Rotterdam is the main door for dehydrated onion and garlic from India into the Netherlands and much of Europe. Many buyers are based in or near the city, while others only clear goods here and send them on. The legal rules are covered in our Netherlands import guide. This page covers what is particular to Rotterdam.
Arriving at the port
Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe. Deep-sea container terminals, including those at the Maasvlakte, sit at the mouth of the river, some distance from the city itself. Containers from Mundra, Pipavav or Nhava Sheva arrive on direct services or after transhipment in the Middle East or the Mediterranean.
If your product is listed for increased checks, the CHED-D goes to the NVWA before the ship arrives, and the inspection takes place at an approved border control post in the port area. Dutch Customs carries out its own risk checks and may scan or open the container. A clean, complete document pack sent to your customs agent before arrival is the fastest way through.
Storage and onward transport
The port area has a large cluster of food warehouses, cold stores and customs warehouses. Many importers keep dehydrated onion here under customs supervision and pay duty only when the goods are released for sale. From Rotterdam, product moves by truck, barge on the Rhine or rail to Germany, Belgium and further afield.
The Dutch climate is mild and damp, and storage near the water can be humid. Powder should stay in sealed liners until it is used, with pallets kept off the floor. Read how to prevent onion powder caking.
Who buys here
Rotterdam and the surrounding South Holland region host spice processors, seasoning blenders, sauce makers and food traders. Many of them supply meat processors and snack makers in the Netherlands and Germany, which use onion powder, granules and minced onion in seasonings and coatings. Dutch snack foods such as croquettes and frikandellen are typical end uses for seasoning blends that contain onion.
Rotterdam also has a long-established Surinamese community, including people of Indian descent, and a range of Asian food shops and wholesalers. Retail packs for this trade need Dutch labels that follow EU rules.
What Rotterdam buyers ask for
- Steam-treated powder and granules with tight microbiology limits for ready-to-eat seasonings.
- Ethylene oxide test results for every lot, given the history of EU alerts on Indian spices.
- Several forms in one container. See mixing onion and garlic forms in one container.
- Consistent lot numbers from bag to invoice to lab report, because traders often split a container across several customers.
Amsterdam as an alternative
Some buyers in the north of the country prefer to work through Amsterdam. See our Amsterdam guide.
How Creston & Co helps
We find and audit processing plants in India, have every lot tested at an NABL-accredited lab against EU limits, including ethylene oxide, supervise loading and check the documents before sailing, for one written fee agreed in advance. To plan a Rotterdam order, book a free sourcing review.