You can import dehydrated onion and garlic from India into France under EU food law, with French customs running the border health checks for food of non-animal origin and the DGAL's border service, SIVEP, handling goods that need plant health checks. Shipments are usually stopped by lab results: pesticide residues, ethylene oxide or salmonella.
The EU-wide rules are covered in our guide to importing dehydrated onion, garlic and seeds into the EU. This article covers the French side.
Who does what in France
At the time of writing, confirm the current split with your broker, because French responsibilities have moved several times in five years.
- Customs (douane, DGDDI): since 1 June 2023, French customs carries out the import health checks on food of non-animal origin that the DGCCRF used to do. This began at Le Havre and Marseille in November 2021 and was extended nationwide in 2023. Documents go to the customs border control points.
- SIVEP: the veterinary and phytosanitary border inspection service of the DGAL (Ministry of Agriculture). It handles animal products and plants or plant products that need a phytosanitary check.
- DGAL: since the 2023 to 2024 reform that created a single food safety police, the Ministry of Agriculture leads food safety controls once goods are on the French market.
- DGCCRF: keeps consumer protection and fair trading, which includes checks on labelling and product description after clearance.
Lab tests that matter
- Pesticide residues against EU maximum residue levels.
- Ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol. France was one of the countries most active in recalls during the 2020 to 2021 ETO cases, and buyers still ask for this test on every lot. See why 2-chloroethanol is tested.
- Salmonella, total plate count, yeast and mould. Our guide to salmonella in dehydrated onion covers how it is controlled.
- For blends, allergens such as celery and mustard if the plant handles them.
Documents
- Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading with consistent lot numbers.
- Certificate of origin, plus a REX statement on origin if you claim EU GSP preference.
- Phytosanitary certificate only where your CN code requires it. Check whether dried vegetables need one.
- Accredited lab reports tied to each lot. See the document pack your broker will ask for.
Labelling in French
Products sold to French consumers must carry the mandatory food information in French, under EU labelling rules and France's language law. Other languages can be added, but not instead of French. For ingredient sales to factories, the French buyer will usually still want the product name, lot, origin and storage conditions in French on the bag label. Our labelling rules for spice blends gives the wider picture.
Duty
France applies the common EU tariff. Check your code in the EU TARIC database, on Access2Markets or in French customs' RITA tariff tool, including whether GSP applies to India for that product. The India-EU free trade agreement was concluded in January 2026 but, at the time of writing, has not entered into force. Check its status before relying on it.
What French buyers use
As a general pattern, French demand comes from charcuterie and processed meat, ready meals, dehydrated soups and sauces, savoury snacks and spice blenders, plus the large catering and restaurant sector. Powder and granules dominate in blends, while minced and chopped onion go into soups, ready meals and toppings. Check with your own customers before fixing particle sizes.
Ports and route
Containers from Mundra, Pipavav or Nhava Sheva reach Marseille-Fos via Suez in roughly three to four weeks, or Le Havre in roughly four to six weeks, depending on service and routing. Some French buyers also clear in Antwerp or Rotterdam and truck goods in. Wherever the goods clear, the full EU rules apply at that point.
Cities
Paris is served mainly through Le Havre and the Seine, and is the centre of France's food distribution and catering trade.
Marseille is France's main Mediterranean port, with the shortest sea route from India and a long history in the spice and food trade.
How Creston helps
We work for you, not the factory. We find and audit dehydrated onion and dehydrated garlic plants, have every lot tested at an NABL-accredited lab against EU limits, supervise loading and check the documents, including French bag labels, for one written fee agreed in advance. To plan a French order, book a free sourcing review.