Importing Food

Pembrokeshiregal · Jul 9th, 2006, 21:48

Hi, we've been back in UK for a month and are returning to India in a couple of days. Does anyone know if we can bring food into India (was thinking of a few packs of bacon

, cheese, some bottled sauces we can't get in Delhi, few tins of luxuries etc.)

Don't want to bring them all the way then find we can't get past customs.

Thanks,
Ruth

hfot2 · Jul 9th, 2006, 22:29

We brought in boxes of granola bars and some dried fruit and had no issues at customs -though, I admit, we didn't even think to declare it. I suspect we weren't asked or else we'd know if it was a problem.

Nick-H · Jul 9th, 2006, 22:50

A fellow IMer carried a big pack of sausages and some bacon through customs in Chennai for me last year

.

Just make sure it is well wrapped, keep quiet about it, and get it to a fridge ASAP!

kiwi_razz · Jul 9th, 2006, 23:39

I took a big block of cheese last time I went to India.

vistet · Jul 10th, 2006, 00:06

I plan to bring some cloudberry jam to my favorite guesthouse in Leh next time. Mmmm... cloudberry...

edwardseco · Jul 10th, 2006, 00:23

Done a lot of this in my luggage (no problemo) but don't have any illusions as to ease of carrying it (and preservation). Probably not ice cream though I do air ship that domestically..

Pembrokeshiregal · Jul 10th, 2006, 00:45

Thanks everyone; it's great to know that we'll be able to eat bacon occasionally now!

SMARTGUY · Jul 10th, 2006, 14:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pembrokeshiregal

Does anyone know if we can bring food into India (was thinking of a few packs of bacon , cheese, some bottled sauces we can't get in Delhi, few tins of luxuries etc.)

Thanks,
Ruth

Ruth,

Customs wont be a big problem....but frozen food is difficult to be carried for longer time without refrigeration.
Moreover mostly Bacons,Cheese n bottled sauce and other tin packed items(also from UK )are easily available in all major cities of India.

Happy times Ahead.

Nick-H · Jul 10th, 2006, 14:50

I wouldn't take more than you can eat in a few days: unless you pack it in polystyrene containers, with extra ice etc, it just is not going to stay deep frozen 'till you reach your freezer.

kiwi yogini · Jul 10th, 2006, 15:58

I have been digesting your posts (no pun intended) for the last couple of months and this one has given me some good info but also some questions, so if anyone can help it would be appreciated.
We are finally nearly on our way to Chennai, arriving the first week of August. I'm busy trying to off load heaps of stuff from our house here in Belgium but we will still be bringing a 20ft container.
Does anyone know how chocolate travels? After several years of eating Belgian chocolate I have got used to decent chocolate.
Also read that herbs like bayleaves are hard to find, is this right? Will the customs man approve or will we have our container searched from top to toe if we include such things (I want to make the clearance of customs as painless as poss - I know it won't be, but don't want to attract unneeded attention).
What else can we include that people miss?

This next question should probably be a new thread but I'll ask anyway, what does everyone know about buying mattresses in India? My husband is already in Chennai and has found that the quality of mattresses is nothing like we are used to. Do innersprung one exist and where do you get them?

Look forward to hearing from you all

Nick-H · Jul 10th, 2006, 17:13

There is currently conversation about shipping, and there was a recent matress thread (another unintended pun

).

Chocalates travel fine, but won't last long once you get here! The Chennai temperature is currently well above the melting point of European chocolate. You can bring it on the plane and take it immediately home to the fridge, but don't try shipping it any other way.

Herbs? really a lot of stuff is avaiable here, and if I say something isn't I bet someone will correct me! Sage? Thyme? don't know... Paprika I can't find here. I expect that the bottom line is that it is illegal to import this stuff, but I doubt that anyone will notice a jar or three.

Nick-H · Jul 10th, 2006, 17:15

You can get sprung mattresses here.

God, these choir-packed ones still feel like concrete to my poor thinly-fleshed bones!

Remember the climate. My wonderful UK bed is on its way to me, but will I still enjoy sinking into it at 30C?

Brigit · Jul 10th, 2006, 18:38

To add to this question, although a little diffrent, I want to take seeds, and possibley plants home, to Rajisthan. So I was wondering, do you think that getting them past customs in Dehli airport will be difficalt?

Nick-H · Jul 10th, 2006, 18:51

DON'T DO IT! Please!

Many an ecological disaster must have started with good intentions and just a few seeds.

Getting them past customs would probably be easy. But really think about this issue before you even try!

There was a good conversation, including input from horticulturalists, here on IM about a year ago...

Brigit · Jul 10th, 2006, 19:08

well you see thats what I thought, till coming through delhi airport last time I arived I saw a lady walking coming out of the airplane with a plant in her arms, so I thought maybe there was some way. After all I know sweetpeas were grown In India by thr Raj, and as seeds they are treated to be "clean" (for want of a better word). After all the seeds I usally buy come from France were apparently they are really strict about such things.
So you seen I'm rather undisided and wanted some opinions

Jul 9th, 2006, 21:48	#1
Pembrokeshiregal Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 29	Importing Food Hi, we've been back in UK for a month and are returning to India in a couple of days. Does anyone know if we can bring food into India (was thinking of a few packs of bacon , cheese, some bottled sauces we can't get in Delhi, few tins of luxuries etc.) Don't want to bring them all the way then find we can't get past customs. Thanks, Ruth

Jul 9th, 2006, 22:50	#3
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,692	A fellow IMer carried a big pack of sausages and some bacon through customs in Chennai for me last year . Just make sure it is well wrapped, keep quiet about it, and get it to a fridge ASAP! __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

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Jul 9th, 2006, 22:29	#2
hfot2 MemberS Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Vermont Posts: 515	We brought in boxes of granola bars and some dried fruit and had no issues at customs -though, I admit, we didn't even think to declare it. I suspect we weren't asked or else we'd know if it was a problem.

Jul 9th, 2006, 23:39	#4
kiwi_razz Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: London Posts: 410	I took a big block of cheese last time I went to India.

Jul 10th, 2006, 00:06	#5
vistet Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Umeå , Sweden Posts: 1,766	I plan to bring some cloudberry jam to my favorite guesthouse in Leh next time. Mmmm... cloudberry...

Jul 10th, 2006, 00:23	#6
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 4,153	Done a lot of this in my luggage (no problemo) but don't have any illusions as to ease of carrying it (and preservation). Probably not ice cream though I do air ship that domestically..

Jul 10th, 2006, 00:45	#7
Pembrokeshiregal Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 29	Thanks everyone; it's great to know that we'll be able to eat bacon occasionally now!

Jul 10th, 2006, 14:50	#9
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,692	I wouldn't take more than you can eat in a few days: unless you pack it in polystyrene containers, with extra ice etc, it just is not going to stay deep frozen 'till you reach your freezer.

Jul 10th, 2006, 15:58	#10
kiwi yogini Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: belgium Posts: 5	I have been digesting your posts (no pun intended) for the last couple of months and this one has given me some good info but also some questions, so if anyone can help it would be appreciated. We are finally nearly on our way to Chennai, arriving the first week of August. I'm busy trying to off load heaps of stuff from our house here in Belgium but we will still be bringing a 20ft container. Does anyone know how chocolate travels? After several years of eating Belgian chocolate I have got used to decent chocolate. Also read that herbs like bayleaves are hard to find, is this right? Will the customs man approve or will we have our container searched from top to toe if we include such things (I want to make the clearance of customs as painless as poss - I know it won't be, but don't want to attract unneeded attention). What else can we include that people miss? This next question should probably be a new thread but I'll ask anyway, what does everyone know about buying mattresses in India? My husband is already in Chennai and has found that the quality of mattresses is nothing like we are used to. Do innersprung one exist and where do you get them? Look forward to hearing from you all

Jul 10th, 2006, 17:13	#11
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,692	There is currently conversation about shipping, and there was a recent matress thread (another unintended pun ). Chocalates travel fine, but won't last long once you get here! The Chennai temperature is currently well above the melting point of European chocolate. You can bring it on the plane and take it immediately home to the fridge, but don't try shipping it any other way. Herbs? really a lot of stuff is avaiable here, and if I say something isn't I bet someone will correct me! Sage? Thyme? don't know... Paprika I can't find here. I expect that the bottom line is that it is illegal to import this stuff, but I doubt that anyone will notice a jar or three.

Jul 10th, 2006, 17:15	#12
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,692	You can get sprung mattresses here. God, these choir-packed ones still feel like concrete to my poor thinly-fleshed bones! Remember the climate. My wonderful UK bed is on its way to me, but will I still enjoy sinking into it at 30C?

Jul 10th, 2006, 18:38	#13
Brigit Shy Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: India Pushkar Posts: 166	To add to this question, although a little diffrent, I want to take seeds, and possibley plants home, to Rajisthan. So I was wondering, do you think that getting them past customs in Dehli airport will be difficalt?

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Jul 10th, 2006, 18:51	#14
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,692	DON'T DO IT! Please! Many an ecological disaster must have started with good intentions and just a few seeds. Getting them past customs would probably be easy. But really think about this issue before you even try! There was a good conversation, including input from horticulturalists, here on IM about a year ago...

Jul 10th, 2006, 19:08	#15
Brigit Shy Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: India Pushkar Posts: 166	well you see thats what I thought, till coming through delhi airport last time I arived I saw a lady walking coming out of the airplane with a plant in her arms, so I thought maybe there was some way. After all I know sweetpeas were grown In India by thr Raj, and as seeds they are treated to be "clean" (for want of a better word). After all the seeds I usally buy come from France were apparently they are really strict about such things. So you seen I'm rather undisided and wanted some opinions