How to Import Matcha from Japan to Saudi Arabia: Compliance, Documents & Shipping
To import matcha to Saudi Arabia from Japan you need three things in place: the product and your facility registered with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) through its Ghad platform, a SABER/Saleem Certificate of Conformity for the shipment, and a GSO 9:2022-compliant label with an Arabic translation. The good news for buyers is that tea, including matcha, enters Saudi Arabia duty-free under the GCC common external tariff (U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Saudi Arabia import tariffs), so there is no product customs duty — only 15% import VAT plus compliance. This guide is written for importers, distributors, OEM and wellness manufacturers buying at scale.
Most guides that rank here are generic SFDA-registration explainers; almost none connect the Saudi paperwork to what a Japanese matcha supplier actually prepares. That link — COA, MRL and heavy-metal testing and origin documents on the export side, matched to registration, conformity and labeling on the import side — is where a shipment clears or stalls.
Key Takeaways
- Matcha is duty-free at the Saudi border: green tea including matcha is classified under HS 0902 and enters Saudi Arabia duty-free under the GCC tariff, so plan for 15% VAT and compliance, not a tariff.
- SFDA registration is the real gate: each product and your facility must be registered with the SFDA (Ghad platform) before the shipment arrives.
- Conformity is mandatory: a SABER/Saleem Certificate of Conformity is issued by a SASO-approved body and presented at customs clearance.
- Arabic labeling is required: labels must meet GSO 9:2022 — Arabic language, product name, country of origin, ingredients, dates and shelf-life.
- Halal is usually not mandatory: plant-only matcha is not animal-derived, so it does not trigger mandatory halal certification unless you make a Halal claim.
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＼Read Also／
Can you import matcha into Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Matcha is milled Japanese green tea, classified under HS 0902 (green tea) in the Harmonized System (Harmonized Tariff Schedule, chapter 9), and it is freely importable into Saudi Arabia as a regulated food product. There is no ban and no special quota; the requirements are the standard ones that apply to any imported food — registration, conformity, documentation and labeling — applied to a tea powder.
The practical answer, then, is that admissibility is not the hard part — compliance is. Because tea carries no Saudi customs duty, the work sits in getting the SFDA registration, the SABER conformity certificate and the Arabic label right before the container reaches Jeddah or Riyadh. Get those three in order and a matcha shipment clears like any other compliant food import.
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Who regulates matcha imports into Saudi Arabia
Two authorities shape a matcha import. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) regulates food safety, registration and labeling, while the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) runs the SABER/Saleem conformity system that clears regulated products at the border. Understanding which body owns which step is the fastest way to avoid a stalled shipment.
SFDA registration and the Ghad platform
The SFDA requires food products to be registered before import, and the responsibility for registration lies with the importer (SFDA, conditions for importing food). In practice that means two registrations: your company and facility, and each product. As of 2026, food-product registration runs through the SFDA Ghad platform, and a consignment-specific import permit is generated for clearance. For matcha the registration is straightforward when the supplier can provide clean, stable documentation — ingredients (100% green tea), origin, shelf life, label and a testing report.
SABER / Saleem conformity
Regulated goods clear Saudi customs through the SASO SABER/Saleem conformity system. The importer registers the product in SABER, a SASO-approved certification body performs the conformity assessment, and a Certificate of Conformity (plus a per-shipment certificate) is issued and presented at clearance, which is submitted through the Fasah trade platform (U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Saudi Arabia standards for trade). Build this certification time into your lead-time plan rather than treating it as an afterthought at the port.
Documents required to import matcha into Saudi Arabia
The document set is where the export side and the import side meet. Most items are prepared by your Japanese supplier, which is why a supplier’s export-documentation capability matter so much. The table maps each document to its purpose and to who provides it; confirm the exact current list for your product against the SFDA import conditions.
| Document | Purpose | Prepared by |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice & packing list | Customs valuation and shipment details | Exporter (Japan) |
| Certificate of Analysis (COA) | Confirms specification, and supports SFDA registration | Exporter / testing lab |
| Pesticide (MRL) & heavy-metal test report | Food-safety evidence for SFDA and conformity | Exporter / accredited lab |
| Certificate of Origin (COO) | Proves Japanese origin; supports labeling and duty treatment | Exporter / chamber of commerce |
| SABER / Saleem Certificate of Conformity | Mandatory conformity for customs clearance | SASO-approved certification body |
| SFDA product registration / import permit | Consignment-specific clearance authorisation | Importer (via Ghad) |
| Bill of lading / airway bill | Transport document for the shipment | Freight forwarder |
| GSO 9:2022-compliant label (Arabic) | Labeling compliance at inspection | Exporter, per importer’s spec |
Source: SFDA import conditions and trade.gov standards for trade. The single biggest predictor of a clean clearance is whether your supplier can produce per-lot COA, MRL and heavy-metal testing, and origin documents without delay — the same paperwork the SFDA registration and SABER conformity both draw on.
Labeling requirements for imported matcha (GSO 9:2022)
Prepackaged food sold in Saudi Arabia must meet the GSO 9:2022 labeling standard, and the requirement that trips up first-time exporters is language: the label must be in Arabic, or carry an Arabic translation. Agree the label artwork with your supplier before production so the Arabic panel is printed on the pack, not stickered on later.
| Label element | Requirement | Matcha note |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Arabic, or an Arabic translation on the label | Applies to all mandatory fields |
| Product name | Clear product identity | e.g. “Matcha — green tea powder” |
| Country of origin | Mandatory; permanent/unremovable marking | “Product of Japan” |
| Ingredients | Listed in descending order of predominance | Single ingredient: 100% green tea |
| Production & expiry dates | Both required on prepackaged food | Set a realistic shelf life for a fine powder |
| Shelf life / storage | Shelf-life and end-use info where applicable | Cool, dry, sealed storage advised |
| Packer / importer name | Name of the packer / responsible party | Add the Saudi importer as required |
Source: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Saudi Arabia labeling requirements (GSO 9:2022). A useful matcha-specific point: single-ingredient foods such as tea are generally excluded from the nutrition-labeling regulation, which simplifies the panel — but the Arabic-language, country-of-origin and date requirements still apply in full.
Duty, VAT and halal status of matcha
Because there is no tariff to plan around, the cost and compliance picture is simpler than for many products — but it still has two moving parts a buyer must budget for, plus one question that comes up on every GCC food import: halal.
Customs duty and VAT
The GCC applies a common external tariff of about 5% to most goods, but tea (including matcha) is among the items admitted duty-free (trade.gov, Saudi Arabia import tariffs), so there is no product duty to add. What does apply is 15% import VAT at import, calculated on the CIF value; confirm the exact HS 0902 line and treatment on the ZATCA Integrated Customs Tariff before you budget.
Halal considerations
Pure matcha is milled green tea leaf — a plant-only powder with no meat, animal fat, gelatin or animal-derived enzymes — so it does not fall in the animal-derived categories that trigger mandatory halal certification. If, however, your finished product carries a Halal logo or blends in animal-derived ingredients, certification requirements can apply, so confirm the current SFDA scope for your exact product (SFDA food regulations).
Step-by-step: importing matcha from Japan to Saudi Arabia
The smoothest imports follow the same sequence, and most of it happens upstream before the container is even booked. Treat steps 1–4 as export-side preparation and 5–8 as import-side clearance.
- Agree the specification: fix the grade, origin and specification in writing so quotes and documents are comparable.
- %s: obtain per-lot COA plus pesticide (MRL) and heavy-metal test reports from your supplier.
- %s: prepare the certificate of origin, commercial invoice and packing list.
- %s: finalise the GSO 9:2022 label artwork with the Arabic panel and country of origin.
- Register with the SFDA: register your facility and the product with the SFDA via the Ghad platform.
- Obtain SABER conformity: register the product in SABER and obtain the Certificate of Conformity from a SASO-approved body.
- %s: book freight to Jeddah or Riyadh and generate the consignment-specific import permit.
- Clear customs: submit clearance via Fasah, present the documents and conformity certificate, and pay 15% VAT.
Run steps 1–4 and 5–6 in parallel wherever possible: the export documentation your supplier prepares is exactly what the SFDA and SABER steps consume, so a supplier who ships documents quickly compresses your whole timeline.
Common mistakes to avoid
Matcha imports rarely fail on duty; they fail on documents and labeling. The recurring pitfalls are predictable, and each one is avoidable with a little upfront discipline.
- Registering too late: leaving SFDA product registration until the shipment is en route, then holding the container at the port.
- Skipping the Arabic label: printing an English-only or sticker label instead of a compliant Arabic GSO 9:2022 panel.
- Weak testing documentation: accepting a quote without per-lot COA, MRL and heavy-metal testing, then failing food-safety checks.
- Getting the tax wrong: assuming a generic 5% tariff and over-budgeting, or forgetting the 15% VAT line entirely.
- Underestimating conformity time: treating SABER conformity as a formality booked at the last minute rather than a lead-time item.
Supplier-document checklist for Saudi matcha buyers
Because a Saudi import stands or falls on paperwork, the strongest way to compare any matcha supplier — JMEX included — is to ask what they can prove. Put the same questions to every candidate, on documents rather than colour or a headline price.
| What to check | What to verify with any supplier |
|---|---|
| Quality documentation | Per-lot COA, and how grade and specification are defined |
| Food-safety testing | Pesticide (MRL) and heavy-metal test reports from an accredited lab |
| Origin & traceability | Confirmed Japanese origin and a certificate of origin |
| Labeling support | Ability to print a GSO 9:2022 Arabic label to your specification |
| Saudi compliance fit | Documentation that supports SFDA registration and SABER conformity |
| Export handling | Correct HS 0902 classification and complete export documents |
| Consistency | Ability to hold the same spec and documentation across reorders |
A supplier who cannot prove a claim cannot clear it, and for a Saudi import the supplier who answers with documents is worth far more than one quoting only a low price.
From the exporter’s perspective
From the export side, the matcha shipments that clear Saudi customs without drama share the same habits. The buyer fixes grade and origin against a written specification before asking for a price, so documents are comparable. They request per-lot COA, MRL and heavy-metal testing up front — which is exactly what SFDA registration and SABER conformity need anyway — and they agree the Arabic label artwork before production rather than stickering it later. Because JMEX prepares quality, origin and export documentation as one flow, a Saudi importer can keep the SFDA and conformity paperwork moving in parallel with the shipment instead of chasing documents after the container has sailed.
Researched and reviewed by the Matcha Times Editorial Team, operated by the Japan Matcha Export Organization (JMEX). Last reviewed: September 20, 2026. See our Editorial Policy and Sources & Methodology. Found an error? Tell us.
Sources & Methodology
This guide is a source-transparent synthesis of official Saudi and US-government requirements, not a proprietary or paid dataset. Every regulatory fact — SFDA registration, SABER conformity, GSO 9:2022 labeling, duty-free treatment and 15% VAT — is grounded in the primary and official sources below. We publish no fabricated buyer statistic and no in-house figure we cannot source; where a requirement can change (registration steps, tariff lines) we say so and point to the authoritative platform to confirm before you ship.
- Saudi Food and Drug Authority — Conditions & Requirements for Importing Food — that imported food must be registered with the SFDA, that the importer is responsible for registration, and the supporting documents required for an import permit (accessed 2026-09-20; Saudi government (primary))
- Saudi Food and Drug Authority — Food Import Conditions & Regulations — the SFDA food-import regulatory framework and the scope of mandatory halal certification that plant-only matcha does not fall into by default (accessed 2026-09-20; Saudi government (primary))
- U.S. Department of Commerce — Saudi Arabia Standards for Trade — that the SABER/Saleem conformity system and a Certificate of Conformity are mandatory for imported goods and that clearance is submitted through the Fasah platform (accessed 2026-09-20; US government commercial guide (primary/official))
- U.S. Department of Commerce — Saudi Arabia Labeling/Marking Requirements — the GSO 9:2022 labeling fields, the Arabic-language rule, mandatory country-of-origin marking, production/expiry dates, and the single-ingredient nutrition-labeling exclusion for tea (accessed 2026-09-20; US government commercial guide (primary/official))
- U.S. Department of Commerce — Saudi Arabia Import Tariffs (Country Commercial Guide) — that Saudi Arabia applies the GCC ~5% common external tariff on most goods, that tea (incl. matcha) enters duty-free, and that import VAT is 15% (accessed 2026-09-20; US government commercial guide (primary/official))
- ZATCA — Integrated Customs Tariff — the authoritative Saudi customs tariff to confirm the exact HS 0902 line and import VAT treatment (accessed 2026-09-20; Saudi government (primary))
- SABER — Saudi Certificate of Conformity platform — that a Certificate of Conformity and a shipment certificate are obtained via SABER and presented to Saudi customs for regulated products (accessed 2026-09-20; Saudi conformity system (primary))
- U.S. International Trade Commission — Harmonized Tariff Schedule, chapter 9 — the HS 0902 classification for green tea including matcha used to confirm the customs line (accessed 2026-09-20; tariff classification reference (primary))
- Japan Ministry of Finance — Trade Statistics of Japan (via Nippon.com) — context on Japan’s green-tea export scale (all forms, incl. matcha; a green-tea total, not matcha-only) (accessed 2026-09-20; Japan government trade statistics (primary))
Why Buyers Choose JMEX (Japan Matcha Export Organization)
For a Saudi importer, the deciding factor in a matcha import is rarely price — it is whether the supplier can produce the documents the SFDA and SABER steps demand. JMEX (Japan Matcha Export Organization) is a wholesale and export partner focused on shipping authentic Japanese matcha overseas, sourcing from verified Japanese origins and preparing quality, origin and export documentation as one flow.
That matters here because the same COA, MRL and heavy-metal testing, and certificate of origin that JMEX prepares are exactly what a Saudi import needs for registration and conformity. With an export track record to 43 countries, it supplies from a small trial lot up to one-ton volumes for importers, wholesalers, OEM and health manufacturers, can confirm origin, flush, COA and MRL documentation, and can support GSO 9:2022 labeling and halal requirements where a product needs them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions Saudi buyers ask most about importing matcha from Japan.
Can you import matcha into Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Matcha is Japanese green tea (HS 0902) and is freely importable into Saudi Arabia as a regulated food. There is no ban or quota — you need SFDA product and facility registration, a SABER/Saleem Certificate of Conformity, and a GSO 9:2022 Arabic label, and then it clears customs like any other compliant food import.
Is there import duty on tea or matcha in Saudi Arabia?
No. Green tea including matcha enters Saudi Arabia duty-free under the GCC common external tariff, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce country commercial guide. The standard GCC tariff is about 5% on most goods, but tea is admitted duty-free — confirm the exact HS 0902 line on the ZATCA Integrated Customs Tariff. You still pay 15% import VAT.
Does matcha need SFDA registration?
Yes. Food products must be registered with the SFDA before import, with each product and your facility registered through the Ghad platform and the importer responsible for registration. A consignment-specific import permit is then generated for clearance, so register well before the shipment is due.
What documents does a matcha shipment need at customs?
You need a commercial invoice and packing list, a Certificate of Analysis, pesticide (MRL) and heavy-metal test reports, a certificate of origin, a SABER Certificate of Conformity, the SFDA registration/import permit, the transport document, and a GSO 9:2022 Arabic label. Most are prepared by your Japanese supplier, which is why export-documentation capability matters.
Does imported matcha need halal certification in Saudi Arabia?
Pure matcha is a plant-only powder with no animal-derived ingredients, so it does not fall in the categories that trigger mandatory halal certification. If your finished product carries a Halal logo or blends animal-derived ingredients, certification can apply — confirm the current SFDA scope for your exact product.
Does matcha packaging need Arabic labeling?
Yes. Under GSO 9:2022 the label must be in Arabic or carry an Arabic translation, and must show the product name, country of origin, ingredients, production and expiry dates and shelf life. Agree the Arabic artwork with your supplier before production so it is printed on the pack.
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Conclusion
When origin, grade, and export conditions align, matcha becomes a stable revenue source. Start by defining your requirements and confirming quality with a sample.
Looking for wholesale or OEM matcha samples? Contact us — we will recommend the optimal origin and grade based on your application and target markets.
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