—IEC
Importing and Exporting From Kerala: DGFT, Ports, Air Cargo and ICDs
Practical points for importers and exporters in Kerala: the DGFT office, ports and air cargo, inland container depots, and key export sectors.
Kerala exports spices, seafood, cashew, coffee, tea, rubber products, coir and processed foods. Importers and exporters here use the same national systems as everywhere else, with a few local points worth knowing. This guide covers them.
The IEC and DGFT
The IEC is applied for online on the DGFT portal, so there's no need to visit an office. The DGFT has regional offices in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, which handle matters under the Foreign Trade Policy for the region, such as certain authorisations and schemes.
Sea Freight
Kochi port, with its international container transshipment terminal at Vallarpadam, handles most of Kerala's container trade, and the new Vizhinjam port near Thiruvananthapuram adds transshipment capacity. Exporters register their AD code at each port or inland container depot they ship through.
Air Cargo
Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode airports handle air cargo, especially perishables and seafood. Exporters shipping by air register their AD code with customs at the airport.
Key Sectors
- Spices: exporters register with the Spices Board, and consignments often need quality testing.
- Seafood: exporters register with MPEDA, and processing plants need approval for markets like the EU.
- Cashew: the Cashew Export Promotion Council is the registering body for exporters.
- Coffee: exporters register with the Coffee Board.
- Rubber and rubber products: the Rubber Board handles registration for natural rubber trade.
Most exporters also register with the relevant export promotion council or commodity board for a Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC), which is needed for many Foreign Trade Policy benefits.
GST for Exporters in Kerala
File a GST LUT each year to export without IGST, and claim refunds of unused credit. Refunds are processed by the jurisdictional officer — from the Kerala state GST department or central GST.
A Checklist for Traders in Kerala
- Get an IEC and complete the annual update every April to June.
- Register your AD code at the airport, ICD or ports you use.
- File a GST LUT each year.
- Check sector-specific export requirements and register with the right export promotion council.
- Track realisation of export proceeds.
Getting Help
Think Filing helps businesses in Kerala start importing and exporting, from IEC to GST refunds.