How to Import Rice from India to Saudi Arabia
Importing Indian rice into Saudi Arabia — SFDA registration, SABER conformity, the half shelf-life rule, Arabic labelling, prices and lead times.
By Priya Singh, Head of Sourcing Research·Updated 25 August 2026
Short answer
Saudi Arabia is India's largest basmati market, taking around 1.1 million tonnes worth roughly 1.25 billion dollars a year. Rice is duty-exempt as a basic foodstuff, but every product must be registered with the SFDA and cleared through SABER, which issues a product certificate then a separate certificate for each shipment. Consignments must arrive with at least half their shelf life remaining.
1. SABER, and why it has two certificates
This is the part that catches first-time shippers. SABER is the Saudi conformity platform, and it issues two different documents that are easy to confuse.
| Certificate | Scope | When |
|---|---|---|
| PCoC — Product Certificate of Conformity | The product itself, once | Before your first shipment |
| SCoC — Shipment Certificate of Conformity | One specific consignment | Before every shipment, including repeats |
2. How the SABER process actually runs
- The importer uploads certificates, test reports and product specifications into SABER for review by a Conformity Assessment Body.
- On approval the importer pays the SABER fee — 575 SAR at current rates — and the product certificate is issued. Processing normally runs 3 to 5 working days.
- Each individual shipment then needs its own shipment certificate confirming the consignment matches the approved specification. A repeat order does not reuse the first one.
- Separately, every rice product must be registered in the SFDA database with its origin country, variety, processing method and packaging specification.
- Build this into your timeline. It is administrative rather than difficult, but it cannot be started once the vessel has sailed.
3. The half shelf-life rule
Saudi Arabia enforces a rule that has no equivalent in most markets and that quietly voids otherwise-perfect shipments.
- Imported food must arrive at port with at least half of its shelf life still remaining, measured from the production date.
- Shelf life must be shown by clear production and expiry dates. Ambiguous or coded dating is not accepted.
- For rice this rarely bites on a direct shipment, but it does bite on stock that has sat in a warehouse before being on-sold, or on a consignment delayed in transit.
- Agree the production date window in your contract, not just the grade. Ask for rice milled against your order rather than drawn from older stock.
4. Duty, labelling and inspection
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Customs duty on rice | Treated as an exempt basic foodstuff on the GCC list — confirm before costing |
| General GCC rate | 5% on most goods, which is why 5% is often quoted in error for rice |
| Labelling | Arabic mandatory, matching the foreign-language text |
| Label must show | Ingredients, country of origin, manufacturer, shelf life, instructions |
| On arrival | Customs and SFDA inspect documents, packaging, labelling |
| Physically checked | Grain length, moisture content, contamination levels |
| Consequence of a label error | Rejection at port — this is not a warning-and-correct regime |
5. What sells, and what to specify
Aged basmati carries the market
One and two year aged grain is the core of the trade and commands the premium. Grain length, aroma and cooked elongation are the properties buyers assess, and Saudi buyers assess them closely.
Sella for institutional volume
Parboiled basmati holds shape under bulk cooking, which makes it standard for catering, hospitality and the very large kitchens operating through the pilgrimage seasons.
Name the variety and the broken percentage
1121, Pusa and Sugandha are different grains at different prices. Broken percentage is the largest price driver within a grade, and a quote given without it cannot be compared to one that assumes tighter milling.
Consistency between containers
This is a repeat-purchase market. Buyers care that container three matches container one, so retain sealed samples against each lot and fix the specification in writing rather than by grade name alone.
6. Prices and quantities from our partner mills
These are bands our rice export partners are currently quoting rather than published averages. Prices move with the crop and the season, so ask for a live quote against your specification.
| Grade | Price band | Per tonne |
|---|---|---|
| 1121 Basmati | Rs 60-150/kg | Rs 60,000-1,50,000/MT |
| Pusa Basmati | Rs 60-150/kg | Rs 60,000-1,50,000/MT |
| Sugandha Basmati | Rs 60-150/kg | Rs 60,000-1,50,000/MT |
| Non-basmati long grain | Rs 40-100/kg | Rs 40,000-1,00,000/MT |
7. Route and timing
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Loading ports | Mundra and Kandla, Gujarat |
| Destination | Jeddah on the Red Sea, Dammam on the Gulf |
| Sea transit | 7 to 14 days depending on port and service |
| First order, end to end | 4 to 6 weeks including SFDA registration and SABER certification |
| Repeat orders | Faster — product registration and PCoC already exist, but a new SCoC is still required |
| Container | 20ft holds 25 tonnes; a 40ft holds only about 27, since rice grosses out by weight |
8. Ordering through PingB2B
- We work with Indian rice export partners holding the IEC, APEDA and FSSAI registrations, who run the documentation, so you deal with one point of contact.
- Send your variety, broken percentage, quantity, bag size and destination port, and we return FOB Mundra and CIF Jeddah or Dammam pricing side by side.
- Minimum order is one container. On a first shipment we would rather you work against a letter of credit than take our word for it.
Official checks and useful references
SFDA — Saudi Food and Drug Authority ↗
Registers food products for import into Saudi Arabia and inspects consignments on arrival.
SABER — Saudi conformity assessment platform ↗
Issues the product and shipment certificates of conformity required before customs clearance.
APEDA — Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority ↗
Registers Indian cereal exporters and handles basmati export contract registration before shipment.
DGFT — Directorate General of Foreign Trade ↗
Issues the Import Export Code and publishes India's rice export policy notifications.
FSSAI — Food Safety and Standards Authority of India ↗
Licences Indian food businesses; an exporter shipping food must hold a valid licence.
Related buyer guides
How to import rice from India to Saudi Arabia
- 1
Register the product with the SFDA
Record the product in the SFDA database with its origin country, rice variety, processing method and packaging specification. This is done once per product, before any shipment.
- 2
Obtain a Product Certificate of Conformity through SABER
Upload certificates, test reports and specifications for review by a Conformity Assessment Body, then pay the SABER fee — 575 SAR at current rates. Allow 3 to 5 working days.
- 3
Approve Arabic label artwork
Labels must carry Arabic matching the foreign-language text, showing ingredients, country of origin, manufacturer, shelf life and instructions. A label error means rejection at port, not a correction notice.
- 4
Fix the production date window in the contract
Saudi Arabia requires food to arrive with at least half its shelf life remaining. Specify that rice is milled against your order rather than drawn from older warehouse stock.
- 5
Obtain a Shipment Certificate of Conformity
Before each individual consignment sails, obtain an SCoC confirming that shipment matches the approved product specification. Repeat orders need a new one every time.
- 6
Confirm the exporter's Indian registrations
Ask for the IEC, APEDA registration and FSSAI licence, and for basmati confirm the export contract itself is registered with APEDA before shipment — a separate step from membership.
Frequently asked questions
Is there customs duty on rice imported into Saudi Arabia?
No. Rice is a basic foodstuff on the GCC exemption list and enters duty-free. The 5 percent figure often quoted is the GCC base rate applied to most goods, not to rice. You do still bear port handling, clearance and inland delivery, none of which a CIF price includes.
What is the difference between a PCoC and an SCoC?
The Product Certificate of Conformity covers the product itself and is obtained once, before your first shipment. The Shipment Certificate of Conformity covers one specific consignment and is required before every shipment, including repeat orders. Confusing the two is the most common reason a second container is delayed.
What is the half shelf-life rule?
Saudi Arabia requires imported food to arrive at port with at least half of its shelf life still remaining, measured from the production date, shown by unambiguous production and expiry dates. It rarely affects a direct shipment of freshly milled rice, but it does affect older warehouse stock or a consignment delayed in transit.
How long does SABER certification take?
Once a Conformity Assessment Body has reviewed and approved the submission, the product certificate is issued after the importer pays the SABER fee, currently 575 SAR, with processing normally 3 to 5 working days. Allow longer for a first submission, since incomplete test reports or specifications are the usual cause of delay.
Does Saudi Arabia buy more Indian rice than the UAE?
Yes. Saudi Arabia is India's largest basmati destination, taking around 1.1 million tonnes worth roughly 1.25 billion dollars, with the UAE second. For scale, India exported 20.1 million tonnes of rice worth 12.95 billion dollars in FY25, of which basmati was 5.94 billion. The Middle East takes around 70 percent of India's basmati.
Which basmati variety should I order for Saudi Arabia?
Aged basmati is the core of the trade, with 1121 carrying the longest grain and the strongest premium. Pusa sits slightly below and Sugandha suits price-led buyers. Sella, the parboiled form, is preferred by catering and institutional kitchens because it holds shape under bulk cooking.
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