The Saudi Arabia market for Indian cashew kernels
UAE: Dubai Municipality FIRS requires the importer to register the company and each food item (label assessment) before arrival; Arabic/English labelling per GSO 9; India-UAE CEPA preference with a CEPA certificate of origin. UAE and Saudi Arabia are major buyers of whole grades for retail and gifting.
Indian community in Saudi Arabia (Ministry of External Affairs estimate): 2,750,551 (NRI 2,747,551 + PIO 3,000) — largest NRI population worldwide.
Cashew Kernels specification for Saudi Arabia orders
| Parameter | Typical export value |
|---|---|
| Count (white wholes) | W180: 170-180/lb; W240: 220-240/lb; W320: 300-320/lb; W450: 400-450/lb (AFI-style grading) |
| Moisture | ≤ 5% (typical) |
| Broken in wholes | ≤ 5% (typical) |
| Lower grade allowance | ≤ 5% (typical) |
| Packing atmosphere | Vacuum with CO2/N2 flush |
| Aflatoxin / Salmonella | Per destination limits; Salmonella absent (typical) |
Final values are agreed per contract and checked against the Saudi Arabia requirements below, then confirmed by lab report or pre-shipment inspection.
Import requirements in Saudi Arabia
| Requirement | Regulator | Document / registration |
|---|---|---|
| Importer & product registration | SFDA | Ghad establishment registration (5 yrs) + product registration |
| Clearance documents | SFDA via FASAH | CoO, invoice (qty, expiry, batch), B/L, health cert, phytosanitary cert, halal cert, import permit (poultry/fish/eggs) |
| Arabic labelling | SFDA | SFDA.FD/GSO 9; GSO 150-1 expiry; SFDA.FD 2233 nutrition |
General guidance as of November 2026. Confirm with your customs broker or the regulator before shipping. Final regulatory decisions require professional verification.
Shipping cashew kernels to Saudi Arabia
Typical sea transit Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Nhava Sheva) → Dammam: 6-10 days. Often via Jebel Ali transhipment; FASAH/SABER docs must be in place before arrival