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Farm produce

Export ginger

Fresh ginger to Bangladesh and the Gulf, dried and powdered ginger to Morocco, the USA and Europe. CRES needed.

Free to exportHS 0910.11
HS code
0910.11
Ginger neither crushed nor ground — fresh or dried (0910 11), and crushed or ground ginger (0910 12).
Export policy
Free to export
Export is Free under ITC(HS), but ginger is a Spices Board spice — you need a CRES before exporting.
Registrations
5
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 143 mn
to 93 countries

What is exported

Ginger exports were about US$ 143 million in 2025-26 (TradeStat). Bangladesh is by far the biggest buyer of fresh ginger; Morocco, the USA, the UAE, Sudan, the UK and Germany buy mostly dried and ground ginger. India also has GI-tagged ginger from the North-East.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Fresh gingerWashed, cured rhizomes for Bangladesh, the Gulf and Europe.
  • Dry ginger — Cochin and Calicut stylesPeeled or scraped and sun-dried; sold whole, sliced or split.
  • Ginger powderGround from dry ginger; must be sterilised for most markets.
  • North-East varieties (Nadia, low-fibre types)Low-fibre ginger from Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam; several hold GI tags.

Where it is grown or made

  • KeralaWayanad, Idukki, Ernakulam — dry ginger trade centred on Kochi.
  • KarnatakaShivamogga, Hassan, Kodagu.
  • North-EastKarbi Anglong (Assam), Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Odisha and West BengalFresh ginger moving to Bangladesh through land ports.

Season

Fresh ginger is harvested from about December to March; dry ginger is processed from January to April. Check the Spices Board harvest calendar for your region.

Export packing

  • Fresh: 10–13 kg ventilated cartons or mesh bags, in reefers for Europe and the Gulf.
  • Dry and powder: lined jute or PP bags of 25–50 kg, or retail packs.

Who buys abroad

  • Wholesale market traders and importers in neighbouring countries
  • Spice grinders and blenders who pack under their own or supermarket brands
  • Food manufacturers buying sterilised spice as an ingredient (snacks, sauces, ready meals)
  • Beverage and herbal-tea makers

The quality buyers ask for

Fresh ginger
Washed, cured, plump hands of agreed weight; no soil, sprouting or rot
Dry ginger
Moisture, extraneous matter, mould and insect damage within AGMARK or buyer limits
Contaminants
Aflatoxin, Salmonella, ethylene oxide and residues to destination limits

Certificates

  • Spices Board CRESRequiredCertificate of Registration as Exporter of Spices; required by law before exporting a listed spice.
  • FSSAI licenceRequiredCentral licence from FSSAI for the premises where food is packed or stored for export.
  • Phytosanitary certificateRequiredIssued by Plant Quarantine (DPPQS) for each consignment after inspection; apply on PQMS.
  • HACCPOften askedFood-safety plan for the processing unit; most importers ask for it.
  • Organic (NPOP / NOP / EU)Often askedOnly if sold as organic: NPOP certification from an accredited body plus the market’s own organic rules.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Fresh: a 40-ft reefer typically about 25–27 tonnes in cartons; dry ginger: a 20-ft container typically about 12–15 tonnes in bags.

How it travels

Road to Bangladesh; sea freight from Kochi, Chennai or JNPA for other markets.

Storage

Fresh ginger typically at about 12–14 °C; dry ginger in dry, pest-free godowns.

Shelf life

Fresh: weeks to a few months in reefers; dry: about a year if dry and sealed.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Bulk bags and cartons: product and grade, crop year, lot number, net and gross weight, "Product of India", exporter name and the buyer’s shipping marks, matching the invoice and packing list exactly.
  • Lot or batch number on every pack and bag — required by FSSAI’s Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020, and used by every importing country to trace and recall.
  • EU retail packs (Regulation 1169/2011): food name, ingredients with allergens highlighted, net quantity, best-before date, storage conditions, EU importer’s name and address, and origin where required — in the language of the country of sale.
  • USA (21 CFR 101): product name, net quantity in US and metric units, ingredients, allergens, packer or distributor name and address, Nutrition Facts unless exempt, and "Product of India".
Where to get it tested

The Spices Board runs quality evaluation laboratories in Kochi, Mumbai, Chennai, Guntur, Narela (Delhi), Tuticorin, Kandla, Kolkata and Jodhpur (fees and forms on indianspices.com → Quality). NABL-accredited private labs are also used; check the Board’s list of mandatory tests for your spice and market.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • Spices BoardCertificate of Registration as Exporter of Spices (CRES). Required by law for anyone exporting a spice listed by the Spices Board, and it also serves as your RCMC.indianspices.org.in ↗
  • FSSAIFood business licence. FSSAI puts food exporters under the Central licence; apply on FoSCoS for the premises you pack from.foscos.fssai.gov.in ↗
  • Plant Quarantine (DPPQS)Phytosanitary certificate for each consignment of plant produce, applied for online on PQMS. Some markets also want the packhouse or processing unit registered.pqms.cgg.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • Ethylene oxide must not be used. The EU limit is 0.1 mg/kg on most spices and 0.02 mg/kg on curry powder, masala mixes and chilli (Spices Board SPS list); steam-sterilise instead.
  • Salmonella must be absent in 25 g for the EU and Australia; buyers also check moisture, extraneous matter and mould.
  • Pesticide residues must meet the destination country’s MRLs; check them in APEDA’s International Pesticide MRL Database before you buy the crop.
  • Fresh ginger must be washed, soil-free and well cured; plant quarantine services reject soil and rhizome rot.
  • Test each lot at an NABL-accredited or board laboratory before shipment and keep the report with the lot number.
How to start small

Fresh ginger to Bangladesh needs fast land-port logistics; dried ginger is easier for a beginner. Get a CRES and send 1–5 tonnes of tested dried ginger slices or powder to a spice importer in the Gulf, UK or USA. Since 15 September 2026, a consignment worth up to ₹3 lakh FOB does not need an RCMC (DGFT Notification 36/2026-27); registrations required by a law still apply.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Mould and aflatoxin in dried ginger dried on open ground — dry on clean platforms or in dryers.
  • Fresh ginger with soil or rot — whole consignments get rejected at destination quarantine.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (5)
  1. Department of Commerce — TradeStat, India’s exports by commodity and country (2025-26)
  2. Spices Board — Major item/country-wise export of spices (2021-22 to 2025-26)
  3. Spices Board — SPS requirements for spices (risks reported in export consignments)
  4. Spices Board — List of GI tags registered for spices (as of 15 Sep 2026)
  5. DGFT Notification 36/2026-27 (15 Sep 2026) — no RCMC needed for consignments up to ₹3 lakh FOB

Trade data

Indian ginger exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 143 mn
+4.4% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +14.3%
US$ 125 mn → US$ 143 mn
Buyer countries
93
Average export price
US$ 0.98
per kg · 1,46,257 tonnes shipped · US$ 0.95 the year before
Bangladesh: US$ 49.7 mnMorocco: US$ 24.2 mnUnited States of America: US$ 11.8 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 10.7 mnSudan: US$ 5.2 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 4.2 mnGermany: US$ 2.9 mnSouth Africa: US$ 2.8 mnEgypt: US$ 2.7 mnNetherlands: US$ 2.1 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 1.9 mnCanada: US$ 1.6 mnYemen: US$ 1.5 mnIndonesia: US$ 1.4 mnBelgium: US$ 1.3 mnAustralia: US$ 1.2 mnAlgeria: US$ 1.2 mnBrazil: US$ 1.1 mnNigeria: US$ 900kItaly: US$ 860kIsrael: US$ 850kTürkiye: US$ 770kKenya: US$ 760kJordan: US$ 750kNepal: US$ 750kBangladesh: US$ 49.7 mnBangladeshMorocco: US$ 24.2 mnMoroccoUnited States of America: US$ 11.8 mnUnited States of AmericaUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 10.7 mnUnited Arab EmiratesSudan: US$ 5.2 mnSudanUnited Kingdom: US$ 4.2 mnUnited KingdomGermany: US$ 2.9 mnSouth Africa: US$ 2.8 mnEgypt: US$ 2.7 mnNetherlands: US$ 2.1 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 1.9 mnCanada: US$ 1.6 mnYemen: US$ 1.5 mnIndonesia: US$ 1.4 mnBelgium: US$ 1.3 mnAustralia: US$ 1.2 mnAlgeria: US$ 1.2 mnBrazil: US$ 1.1 mnNigeria: US$ 900kItaly: US$ 860kIsrael: US$ 850kTürkiye: US$ 770kKenya: US$ 760kJordan: US$ 750kNepal: US$ 750kIndia
Where Indian ginger goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 115 mn1152020-212021-22: US$ 112 mn1122021-222022-23: US$ 54.1 mn542022-232023-24: US$ 78 mn782023-242024-25: US$ 125 mn1252024-252025-26: US$ 143 mn1432025-26
India’s ginger exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2022-23, lowest in 2021-22 — a 40% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 0.79 per kg2021-22: US$ 0.76 per kg0.762022-23: US$ 1.06 per kg1.062024-25: US$ 0.95 per kg2025-26: US$ 0.98 per kg0.982020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian ginger · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 115 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 112 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 54.1 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 78 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 125 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 143 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 119 mn (US$ 69.8 mn – US$ 202 mn)1192026-272027-28: US$ 125 mn (US$ 69 mn – US$ 226 mn)1252027-28
India’s ginger exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 125 mn

Likely range US$ 69 mn to US$ 226 mn.

Trend
+5.2% a year
Fit (R²)
0.07 — weak, read with care
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1BangladeshUS$ 49.7 mn+7.1%
2MoroccoUS$ 24.2 mn+42.3%
3United States of AmericaUS$ 11.8 mn+7.7%
4United Arab EmiratesUS$ 10.7 mn-22.4%
5SudanUS$ 5.2 mn+204.7%
6United KingdomUS$ 4.2 mn+8.5%
7GermanyUS$ 2.9 mn+39.5%
8South AfricaUS$ 2.8 mn+63.3%
9EgyptUS$ 2.7 mn+52.8%
10NetherlandsUS$ 2.1 mn+25%
11Saudi ArabiaUS$ 1.9 mn-57.9%
12CanadaUS$ 1.6 mn+21.4%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. SudanUS$ 1.7 mn → US$ 5.2 mn+204.7%
  2. South AfricaUS$ 1.7 mn → US$ 2.8 mn+63.3%
  3. EgyptUS$ 1.8 mn → US$ 2.7 mn+52.8%
  4. MoroccoUS$ 17 mn → US$ 24.2 mn+42.3%
  5. GermanyUS$ 2.1 mn → US$ 2.9 mn+39.5%
  6. NetherlandsUS$ 1.6 mn → US$ 2.1 mn+25%
  7. CanadaUS$ 1.3 mn → US$ 1.6 mn+21.4%

Low demand

  1. Saudi ArabiaUS$ 4.4 mn → US$ 1.9 mn-57.9%
  2. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 13.7 mn → US$ 10.7 mn-22.4%
  3. YemenUS$ 1.9 mn → US$ 1.5 mn-19.6%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Spices, ginger, neither crushed nor ground — fresh0910 11 10US$ 53.1 mn+9.5%1,15,873 tonnesUS$ 0.46 per kgwas US$ 0.45
Spices, ginger, neither crushed nor ground — dried, unbleached0910 11 20US$ 43.4 mn+16%16,102 tonnesUS$ 2.70 per kgwas US$ 3.01
Spices, ginger, crushed or ground — powder0910 12 10US$ 21.9 mn+13%6,325 tonnesUS$ 3.46 per kgwas US$ 3.57
Spices, ginger, neither crushed nor ground — dried, bleached0910 11 30US$ 10.7 mn+59.2%3,856 tonnesUS$ 2.76 per kgwas US$ 3.15
Other ginger; neither crushed nor ground0910 11 90 · Spices, ginger, neither crushed nor groundUS$ 7.6 mn+15.9%2,775 tonnesUS$ 2.73 per kgwas US$ 2.31
Other ginger; crushed or ground0910 12 90 · Spices, ginger, crushed or groundUS$ 6.4 mn-3%1,326 tonnesUS$ 4.82 per kgwas US$ 4.69

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 1.23 bn
2023
India among exporters
#6
of 124 countries
India’s share of world exports
4.8%
US$ 65.1 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 1.29 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 582 mn 42.8%
  2. 2NetherlandsUS$ 129 mn 9.5%
  3. 3PeruUS$ 120 mn 8.9%
  4. 4ThailandUS$ 76.8 mn 5.7%
  5. 5BrazilUS$ 66.1 mn 4.9%
  6. 6IndiaUS$ 65.1 mn 4.8%
  7. 7NigeriaUS$ 47.6 mn 3.5%
  8. 8United Arab EmiratesUS$ 47.3 mn 3.5%
  9. 9GermanyUS$ 34.6 mn 2.5%
  10. 10IndonesiaUS$ 28.4 mn 2.1%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 160 mn 13%
  2. 2NetherlandsUS$ 144 mn 11.7%
  3. 3GermanyUS$ 110 mn 8.9%
  4. 4JapanUS$ 106 mn 8.7%
  5. 5United KingdomUS$ 65.6 mn 5.3%
  6. 6MalaysiaUS$ 57.3 mn 4.7%
  7. 7CanadaUS$ 53.7 mn 4.4%
  8. 8United Arab EmiratesUS$ 43.4 mn 3.5%
  9. 9PakistanUS$ 42.9 mn 3.5%
  10. 10Saudi ArabiaUS$ 39.3 mn 3.2%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 187 mnIndia 5.4% · gap US$ 177 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 161 mnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 160 mn
JapanUS$ 101 mnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 101 mn
GermanyUS$ 93.8 mnIndia 2.4% · gap US$ 91.6 mn
United KingdomUS$ 65.6 mnIndia 4% · gap US$ 63 mn
MalaysiaUS$ 60.5 mnIndia 0.7% · gap US$ 60.1 mn
CanadaUS$ 53.4 mnIndia 3.6% · gap US$ 51.5 mn
United Arab EmiratesUS$ 43.4 mnIndia 8.6% · gap US$ 39.6 mn
Saudi ArabiaUS$ 39.5 mnIndia 10.4% · gap US$ 35.4 mn
FranceUS$ 29.9 mnIndia 2.2% · gap US$ 29.3 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export ginger

India is among the largest ginger producers and has a long history in dry ginger ("Cochin" and "Calicut" ginger). Exports split between fresh ginger to Bangladesh and the Gulf and dried or powdered ginger to Morocco, the USA, the UK and Europe. China, Nigeria, Peru and Thailand compete. Openings: low-fibre North-East ginger with GI tags, organic dried ginger, and sterilised powder for food makers.

  1. 01Get your IEC and CRES

    Apply for the IEC on the DGFT portal, then the CRES on the Spices Board portal; add an FSSAI licence if you pack or process.

  2. 02Source fresh or dry ginger

    Buy from farmer groups that keep spray records; for dry ginger, check drying method and moisture.

  3. 03Inspection and phytosanitary certificate

    Apply on PQMS; Plant Quarantine inspects the lot (and fumigation or treatment if the importing country requires it) before issuing the certificate.

  4. 04Clean, sterilise and test

    Machine-clean and sort the lot, steam-sterilise it if the buyer or market needs it, and test residues, microbiology and contaminants at an NABL or Spices Board lab.

  5. 05Agree specification, price and payment

    Put grade, tests, packing, Incoterm (FOB or CIF), shipment period and payment (advance, LC or documents against payment) in a written contract. Cover the buyer with ECGC if you give credit.

  6. 06File the shipping bill and ship

    Your customs broker files the shipping bill on ICEGATE with the invoice and packing list. After customs clearance the line issues the bill of lading; get the certificate of origin from the right agency if the buyer needs a trade-agreement rate.

  7. 07Get paid and close the file

    Send original documents through your bank (or to the buyer if paid in advance). When the money arrives, get the e-BRC and claim RoDTEP and drawback where they apply.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting ginger

Is fresh ginger under the Spices Board?
Yes. Ginger is on the Board’s list of 52 spices, fresh or dried, so you need a CRES.
Who buys Indian dry ginger?
Morocco, the USA, the UK, Germany and Gulf traders are regular buyers (Spices Board export data).
Which ginger has a GI tag?
Assam Karbi Anglong Ginger, Mizo Ginger and Arunachal Pradesh Adi Kekir.
Do I need to sterilise ginger powder?
For the EU, USA and Australia, yes in practice — they test for Salmonella; use steam, never ethylene oxide.
How long will RoDTEP rates stay?
DGFT Notification 41/2026-27 continues the scheme at the rates in force on 30 Sep 2026 until 31 Dec 2026. Watch dgft.gov.in for what follows.
Sources (6)
  1. Spices Board — Major item/country-wise export of spices (2021-22 to 2025-26)
  2. Spices Board — SPS requirements for spices (risks reported in export consignments)
  3. Spices Board — List of GI tags registered for spices (as of 15 Sep 2026)
  4. Spices Board — Quality evaluation laboratories
  5. Department of Commerce — TradeStat, India’s exports by commodity and country (2025-26)
  6. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification No. 32, 30 Sep 2024)

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