Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city and the commercial capital of East Java. For a buyer there, importing directly into Surabaya rather than trucking from Jakarta can save several days and a long road journey. The national rules are the same everywhere; see importing dehydrated onion and garlic into Indonesia. This page covers what is different about Surabaya.
Port of entry
Containers arrive at the Port of Tanjung Perak, one of Indonesia's main ports, or at the newer Teluk Lamong terminal on the city's western edge near Gresik. There are few or no direct services from India's west coast, so cargo from Mundra, Pipavav or Nhava Sheva normally transships at Singapore, Port Klang or sometimes Jakarta. Check the routing when you book, because each extra leg adds time in a hot container.
Quarantine checks by Barantin and customs clearance take place at the port. Your broker should confirm in the INSW system which approvals apply to your HS code before the goods leave India.
The East Java food industry
Surabaya sits at the centre of an industrial belt that runs through Sidoarjo, Gresik, Pasuruan and Mojokerto. The area has a strong food and beverage sector, including snack and cracker makers, instant food producers, and meat processing. Sidoarjo is known for prawn and fish crackers (kerupuk). These users favour onion and garlic powder and granules in seasonings and doughs, and minced garlic in meat products.
East Java is also an important shallot and vegetable growing region, so local buyers know fresh alliums well and often compare dried product closely on flavour and colour. Send samples and agree a written specification before the first order. Getting agri samples from India explains how.
Supplying eastern Indonesia
Surabaya is the main distribution point for eastern Indonesia, including Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi and Papua. Distributors there break bulk and send goods on by smaller ships and trucks. If your powder will move again after arrival, packing becomes even more important. Cartons with inner liners, or strong bags with double liners, hold up better through repeated handling. See how dehydrated onion is packed.
Climate and storage
Surabaya is hot all year, often hotter than Jakarta, with a wet season and a drier season from about May to October. Even in the dry months humidity stays high near the coast. Store dehydrated product off the floor in a covered, ventilated warehouse and avoid opening bags until they are used. Powder that has caked is hard to recover.
Halal and labels
East Java has a large Muslim population and a strong pesantren and religious food culture, and halal status matters to most buyers. From 17 October 2026 imported food must follow the halal law, with a certificate from a body recognised by BPJPH. Retail labels must be in Bahasa Indonesia.
Other cities
If you also buy for the capital region, read our guide for Jakarta, where most of the country's processed food is made.
How we help
We audit plants in India, test each lot at an NABL-accredited lab to your Indonesian limits, supervise loading and check the phytosanitary, origin and halal documents, for one written fee agreed in advance. For an order to Surabaya, book a free sourcing review.