India botanical export data FY2024-25: 19 trade figures for buyers
Updated: Oct 23
By the IndoFolk Wellness Care Team | Last reviewed October 2026
Quick answer: In FY2024-25, India's plant extract exports (HS 13021919) reached ₹4,381 crore, up 32%, while finished Ayurvedic medicaments grew only 4% to ₹1,394 crore. Psyllium husk earned ₹3,540 crore (+13%), turmeric powder ₹1,123 crore (+45%) and dried ginger ₹319 crore (+195%). Imports of gum arabic rose 64% and mango/mahua butters 160%. Overseas buyers increasingly want Indian botanicals as ingredients for their own brands (DGCI&S trade data, FY2024-25).
Trade journalists, export councils and sourcing teams keep asking the same question: which Indian botanical lines are actually growing? We pulled the figures for 19 product lines from India's official trade statistics for FY2024-25 (April 2024 to March 2025) and set them out below in one table you can cite. The headline: plant extracts grew eight times faster than finished Ayurvedic medicines.
Key findings
Ingredients are outgrowing finished Ayurveda. Plant extract exports reached ₹4,381 crore (+32%), more than three times the ₹1,394 crore of finished Ayurvedic medicaments (+4%).
Psyllium husk is the second-largest line. Exports reached ₹3,540 crore, up 13%.
Turmeric and ginger surged. Turmeric powder rose 45% to ₹1,123 crore, turmeric oleoresin 26% to ₹965 crore, and dried ginger nearly tripled (+195%) to ₹319 crore. Spices as a whole (chapter 09) grew 16%, and cardamom 50%.
Ashwagandha leaves India mainly as extract. Raw ashwagandha root exports were only ₹30 crore.
The pet trade is growing, but herbal pet ingredients barely register. Veterinary preparation exports rose 41% to ₹844 crore and dog and cat food exports 28% to ₹628 crore, yet herbal pet ingredient exports are close to nil.
Gums and butters show import shocks. Gum arabic imports rose 64% to ₹486 crore, and mango/mahua butter imports rose 160% to ₹151 crore.
Smaller lines are moving fast in both directions. Spice oils grew 94% to ₹192 crore and tamarind kernel powder 47% to ₹152 crore, while neem extract fell 44% to ₹66 crore.
Master table: India botanical and related trade, FY2024-25
Values are in ₹ crore as reported, rounded. "Change" compares FY2024-25 with FY2023-24. A dash means the figure is not part of our data set.
Product | HS code | FY2024-25 value (₹ crore) | Change vs FY2023-24 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Plant extracts | 13021919 | 4,381 | +32% | Export |
Psyllium husk | 12119032 | 3,540 | +13% | Export |
Finished Ayurvedic medicaments | 30049011 | 1,394 | +4% | Export |
Dog and cat food, retail packs | 23091000 | 1,140 | +9% | Import |
Turmeric powder | 09103030 | 1,123 | +45% | Export |
Turmeric oleoresin | — | 965 | +26% | Export |
Veterinary preparations | — | 844 | +41% | Export |
Dog and cat food, retail packs | 23091000 | 628 | +28% | Export |
Gum arabic | 13012000 | 486 | +64% | Import |
Dried ginger | — | 319 | +195% | Export |
Cosmetic butters (mango/mahua) | 15159040 | about 205 | — | Export |
Spice oils and pepper oil | — | 192 | +94% | Export |
Tamarind kernel powder | — | 152 | +47% | Export |
Cosmetic butters (mango/mahua) | 15159040 | 151 | +160% | Import |
Neem extract | 13021916 | 66 | −44% | Export |
Ashwagandha root, raw | 12119057 | 30 | — | Export |
Spices (all of chapter 09) | Chapter 09 | — | +16% | Export |
Cardamom | — | — | +50% | Export |
Gum karaya | — | — | +98% | Export |
Plant extracts vs finished Ayurveda
The biggest story in the data is where the value sits. Plant extracts (HS 13021919) earned ₹4,381 crore and grew 32%. Finished Ayurvedic medicaments (HS 30049011) earned ₹1,394 crore and grew 4%.
In practice, buyers abroad want Indian herbs inside their own brands, not Indian-branded finished products. Ashwagandha shows the same pattern: raw root exports were just ₹30 crore, so most of the herb leaves India already processed into extract. Neem is the exception among the extracts we tracked, with exports down 44% to ₹66 crore.
For buyers, this means competition for good extract capacity, and a stronger case for asking about marker compounds, solvent residues and identity testing on every lot.
Spices: turmeric, ginger and cardamom
Spices as a whole (chapter 09) grew 16%, but several lines did far better:
Turmeric powder (09103030): ₹1,123 crore, up 45%.
Turmeric oleoresin: ₹965 crore, up 26%.
Dried ginger: ₹319 crore, up 195%.
Cardamom: up 50%.
Spice oils and pepper oil: ₹192 crore, up 94%.
Turmeric now moves in both raw and processed forms at scale. For brands, the choice between powder, oleoresin and standardised extract is a specification decision as much as a price one. Faster growth also puts more pressure on quality control, so agree ethylene oxide, pesticide residue and aflatoxin limits before you order.
Psyllium: a large line under supply pressure
Psyllium husk (12119032) was worth ₹3,540 crore in FY2024-25, up 13%, second only to plant extracts in our table. Lead has become a compliance focus for psyllium sold in California, where Prop 65 notices have named psyllium products. Ask for ICP-MS heavy metal results for every lot. Our psyllium grades and lead testing guide covers the specification in detail.
The pet trade: growing, with an empty lane
India's pet-related trade grew on both sides:
Veterinary preparations: exports ₹844 crore, up 41%.
Dog and cat food for retail sale (23091000): exports ₹628 crore, up 28%, mostly animal chews.
The same code, imports: ₹1,140 crore, up 9%.
India still imports more retail dog and cat food than it exports. Herbal pet ingredient exports, meanwhile, are close to nil. India supplies turmeric, psyllium and ashwagandha extract to human supplement brands at scale, but these herbs rarely leave as pet-specific ingredients. For pet brands, that is an open lane: the raw materials and supply base exist, but almost no exports are made for pet products.
Gums and butters: import shocks
Two ingredient groups show sharp import growth:
Gum arabic (13012000): imports ₹486 crore, up 64%, linked to the supply shock from Sudan.
Mango and mahua butters (15159040): imports ₹151 crore, up 160%, while India exports about ₹205 crore of the same code.
Indian gums are moving too: gum karaya exports rose 98%, and tamarind kernel powder exports rose 47% to ₹152 crore. Formulators looking to reduce dependence on gum arabic may find Indian gums worth testing, but each needs a performance trial and a regulatory check for its target market.
What it means for buyers
If you buy... | What the data suggests | What to do now |
|---|---|---|
Botanical extracts | Strong demand; extracts lead growth | Lock in specs and capacity early; test every lot |
Turmeric and ginger | Fast export growth | Agree ETO, pesticide and aflatoxin limits up front |
Psyllium husk | Large, steady line | Ask for lead results by lot; book volume early |
Pet ingredients | Herbal pet exports near nil | Brief suppliers on pet specs; few direct competitors |
Gums and butters | Import pressure in India | Compare Indian gums; confirm butter origin |
Market access is shifting too. Always verify the tariff for your exact HS code:
UK: the India–UK CETA came into force on 15 July 2026. See our CETA duty guide.
EFTA: the India–EFTA TEPA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) has been in force since 1 October 2025, with some tariff cuts phased in over several years.
US: since 24 July 2026, many Indian goods have faced an additional 10% Section 301 duty on top of normal duty, with some exemptions, according to press reports of the USTR's final measures. Check the current position with your customs broker.
EU: an India–EU agreement is reported to be due for signing in December 2026. It is not yet in force.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are India's largest botanical exports in 2025?
In FY2024-25, the largest lines in our table were plant extracts (HS 13021919) at ₹4,381 crore and psyllium husk (12119032) at ₹3,540 crore. Finished Ayurvedic medicaments followed at ₹1,394 crore, then turmeric powder at ₹1,123 crore and turmeric oleoresin at ₹965 crore (DGCI&S trade data, FY2024-25).
Are Indian Ayurvedic exports growing?
It depends on the form. Plant extract exports grew 32% in FY2024-25, but finished Ayurvedic medicaments (HS 30049011) grew only 4%, to ₹1,394 crore. Overseas buyers increasingly import Indian herbs as ingredients and sell them under their own brands, rather than buying Indian-branded finished products.
How much turmeric does India export?
India's turmeric powder exports (HS 09103030) were worth ₹1,123 crore in FY2024-25, up 45% on the previous year. Turmeric oleoresin exports added ₹965 crore, up 26%. Spices as a whole (chapter 09) grew 16% (DGCI&S trade data, FY2024-25).
Does India export herbal pet supplement ingredients?
Very little. Veterinary preparation exports reached ₹844 crore (+41%) and dog and cat food exports ₹628 crore (+28%), mostly animal chews. Herbal ingredients made for pet products are close to nil in the data, even though India exports the same herbs at scale for human supplements.
Where does this data come from?
The figures come from India's official merchandise trade statistics compiled by DGCI&S and published through the Department of Commerce's TradeStat portal. They cover the financial year April 2024 to March 2025, compared with FY2023-24, and are reported in ₹ crore.
How to cite this data
You are welcome to quote these figures and reproduce the chart or table with credit. Suggested citation:
IndoFolk Wellness, India botanical export data FY2024-25, analysis of DGCI&S trade data, October 2026.
Please link to this page so readers can see the full table and methodology.
Methodology
Source: Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, published through the TradeStat portal, https://tradestat.commerce.gov.in/, and compiled in our trade research.
Period: Indian financial year basis, FY2024-25 (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025), compared with FY2023-24.
Units: values in ₹ crore as reported (1 crore = 10 million rupees), not converted to other currencies.
Rounding: values rounded to the nearest crore and changes to the nearest whole per cent.
Codes: HS codes are Indian 8-digit ITC(HS) codes where given; some lines are product groups without a single code.
Scope: all destinations or all origins combined, not split by country.
Work With IndoFolk Wellness
IndoFolk Wellness is a New Delhi-based sourcing and export coordination partner. We do not own factories; we help brands and importers select vetted Indian manufacturers for botanical extracts, spices, psyllium and pet products, and manage samples, documents and shipping. Request a quote, samples or a spec sheet.
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Sources
This article is general information, not legal, regulatory or customs advice.
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