[Journal](https://thecomposta.com/journal) For importers # Importing vermicompost from India: HS code, documents and what to confirm A buyer's checklist: how the product is classified, the documents that usually matter, and the questions to put to any exporter. 8 October 2026 · 7 min read _Illustration: A desk with a report sheet and a clipboard, a rubber stamp landing beside them, and the open doors of a shipping container behind_ Key points - Vermicompost falls under HS heading 3101, animal or vegetable fertilisers. The exact eight-digit line is a classification decision to confirm with a customs broker. - Rules for animal-derived fertiliser differ by country. The EU, the United States and organic schemes each treat it differently, so confirm with the authority of the destination. - A 20 ft container holds 23 to 30 tonnes of vermicompost by volume, against a payload limit of about 28 tonnes, so weight and the way the bags are stowed decide the load. - This is general information, not legal or customs advice. Always confirm with your importer of record's broker and your own authority. Importers ask the same questions before a first order. This is a checklist of what is known, what depends on the destination, and what to ask the exporter to put in writing. It does not replace advice from your customs broker. ## Classification Vermicompost is classified under heading 3101 of the Harmonized System, animal or vegetable fertilisers. India's eight-digit lines under that heading include 31010091 for animal dung, 31010092 for animal excreta and 31010099 for other, according to third-party tariff listings. Which one an exporter uses is a classification decision. Ask for the code on the shipping bill and check it against your own country's tariff. ## Rules that depend on where it is going Questions by destination | Destination or scheme | What to check | | --------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | European Union | Animal by-product rules (Regulation 1069/2009) can apply to fertiliser made from dung. For organic farming, Annex II of Regulation 2021/1165 lists worm castings as a permitted input where relevant under those rules. Confirm import conditions with your border authority. | | United States | USDA APHIS says earthworms, their castings and related products need a permit under the same rules as live earthworms. Ask APHIS whether finished vermicompost falls within it. USDA organic guidance accepts vermicompost under conditions. | | Indian export policy | Heading 3101 is listed as freely exportable. A 2019 DGFT notification added conditions for shipments to the EU (a clearance certificate from CAPEXIL and a health certificate), as reported by tax sites. Confirm whether it still applies. | | Organic claims | Under India's NPOP, worm castings are a restricted input. This governs organic farms and not fertiliser sales generally. An organic claim needs an accredited certifier and a transaction certificate. | ## Documents - Commercial invoice with packing list, the shipping bill and a bill of lading are standard. - A phytosanitary certificate, if your country asks for one. India has issued them electronically (e-Phyto) since 1 March 2023. - A batch report against the parameters in the Fertiliser (Control) Order, if you need to show quality. - Any treatment or fumigation record your authority requires. No vermicompost-specific rule was found. Wooden pallets are separate and must carry the ISPM 15 mark. ## Containers One carrier lists a 20 ft dry container at 33.1 cubic metres and a payload of 28,330 kg, and a 40 ft one at 67.6 cubic metres and 26,840 kg. At the Order's bulk density of 0.7 to 0.9 g per cubic centimetre, a full 20 ft container would hold 23 to 30 tonnes by volume. In practice the weight limit and the way the bags are stowed decide the figure, so ask the exporter for the loaded weight it has actually achieved. ## Incoterms FOB, CFR and CIF are for sea freight. FCA, CIP and DAP suit any mode of transport. Which fits depends on who books the freight, so settle it with your freight forwarder. ## Questions to put in writing - Batch report to the Order's parameters, and the moisture of the pack. - Pack weight, pack material and pallet marking. - Which certificates and approvals the product holds, if any, and which you must obtain yourself. - Whether the EU clearance and health certificate apply to your shipment. - Lead time, and whether the batch can be traced. ## Common questions ### What is the HS code for vermicompost? Heading 3101, animal or vegetable fertilisers. The eight-digit line varies by country and by how the exporter classifies it, so confirm it with your customs broker. ### Do I need a phytosanitary certificate? It depends on your country's import rules. Ask your plant protection authority, and ask the exporter whether it can supply one. India issues them electronically. ### Can vermicompost be sold as organic in the EU or the US? Worm castings are an allowed input in both systems under conditions, but an organic claim needs certification of the product and the farm. Ask the exporter what certificate it holds. ### How many tonnes fit in a 20 ft container? By volume 23 to 30 tonnes at the standard bulk density, but one carrier's payload limit is about 28 tonnes, so the achievable load is set by weight and stowage. Ask for the exporter's loaded weight. ### Which Incoterm should I use? FOB, CFR and CIF are the sea-freight terms and FCA, CIP and DAP work for any mode. The right one depends on who arranges the freight. ## Terms in this guide - [Fertiliser Order (FCO)](https://thecomposta.com/glossary#fertiliser-order) - [Phytosanitary certificate](https://thecomposta.com/glossary#phytosanitary-certificate) - [Vermicompost](https://thecomposta.com/glossary#vermicompost) - [Vermicast](https://thecomposta.com/glossary#vermicast) ## Sources - [USDA APHIS: earthworms and organism-soil imports](https://www.aphis.usda.gov/organism-soil-imports/earthworms) - [NPOP, 8th edition (2024), Annex 3](https://npop.apeda.gov.in/sites/default/files/2024-10/NPOP%5FEight%5FEdition%5F2024.pdf) - [APEDA: e-Phyto advisory](https://apeda.gov.in/sites/default/files/2024-11/Advisory%5Fephyto.pdf) - [Ocean Network Express: dry container specifications](https://www.one-line.com/en/standard-page/dry-containers) - [India tariff, heading 3101 (third-party listing)](https://www.eximguru.com/indian-customs-duty/3101-animal-or-vegetable-fertilisers-whether.aspx) - [DGFT notification 49/2015-2020 on fertiliser exports (tax-site report)](https://taxguru.in/dgft/dgft-amends-export-policy-fertilizers.html) - [Fertiliser (Control) Order, 1985, Schedule IV (consolidated copy)](https://odishaagrilicense.nic.in/actsRules/Fertiliser%5FControl%5FOrder%5F1985.pdf) ## Keep reading [_Illustration: A wooden frame sieve tilted on its legs, shaking, with a few coarse lumps left on the mesh while fine castings fall through into a wheelbarrow beneath its low edge and pile up_GuideHow to store vermicompost and tell good from badWhat the Fertiliser Control Order asks for, how to judge a bag by eye, nose and hand, and how to keep it until you use it.8 October 2026 · 6 min read](https://thecomposta.com/journal/how-to-store-vermicompost-and-check-quality)[_Illustration: A lab bench under a desk lamp: two report sheets, a rubber stamp that comes down and leaves a ticked impression, and a labelled sample jar of castings_SafetyIs vermicompost really odourless and safe?What the standards and research say about smell, pathogens, weed seeds and heavy metals, and why sieving and curing matter.8 October 2026 · 6 min read](https://thecomposta.com/journal/is-vermicompost-odourless-and-safe)[_Illustration: A cut through soil: cow dung and plant scraps on the surface, an earthworm below them, fine castings falling from its tail into a dark mound that a seedling's roots reach into_ComparedVermicompost vs compost vs cow dung manure: which is better?What each one is, what the published Indian nutrient figures say, and which to use for pots, vegetables and orchards.8 October 2026 · 6 min read](https://thecomposta.com/journal/vermicompost-vs-compost-vs-cow-dung-manure) ## Put it to work Fine, odourless castings, delivered to your door and quoted to order. [Get a quote](https://thecomposta.com/shop) _Illustration: A garden running the width of the page: a freshly packed pouch of castings sitting on a low wall beside a seedling in a pot, a trowel stuck in the soil at the foot of the wall and an earthworm pushing a barrow of castings toward it_ --- Source: https://thecomposta.com/journal/import-vermicompost-from-india The Composta is a brand of Nutrify Private Limited, 1st Floor, Plot No. B & B1, Vanijya Nikunj, Enkay Centre, Udyog Vihar Phase 5, Gurugram, Haryana 122016, India. Contact: contact@thecomposta.com, +91 90535 19734 (also WhatsApp). Quotes: sales@thecomposta.com. Importers and bulk buyers: export@thecomposta.com. More for agents: https://thecomposta.com/llms.txt