Import from DR Congo: Buying Congolese Coffee, Cocoa, Copper, Cobalt & Timber Safely
Kivu coffee, fine-flavour cocoa, Katanga copper and cobalt, 3T minerals and Congo Basin hardwoods — and how to move them safely to your port.
Read guide →🇨🇩 Regional sourcing · DR Congo → the world
Import products from DR Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo holds some of Africa's richest agricultural land and mineral deposits — Kivu Arabica coffee, fine-flavour cocoa, copper and cobalt from the Katanga copper belt, tin, tantalum and tungsten from the east, and tropical hardwoods from the Congo Basin.
Sourcing from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Buying from the DRC can be difficult for overseas importers: long overland routes, many border crossings, varied regulation and, for minerals, strict conflict-minerals due diligence. We act as your sourcing and logistics partner in the region — identifying licensed exporters and cooperatives, arranging quality inspection, preparing documents and moving cargo through the Northern Corridor (Goma → Kampala/Kigali → Mombasa), the Central Corridor (→ Dar es Salaam) or the Southern routes from Katanga.
Goods remain of Congolese origin and are exported under DRC export documentation and certificates. Where Kenya is the best route, cargo travels in bonded transit to Mombasa, where we can inspect, re-weigh, consolidate and load it for shipment worldwide.
How we help
- Tell us what you need. Choose the origin country, product, type, quantity, Incoterm and your destination port or airport on our order form.
- We find and verify suppliers. Licensed exporters, cooperatives, washing stations, processors and mines — checked for licences, capacity and track record.
- Quality & samples. Pre-shipment samples, cupping or lab analysis, and independent inspection (SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, Alex Stewart) before loading.
- Documents & compliance. Origin-country export permits, certificates of origin, phytosanitary and quality certificates, and due-diligence files (EUDR, conflict minerals, CITES).
- Logistics to your port. Bonded transit through Kenya to Mombasa or via Dar es Salaam, Djibouti or Matadi — consolidated with Kenyan cargo where it saves you money.
Products from DR Congo
6 product categories with types, specifications and growing areas.
🇨🇩 DR CONGO
Congolese Coffee (Kivu Arabica & Robusta)
Coffee from the volcanic highlands around Lake Kivu is one of Africa's most exciting specialty origins.
Types: Kivu Washed Arabica · Natural Arabica · Congo Robusta
🇨🇩 DR CONGO
Congolese Cocoa Beans
Cocoa production in the DRC has grown rapidly, particularly in North Kivu (Beni, Butembo), Ituri and the Équateur and Kongo Central provinces.
Types: Fermented Cocoa Beans · Organic Fine-Flavour Cocoa · Cocoa Grade 2 / Industrial
🇨🇩 DR CONGO
Copper & Cobalt (Katanga Copperbelt)
The Katanga Copperbelt (Haut-Katanga and Lualaba provinces, around Lubumbashi, Likasi and Kolwezi) is among the richest copper and cobalt regions on earth.
Types: Copper Cathodes · Copper Concentrate · Cobalt Hydroxide
🇨🇩 DR CONGO
Tin, Tantalum, Tungsten (3T) & Gold
Eastern DRC (North and South Kivu, Maniema, Tanganyika and Haut-Lomami) produces cassiterite (tin ore), coltan (columbite-tantalite) and wolframite (tungsten ore), largely from artisanal and small-scale mines, plus artisanal and industrial gold.
Types: Cassiterite · Coltan · Wolframite · Gold
🇨🇩 DR CONGO
Congo Basin Timber (Legal & Certified)
The Congo Basin rainforest produces some of the world's finest tropical hardwoods: sapele, sipo (utile), iroko, wenge, tola, padouk, afrormosia and more.
Types: Sapele · Sipo / Utile · Iroko · Wenge
🇨🇩 DR CONGO
Cinchona Bark & Quinine (Kivu)
The Kivu highlands are one of the world's few remaining commercial sources of cinchona — the tree whose bark yields quinine, used in pharmaceuticals and as the bitter flavour in tonic water and bitter drinks.
Types: Dried Cinchona Bark · Quinine SaltsRegulators & agencies
- OCC — Office Congolais de Contrôle (inspection & quality certificates)
- CEEC — Centre d'Expertise, d'Évaluation et de Certification (minerals & gemstones)
- ARECOMS — regulator for strategic minerals (cobalt export quotas)
- Ministry of Mines / Cadastre Minier (licences)
- Ministry of Agriculture phytosanitary service
- DGDA — Customs
Export documents
- DRC export declaration & licence
- OCC inspection / quality certificate
- Certificate of Origin (COMESA / SADC / EAC as applicable)
- Phytosanitary certificate (agricultural products)
- CEEC certificate and ITSCI / ICGLR documentation (minerals)
- CITES permit (listed timber species such as afrormosia)
- Transit documents (T1, regional bond, RECTS tracking) for Kenya/Uganda/Rwanda routes
Compliance notes
Tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold from eastern DRC are covered by the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation (EU 2017/821), US Dodd-Frank Section 1502 reporting and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance. We only work with licensed exporters using ITSCI or equivalent mine-to-export traceability, ICGLR certificates and third-party audited supply chains. Cobalt exports have been subject to DRC export suspension and quota measures since 2025; availability and quotas are confirmed at the time of contract.
FAQ — importing from DR Congo
Can you ship Congolese coffee and cocoa through Mombasa?
Yes. Eastern DRC coffee and cocoa commonly move by road through Uganda or Rwanda to Mombasa in bonded transit. We arrange trucking, transit bonds, inspection in Mombasa and loading on your vessel.
Will the certificate of origin show Kenya?
No. Goods keep their DRC origin and are exported under DRC certificates. Kenya is only the transit and shipping point.
Do you sell conflict-free minerals?
We only facilitate minerals from licensed exporters with ITSCI/ICGLR traceability, CEEC certificates and OECD-aligned due diligence. We do not handle untraceable artisanal material.
Buyer guides
Guides for importers
Ready to import from Kenya?
Tell us the product, variety, quantity, Incoterm (FOB / CIF / CFR / DAP) and your destination port or airport. We reply with a formal quotation, usually within one business day.