Importing from India to Iraq
India's third-largest basmati market, and a leading destination for Indian banana.
Quick answer: Iraq is India's third-largest basmati rice market (11.2% of India's basmati exports in 2025-26, APEDA) and a major banana destination (roughly USD 69 million). Lentils and cardamom also move in volume. Shipments route through Umm Qasr, with transit from Indian west-coast ports typically 8–14 days. Government and state-trading-linked purchases are common for staples, alongside private trade.
A staples-driven market
Iraq's Indian import profile is concentrated and consistent: basmati rice as a dietary staple, banana as a major fresh-fruit line, plus lentils and cardamom. It's one of the clearest examples of India supplying core food-security commodities rather than niche or premium goods.
Rice and bananas ship differently
Basmati is a dry-cargo product with no cold-chain requirement and a long shelf life, well suited to the 8–14 day transit to Umm Qasr. Banana is perishable and needs an unbroken reefer chain at 13–14°C for the same transit — still within the fruit's 21–28 day shelf life, but with no margin for cold-chain failure. If you're sourcing both, expect very different logistics conversations for each.
Documentation takes longer here than in the Gulf
Certificate of origin attestation for Iraq typically involves chamber of commerce sign-off and sometimes consular legalisation — steps that add real processing days compared with more streamlined Gulf markets. Build this into your shipping timeline from the start rather than discovering it after the vessel books.
Key facts
- India's #3 basmati rice market — 11.2% of India's basmati exports in 2025-26 (APEDA)
- Major banana destination — roughly USD 69M
- Transit: 8–14 days to Umm Qasr
- Certificate of origin often needs chamber and consular attestation
- Government and private trade both active in rice
Step 1 of 2 — takes 60 seconds
What India exports to Iraq
Products we handle where verified trade data shows India exporting to Iraq. Figures are India's total exports of that product to Iraq in the year shown — not our own shipment volumes.
| Product | India's exports to Iraq | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Banana (Cavendish / G9) (HS 0803 90) | $69,200,000 | 2024-25 |
| Lentils (Masoor) (HS 0713.40) | $16,129,040 | 2024 (calendar year) |
| Fresh red onion (HS 0703 10) | $14,415,590 | 2023 |
| Cardamom (HS 0908.31) | $7,953,690 | 2024 (calendar year) |
| Basmati rice (HS 1006 30) | 11.2 % of India's basmati exports | 2025-26 |
Sources: compiled from the per-product trade-data files cited on each product page — primarily WITS (World Bank) / UN Comtrade for calendar year 2024, with some products from APEDA, MPEDA and trade-press compilations. Each product page states its own source, year and any limitations. Retrieved 2026-10-17.
Ports & transit time
| Destination port | Typical transit from Indian west-coast ports |
|---|---|
| Umm Qasr (Basra) | 8–14 days |
| Khor Al-Zubair | 8–14 days |
Transit times are general guidance based on typical shipping-line schedules and change with routing and transshipment. Ask for a current estimate to your port.
Documentation for shipments to Iraq
Export documentation prepared to match destination-country and buyer requirements — phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin, fumigation certificate, lab test reports and more, as applicable.
- Phytosanitary certificate for plant-origin goods
- Certificate of origin, typically requiring chamber of commerce and consular attestation
- Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading
- Halal documentation where the buyer specifies it, per their nominated certifying body
Share your compliance checklist and we will confirm the documentation for your shipment. Third-party inspection (SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or your nominated agency) can be arranged on request.
Payment & currency norms
Letters of credit are standard, and government or state-linked rice tenders (when they occur) follow their own tender documentation process separate from private commercial terms. USD is the standard trade currency.
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Iraq import FAQs
Rice is a dietary staple, and Iraqi demand favours the long-grain, well-aged style that Indian 1121 basmati delivers reliably at scale. Iraq ranks among India's top three basmati destinations — third in 2025-26, with 11.2% of India's basmati exports (APEDA).
Government and state-trading-linked purchases are a feature of the Iraqi rice trade alongside private commercial imports. If you're a private buyer, your terms and documentation are separate from any tender process — we quote against your specific requirement either way.
Typically 8–14 days from Indian west-coast ports to Umm Qasr, depending on routing and any transshipment.
Certificates of origin for Iraq commonly require attestation by a chamber of commerce, and sometimes consular legalisation. This adds processing time — factor it into your shipping schedule rather than treating documentation as same-day.
Related markets
Get an export quote for Iraq
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