload documents. The list above. Ensure importer name/address and license number match across documents.
Fee payment and appointment. Pay FSSAI sampling fee on FICS. Book AO inspection. At Nhava Sheva, we usually get sampling within 24–48 hours after vessel discharge.
AO inspection and sampling. AO inspects labels and bags, draws samples, and seals them for a notified lab.
Lab testing and release. Lab uploads results to FICS. If compliant, AO issues NOC. If non-compliant, detention or rejection.

Tip: If your buyer is new to coffee imports, suggest a dry run on FICS with a previous shipment’s template. It prevents typo-led detentions.

Is a Phytosanitary Certificate mandatory for green coffee beans?

Yes. India’s Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 requires a Phytosanitary Certificate (PC) from Indonesia’s NPPO. We include these additional declarations when requested by Indian PQ:

Free from live infestation by coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) and other quarantine pests.
Freedom from soil and extraneous matter.

Wood packaging must be ISPM-15 compliant. Some ports ask for fumigation evidence if there’s any sign of infestation. Coordinate PC language with your buyer’s customs broker before shipment.

What tests does FSSAI usually order for green coffee?

In 2025, we’re consistently seeing these for green coffee beans:

Ochratoxin A (OTA). Practical working limit used by labs is typically 5 µg/kg. Lots with uneven drying or long storage get flagged more often.
Pesticide residues. Screen against FSSAI MRLs. Chlorpyrifos, lambda-cyhalothrin, and endosulfan residues have triggered holds in the past.
Occasionally heavy metals. Lead and cadmium checks are sporadic but happen.

Actionable insight: Pre-screen high-risk profiles. For example, we run OTA checks on aged or experimental ferment lots. If you’re buying our Musty Cup Green Coffee Beans (Aged Arabica) or a fermentation-forward lot like Bali, Java, Gayo & Mandheling - Wine Green Arabica Coffee Beans, we can share recent OTA/residue results with the shipment file. It’s not mandatory, but it’s saved our buyers days at port.

How long does FSSAI clearance take at Nhava Sheva or Chennai?

Our real-world averages in the last two quarters:

Day 0: Vessel discharge and BoE filed.
Day 1–2: FICS application validated and AO sampling scheduled.
Day 2–4: Sampling done. Samples reach lab.
Day 4–7: Lab results uploaded and NOC issued.

So 4–7 working days is normal. Pre-holiday congestion can push it to 8–10. The fastest clearances we see are when documents are uploaded before berthing and label rectifications are pre-agreed with the AO.

What labeling on coffee sacks is required, and what can be corrected at port?

Minimum particulars for bulk green coffee sacks entering India:

Name of food: “Green coffee beans”.
Country of origin: “Indonesia”.
Lot/Batch/Code identification.
Net weight per bag.
Date of packing/production (month-year acceptable for bulk).
Name and address of manufacturer/exporter in Indonesia.
Name and address of the Indian importer with FSSAI License number.
“Not for retail sale” for non-retail packs.

Rectification with stickers under AO supervision is usually allowed for: importer name and address, importer’s FSSAI license number, translation to English, and minor font-size issues. In our experience, AOs won’t allow rectification of the product name, net weight, lot/batch, or date markings. Don’t plan to change anything related to identity, quantity, or dates at the port.

Practical tip: We pre-print sack stencils with all exporter details and leave a dedicated panel for importer sticker application on arrival. It keeps things clean and AO-friendly. If you’d like our standard “India-ready” sack template, just Contact us on whatsapp.

Is green coffee standardized or does it need product approval?

Green coffee beans are covered under the coffee category of FSSAI’s standards framework and processed as a primary agricultural commodity. No product approval is required for standard green coffee beans. You only need the import NOC through FICS for each consignment.

Common rejection reasons we still see (and how to avoid them)

OTA above working limit. Run a pre-shipment OTA test for aged/long-transit lots. Keep storage dry and rotate bags. We do periodic rotations on lots like Aged (Age) Green Arabica Coffee Beans to maintain uniformity.
Pesticide MRL exceedance. Ask suppliers for spray records and avoid late-season, high-pressure lots. Pre-screen one composite sample per 50–100 bags.
Label gaps that aren’t rectifiable. Lock the core markings at origin: name of food, net weight, lot, date, and origin. Leave only importer fields for port stickers.
Data mismatch. Importer name/address differs across FoSCoS, BoE, and label. Cross-check everything before sailing.
Infestation or moldy odors. Keep moisture controlled and use clean, intact jute or grain-pro bags. Torn bags raise red flags.

A 10-point 2025 checklist you can reuse

Buyer has valid FoSCoS Central License for “Importer”.
FICS credentials active and broker aligned.
Commercial Invoice, Packing List, BL/AWB aligned. No typos in names/addresses.
Phytosanitary Certificate prepared with required declarations.
ISPM-15 for any wood packaging. Fumigation cert if applicable.
Form 9 signed and ready.
Sack labels stenciled with core particulars. Importer sticker space reserved.
Pre-shipment OTA and residue screening for higher-risk lots.
Clear sack photos and label artwork uploaded to FICS.
Fees paid early. AO appointment booked before samples pile up.

Final word and sourcing note

We recommend starting India programs with clean, stable Sumatra or Java profiles that have predictable moisture and post-harvest handling. Lots like Sumatra Lintong Green Coffee Beans (Lintong Grade 1) and Arabica Java Ijen Grade 1 Green Coffee Beans have been consistent performers in Indian labs for us. If you’re testing consumer response or building blends, you can also review our broader origins and grades here: View our products.

Need a second set of eyes on your documents or FICS application? Our team is happy to sanity-check your file before sailing so you don’t get stuck at the port. Contact us on whatsapp.

Note: Regulations and portal workflows continue to get incremental updates. Always cross-check the latest FSSAI import advisories and lab parameters in the month you ship. What we’ve shared above reflects our experience over the last two quarters and the patterns we’re seeing on live Indonesian coffee consignments into India.