Which frozen products do you ship to Côte d'Ivoire?
Fish (horse mackerel, mackerel, sardinella, tilapia, hake), pork (feet, heads, neck bones), beef and offal (kidneys, liver, hearts, tails), milk powder and UHT milk, fries.
What we ship to Côte d'Ivoire
| Family | Most requested products | Origin | Container | Detailed page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frozen fish | Horse mackerel, mackerel, sardinella, tilapia, hake | North-East and Central-East Atlantic, Chile and Peru, farmed in Vietnam and China | 40' reefer at -18 °C, about 26 t net (25–27.5 t depending on product and packing) | Frozen fish to Côte d'Ivoire |
| Frozen pork | Front and hind feet, heads, neck bones, tails, masks | EU-approved plants | 40' reefer at -18 °C, about 26 t net (25–27.5 t depending on product and packing) | Frozen pork to Côte d'Ivoire |
| Frozen beef and offal | Kidneys, liver, hearts, tails, 80/20 trimmings | EU and South America | 40' reefer at -18 °C, about 26 t net (25–27.5 t depending on product and packing) | Beef and offal to Côte d'Ivoire |
| Dairy | Skimmed milk powder (SMP), whole milk powder, FFMP, UHT milk | EU | 40': 24–25 t; 20': 16–18 t; minimum one 20' for milk powder | Milk powder and UHT to Côte d'Ivoire |
| Frozen fries | 7×7 and 9×9 mm fries | EU | 40' reefer at -18 °C | Frozen fries to Côte d'Ivoire |
Poultry: we do not offer frozen poultry for Côte d'Ivoire. Our poultry offers cover Ghana, Benin, Togo, Guinea and Liberia.
Ports and transit
- Abidjan: main port and gateway to Côte d'Ivoire and to the Burkina Faso and Mali corridors.
- San-Pédro: second port, serving the south-west, for all our products.
- Transit: 23–26 days with the fastest direct service; longer with transhipment, depending on the carrier.
- Incoterms: CIF Abidjan by default, CFR and FOB on request.
Documents and sanitary control
- Health or veterinary certificate from the competent authority of the origin country.
- Certificate of origin, invoice, packing list and bill of lading.
- SGS pre-shipment inspection and temperature recorder on request.
- Halal certificate on request for beef, per full container.
- In Côte d'Ivoire, the veterinary services of MIRAH issue sanitary authorisations and carry out border controls. The importer obtains the import authorisation; we confirm the requirements with them before each loading.
Import requirements at a glance
| Item | Côte d'Ivoire |
|---|---|
| Sanitary authority | Ministry of Animal and Fishery Resources (MIRAH), Directorate of Veterinary Services: prior import authorisation for meat, offal and fish. |
| Border control | SICOSAV (border veterinary sanitary inspection) inspects animal and fishery products on arrival. Public food-safety laboratories: LANADA and LANEMA. |
| To obtain before shipment | By the importer: import authorisation from the ministry; electronic import declaration (FDI) filed on GUCE and validated before arrival. For sea freight: cargo tracking note (BSC) requested from the Office Ivoirien des Chargeurs (OIC) from the loading port; exporter, carrier and importer must be registered, and a BSC requested on arrival is refused. |
| Documents on arrival | Health or veterinary certificate from the origin country; commercial invoice (in French), certificate of origin, bill of lading and packing list; FDI and BSC. |
| Labelling | In French (or with a clear translation); date mandatory on perishable food. |
| Single window | GUCE (Guichet Unique du Commerce Extérieur): declarations and duty payment. |
| Typical port clearance time | Confirmed with your clearing agent. |
| Customs duty (ECOWAS CET, ad valorem on CIF value) | Frozen beef (0202), frozen pork (0203), offal (0206): 35 %, fifth band. Frozen fish including horse mackerel, mackerel, sardinella, tilapia, hake (0303): 10 %. Skimmed or whole milk powder in packs of 25 kg or more (0402.10.10, 0402.21.10): 5 %; packs under 25 kg: 10 %. Plus statistical fee (1 %) and community levies PCS (0.8 %) and PCC (0.5 %), then VAT (18 % standard rate, some foods exempt or reduced). A specific per-kg surcharge also applies to frozen meat. |
This reflects published regulation; the importer and their clearing agent confirm current requirements before each loading.
What sells in this market
- Frozen fish: horse mackerel, mackerel, sardinella, tilapia, hake, in 40' reefers of about 26–28 t. Tell us the size band (grams per piece) and carton weight you need: we quote against your specification.
- Frozen pork: front and hind feet, heads, neck bones, tails, masks.
- Frozen beef and offal: kidneys, liver, hearts, tails, 80/20 trimmings. Halal certificate on request for beef, per full container.
- Milk powder: SMP, whole milk powder, FFMP. The tariff separates packs of 25 kg or more (5 %) from smaller packs (10 %): state the packing you need in your enquiry.
- Frozen fries: 7×7 and 9×9 mm.
- No poultry for Côte d'Ivoire.
Landlocked corridors
- Abidjan – Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso): road transit between ECOWAS states runs under the ISRT convention (TRIE in French): a single transit declaration, approved vehicles, customs seals, route and delivery time set at departure, and a guarantee. On this corridor, the SIGMAT system links the customs administrations: the declaration registered in Abidjan is sent electronically, with no new declaration at the border.
- Abidjan – Bamako (Mali): same ISRT regional framework. Mali's import rules for meat must be confirmed with the importer before any offer.
- On the Burkina Faso side: the Burkinabè importer obtains a special import authorisation (ASI) from the Directorate General of Veterinary Services for animal products.
- Our role: delivery CIF Abidjan; onward road transit is arranged by the importer. We provide the documents needed for their transit declaration.
How to order
- Tell us the product, size, volume and port (Abidjan or San-Pédro).
- We send a firm offer, valid for a few days.
- Payment terms are agreed in each contract.
- We arrange loading and send the documents before the vessel arrives.
FAQ
Do you supply frozen poultry to Côte d'Ivoire?
No, we do not offer poultry for this market. We ship it to Ghana, Benin, Togo, Guinea and Liberia.
What is the minimum order?
One full container. A reefer can combine several compatible frozen products.
Which Incoterm do you offer?
CIF: we pay freight and insurance to your port. CFR: we pay freight, you insure the cargo. FOB: you book freight and insurance from the European port.
How long is the transit?
23–26 days with the fastest direct service; longer with transhipment, depending on the carrier.
Which documents are needed to clear customs in Abidjan?
The origin health certificate, certificate of origin and full commercial set, plus the import authorisation the importer obtains from MIRAH.
Do you ship to Burkina Faso or Mali via Abidjan?
Yes, CIF Abidjan with onward road transit arranged by the importer. See the Burkina Faso page.
What customs duty applies to meat, fish and milk powder?
Under the ECOWAS common external tariff: 35 % on frozen meat and offal, 10 % on frozen fish, 5 % on milk powder in packs of 25 kg or more, on CIF value, plus levies and VAT. The exact amount is calculated line by line on GUCE.
Does EU origin reduce the duty?
Not for meat and offal, which are excluded from the tariff cuts of the EU–Côte d'Ivoire Economic Partnership Agreement, nor for fish of non-EU origin: the CET rates above apply. For EU-origin milk powder, your clearing agent confirms whether a preference applies.
What is the BSC and who handles it?
The cargo tracking note (BSC) is mandatory for sea freight. It is requested from the OIC before the vessel arrives, from the loading port; a BSC requested on arrival is not accepted. We coordinate the request with the importer for each container.
Which labelling rules apply?
Mandatory information is in French, or with a clear translation, with a date on perishable food.
What does a buyer in Burkina Faso need when shipping via Abidjan?
A special import authorisation (ASI) issued by Burkina Faso's Directorate General of Veterinary Services, in addition to the ISRT transit documents.
Can pork be halal certified?
No. The halal certificate is offered for beef only, per full container.
Sources
- UEMOA, Tarif extérieur commun 2022 (SH2022, TEC ECOWAS), DD, RS, PCS, PC columns
- Mali Customs, ECOWAS common external tariff (SH, version 05/04/2023), cross-check of DD rates
- U.S. International Trade Administration, Côte d'Ivoire Country Commercial Guide, Import Tariffs (updated 26/5/2026)
- U.S. International Trade Administration, Côte d'Ivoire, Import Requirements and Documentation (26/5/2026)
- USDA FAS, Côte d'Ivoire FAIRS Country Report Annual (IV2024-0006, 16/7/2024)
- Côte d'Ivoire, Directorate of Veterinary Services, prior import authorisation application form (hosted by USDA APHIS)
- Fraternité Matin, 9/2/2022, statement by the Directorate General of Customs (RS 1 %, PCS 0,8 %, PCC 0,5 %, CET bands)
- USDA FAS, Côte d'Ivoire Exporter Guide Annual 2025 (IV2025-0008 ; VAT, exemptions and reduced rate)
- Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), Côte d'Ivoire : Zollanmeldung, 28/2/2024 (FDI on GUCE, BSC from OIC)
- ECOWAS, Convention A/P.4/5/82 on Inter-State Road Transit of Goods (ISRT/TRIE), art. 4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 27, 28
- WCO and World Bank, WCO News n° 99, 12/10/2022, interconnectivity of transit systems in West Africa (SIGMAT, corridor Abidjan–Ouagadougou)
- WTO, import licensing database, Burkina Faso, animal products (DGSV special import authorisation)