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Export plastic goods and packaging

Woven sacks, FIBC bags, containers and household plastics; the USA leads, then the UAE and UK.

Free to exportHS 3923
HS code
3923
Plastic articles for conveying or packing goods — containers, bottles, caps, crates, sacks and bags (including woven sacks and FIBC jumbo bags).
Export policy
Free to export
Plastic products are free to export. Plastic waste and scrap follow separate rules — check Schedule 2 before shipping any scrap.
Registrations
3
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 1.21 bn
to 178 countries

What is exported

India exports woven polypropylene sacks, FIBC jumbo bags, bottles, containers, houseware and moulded items from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Daman and elsewhere. Buyers are industrial users, packaging distributors and retailers. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 1.2 billion under HS 3923; the USA led, followed by the UAE, the UK, the Netherlands and Djibouti.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Woven sacks and FIBC (jumbo) bagsPP and HDPE bags for cement, grain, fertiliser and chemicals — a big export line.
  • Plastic bags and filmsPolyethylene bags; from 1 May 2026 biodegradable bags have a separate tariff line.
  • Bottles, jars and containersPET and HDPE containers for food, pharma and cosmetics.
  • Caps and closuresBottle caps and dispensing closures.
  • Household plasticsKitchenware, insulated ware and storage items (HS 3924).

Where it is grown or made

  • GujaratAhmedabad, Vapi and Rajkot
  • Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and DiuSilvassa and Daman — packaging plants
  • MaharashtraMumbai, Palghar and Pune
  • Delhi NCRDelhi (Narela, Bawana), Noida and Faridabad
  • Tamil NaduChennai

Export packing

  • Bags and films are baled or packed in cartons; containers and closures go in polybag-lined cartons to keep them clean.
  • FIBC bags ship compressed in bales on ISPM-15 pallets with test certificates for safe working load.
  • Food-contact items need migration test reports; EU buyers ask for recycled-content and packaging-regulation declarations.

Who buys abroad

  • Cement, fertiliser, food-grain and chemical companies (sacks and FIBC)
  • Food, pharma and cosmetic brands (containers and closures)
  • Packaging distributors
  • Retail chains (household plastics)

The quality buyers ask for

Food-contact plastics (EU)
Regulation (EU) No 10/2011: approved substances, overall and specific migration tests, and a Declaration of Compliance
Food-contact plastics (USA)
Resins and additives allowed under FDA 21 CFR Parts 174–178
FIBC bulk bags
ISO 21898: safe working load and safety factor (for example 5:1 single trip, 6:1 multi-trip); UN rating for dangerous goods
Woven sacks and films
GSM, mesh, tensile strength, UV stabilisation hours, film thickness in microns
Pipes
ISO 4427 (PE pipes for water) or ASTM / EN product standards, pressure class
Chemicals
REACH SVHC declaration, phthalate limits in articles, and RoHS for plastic parts in electrical goods

Certificates

  • Food-contact declaration and migration testsRequiredLegally required for plastic items meant to touch food in the EU and USA.
  • ISO 9001Often askedExpected by most industrial buyers; FIBC buyers often add ISO 21898 test reports.
  • BRCGS Packaging Materials / FSSC 22000Often askedFor packaging plants supplying food and pharma customers.
  • GRS / RecyClass / ISCC PLUSOften askedRecycled-content or traceability certification for buyers who need recycled-plastic claims (for example to meet EU recycled-content targets).
  • UN packaging certificationOften askedRequired for FIBCs and drums used for dangerous goods.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Bales of sacks and FIBCs are compressed and shipped in 40-ft high-cube containers; housewares and furniture fill by volume (nesting saves space).

How it travels

Sea freight from Mundra, Hazira or Nhava Sheva.

Storage

Keep out of sunlight (UV degrades many plastics) and away from heat.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Food-contact items in the EU: glass-and-fork symbol or 'for food contact' wording, and any use limits (for example 'not for microwave').
  • FIBC: safe working load, safety factor, standard, manufacturer and date on a sewn label.
  • Resin identification codes and recycling marks as required in the destination.
  • Single-use plastic items covered by the EU directive need the prescribed marking on pack or product.
Where to get it tested

CIPET (Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology) runs NABL-accredited plastics testing centres across India. For food-contact migration tests, search 'food contact' in the NABL directory. PLEXCONCIL can guide members.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • Plexconcil (Plastics Export Promotion Council)RCMC for all plastic products, including packaging, woven sacks, FIBCs and consumer items.plexconcil.org ↗

Quality and checks

  • Food-contact plastics: EU plastics food-contact rules and US FDA requirements; migration tests and a declaration of compliance.
  • EU: the Single-Use Plastics Directive bans some items and marks others; the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation applies from 12 August 2026.
  • FIBC bags: test to ISO 21898 (safe working load and safety factor) and UN certification if used for dangerous goods.
How to start small

Woven sacks and household containers have steady demand in the Gulf and Africa. Work with a unit that has consistent quality, get the right tests (food-contact or FIBC load), join Plexconcil, and use Plexconcil fairs and buyer-seller meets to find distributors.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Polymer prices move with crude oil; keep quotes short and link prices to a resin index for long contracts.
  • Selling items that are banned in the EU single-use plastics list.
  • Anti-dumping duties in some markets on Indian plastic products; check before quoting.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (7)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 3923 by country, 2025-26
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  4. European Commission — Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40
  5. European Commission — Food contact materials
  6. European Commission — Single-use plastics
  7. Plexconcil — official site

Trade data

Indian plastic goods and packaging exports in numbers

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

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 1.21 bn
+6.8% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +3.3%
US$ 1.17 bn → US$ 1.21 bn
Buyer countries
178
Average export price
US$ 2.27
per kg · 5,33,570 tonnes shipped · US$ 2.35 the year before
United States of America: US$ 286 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 73.1 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 69.7 mnNetherlands: US$ 32.1 mnDjibouti: US$ 30.8 mnTanzania: US$ 26.8 mnSenegal: US$ 25 mnFrance: US$ 23.5 mnGermany: US$ 22 mnSudan: US$ 18.7 mnNepal: US$ 18.7 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 17.7 mnAustralia: US$ 15.5 mnChina: US$ 14.9 mnCanada: US$ 14.6 mnBelgium: US$ 14.1 mnSpain: US$ 14 mnMexico: US$ 13.2 mnRussia: US$ 13.2 mnGhana: US$ 13.1 mnSri Lanka: US$ 12.5 mnSouth Africa: US$ 12 mnKenya: US$ 11.9 mnUnited States of America: US$ 286 mnUnited States of AmericaUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 73.1 mnUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Kingdom: US$ 69.7 mnUnited KingdomNetherlands: US$ 32.1 mnDjibouti: US$ 30.8 mnDjiboutiTanzania: US$ 26.8 mnTanzaniaSenegal: US$ 25 mnSenegalFrance: US$ 23.5 mnGermany: US$ 22 mnSudan: US$ 18.7 mnNepal: US$ 18.7 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 17.7 mnAustralia: US$ 15.5 mnChina: US$ 14.9 mnCanada: US$ 14.6 mnBelgium: US$ 14.1 mnSpain: US$ 14 mnMexico: US$ 13.2 mnRussia: US$ 13.2 mnGhana: US$ 13.1 mnSri Lanka: US$ 12.5 mnSouth Africa: US$ 12 mnKenya: US$ 11.9 mnIndia
Where Indian plastic goods and packaging goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 870 mn8702020-212021-22: US$ 1.13 bn1.1k2021-222022-23: US$ 1.04 bn1.0k2022-232023-24: US$ 1.06 bn1.1k2023-242024-25: US$ 1.17 bn1.2k2024-252025-26: US$ 1.21 bn1.2k2025-26
India’s plastic goods and packaging 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 2025-26 — a 17% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 2.35 per kg2021-22: US$ 2.58 per kg2022-23: US$ 2.64 per kg2.642024-25: US$ 2.35 per kg2025-26: US$ 2.27 per kg2.272020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian plastic goods and packaging · 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$ 870 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 1.13 bn2021-222022-23: US$ 1.04 bn2022-232023-24: US$ 1.06 bn2023-242024-25: US$ 1.17 bn2024-252025-26: US$ 1.21 bn2025-262026-27: US$ 1.28 bn (US$ 1.15 bn – US$ 1.43 bn)1.3k2026-272027-28: US$ 1.35 bn (US$ 1.2 bn – US$ 1.52 bn)1.3k2027-28
India’s plastic goods and packaging exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 1.35 bn

Likely range US$ 1.2 bn to US$ 1.52 bn.

Trend
+5.2% a year
Fit (R²)
0.65
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
1United States of AmericaUS$ 286 mn-9.3%
2United Arab EmiratesUS$ 73.1 mn+11.4%
3United KingdomUS$ 69.7 mn+1.6%
4NetherlandsUS$ 32.1 mn+4.5%
5DjiboutiUS$ 30.8 mn+411.8%
6TanzaniaUS$ 26.8 mn+48.3%
7SenegalUS$ 25 mn+68.8%
8FranceUS$ 23.5 mn+12%
9GermanyUS$ 22 mn-13.3%
10SudanUS$ 18.7 mn+181.4%
11NepalUS$ 18.7 mn-0.5%
12Saudi ArabiaUS$ 17.7 mn+0.6%

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. DjiboutiUS$ 6 mn → US$ 30.8 mn+411.8%
  2. SudanUS$ 6.7 mn → US$ 18.7 mn+181.4%
  3. SenegalUS$ 14.8 mn → US$ 25 mn+68.8%
  4. GuineaUS$ 9.6 mn → US$ 15.1 mn+57.5%
  5. TanzaniaUS$ 18 mn → US$ 26.8 mn+48.3%
  6. ChinaUS$ 12.5 mn → US$ 14.9 mn+19%
  7. FranceUS$ 20.9 mn → US$ 23.5 mn+12%
  8. RussiaUS$ 11.8 mn → US$ 13.2 mn+11.7%

Low demand

  1. EthiopiaUS$ 19.2 mn → US$ 2.1 mn-88.9%
  2. DR CongoUS$ 14.8 mn → US$ 7.5 mn-49.7%
  3. GhanaUS$ 21.2 mn → US$ 13.1 mn-38.1%
  4. SpainUS$ 18 mn → US$ 14 mn-21.8%
  5. GermanyUS$ 25.4 mn → US$ 22 mn-13.3%

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
Sack and bag (including cones)of other plastic not elsewhere specified3923 29 90 · Plastics, sacks and bags, for the conveyance or packing of goods, of plastics other than ethylene polymersUS$ 532 mn+9.7%2,84,062 tonnesUS$ 1.87 per kgwas US$ 1.95
Other articles for cnvynce/pckng of goods not elsewhere specified3923 90 90 · Plastics, articles for the conveyance or packing of goods in heading no. 3923US$ 214 mn+1.1%76,916 tonnesUS$ 2.78 per kgwas US$ 2.80
Sacks and bags of polyethylene (including cones)3923 21 00 · Ethylene polymers, sacks and bags, for the conveyance or packing of goodsUS$ 197 mn-10%1,07,828 tonnesUS$ 1.82 per kgwas US$ 1.91
Caps and closures for bottles3923 50 10 · Plastics, stoppers, lids, caps and other closures, for the conveyance or packing of goodsUS$ 70.5 mn-4.9%16,067 tonnesUS$ 4.39 per kgwas US$ 4.63
Crbys bttls flskand smlr articles of plstcs not elsewhere specified3923 30 90 · Plastics, carboys, bottles, flasks and similar articles, for the conveyance or packing of goodsUS$ 65.5 mn+2.2%14,702 tonnesUS$ 4.46 per kgwas US$ 4.70
Box case crate and smlr articles of plstcs not elsewhere specified3923 10 90 · Plastics, boxes, cases, crates and similar articles for the conveyance or packing of goodsUS$ 51.8 mn+11.9%18,484 tonnesUS$ 2.80 per kgwas US$ 2.92
Other stoprs lid capsandothr clsres of plstcs3923 50 90 · Plastics, stoppers, lids, caps and other closures, for the conveyance or packing of goodsUS$ 43.5 mn+10.9%8,655 tonnesUS$ 5.02 per kgwas US$ 5.39
Boxs cases crates and smlr articles of plstcs insulated ware3923 10 30 · Plastics, boxes, cases, crates and similar articles for the conveyance or packing of goodsUS$ 11.3 mn+5.1%2,688 tonnesUS$ 4.21 per kgwas US$ 4.61
Spls cops bobbins and smlr spprts of plstcs3923 40 00 · Plastics, spools, cops, bobbins and similar supports, for the conveyance or packing of goodsUS$ 10 mn+17.7%2,671 tonnesUS$ 3.75 per kgwas US$ 3.30
Other articles for the cnvynce/pckng of goodsaseptic bags3923 90 20 · Plastics, articles for the conveyance or packing of goods in heading no. 3923US$ 7.6 mn+25%199 tonnesUS$ 38.34 per kgwas US$ 15.37
Crbys bttls flsks and smlr articles of plstcs insulated ware3923 30 10 · Plastics, carboys, bottles, flasks and similar articles, for the conveyance or packing of goodsUS$ 2.2 mn+43.3%246 tonnesUS$ 8.74 per kgwas US$ 4.05
Plastic containers for audio or video cassettes, cassette tapes, floppy disk etc.3923 10 10 · Plastics, boxes, cases, crates and similar articles for the conveyance or packing of goodsUS$ 1.3 mn-2.3%346 tonnesUS$ 3.75 per kgwas US$ 3.70
Sacks and bags (including cones)of other plastics of poly (vinyl chloride)3923 29 10 · Plastics, sacks and bags, for the conveyance or packing of goods, of plastics other than ethylene polymersUS$ 960k+10.3%325 tonnesUS$ 2.95 per kgwas US$ 3.52
Other articles for the cnvynce/pckng of goodsinsulated ware3923 90 10 · Plastics, articles for the conveyance or packing of goods in heading no. 3923US$ 740k+60.9%234 tonnesUS$ 3.16 per kgwas US$ 3.13

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$ 63 bn
2023
India among exporters
#18
of 165 countries
India’s share of world exports
1.5%
US$ 1.01 bn
Left for others to win
US$ 68.5 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 14.1 bn 20.3%
  2. 2USAUS$ 6.79 bn 9.8%
  3. 3GermanyUS$ 5.62 bn 8.1%
  4. 4FranceUS$ 3.52 bn 5.1%
  5. 5MexicoUS$ 3.05 bn 4.4%
  6. 6PolandUS$ 2.37 bn 3.4%
  7. 7NetherlandsUS$ 2.33 bn 3.4%
  8. 8ItalyUS$ 2.29 bn 3.3%
  9. 9CanadaUS$ 2.28 bn 3.3%
  10. 10SpainUS$ 1.74 bn 2.5%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 9.04 bn 14.4%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 4.24 bn 6.7%
  3. 3FranceUS$ 4.1 bn 6.5%
  4. 4MexicoUS$ 3.67 bn 5.8%
  5. 5CanadaUS$ 2.94 bn 4.7%
  6. 6United KingdomUS$ 2.55 bn 4%
  7. 7NetherlandsUS$ 2.23 bn 3.5%
  8. 8ItalyUS$ 2.05 bn 3.3%
  9. 9SpainUS$ 2.03 bn 3.2%
  10. 10JapanUS$ 2 bn 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$ 10 bnIndia 2.6% · gap US$ 9.78 bn
GermanyUS$ 4.27 bnIndia 0.4% · gap US$ 4.25 bn
FranceUS$ 3.97 bnIndia 0.5% · gap US$ 3.95 bn
CanadaUS$ 2.94 bnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 2.92 bn
United KingdomUS$ 2.55 bnIndia 2.6% · gap US$ 2.48 bn
NetherlandsUS$ 2.24 bnIndia 1% · gap US$ 2.22 bn
SpainUS$ 2.07 bnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 2.07 bn
ItalyUS$ 2.05 bnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 2.05 bn
JapanUS$ 1.98 bnIndia 0% · gap US$ 1.98 bn
South KoreaUS$ 1.21 bnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 1.21 bn

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 plastic goods and packaging

India exports a wide range of plastic goods — woven sacks and FIBC bulk bags, films, household containers, furniture, pipes, writing instruments and packaging — mainly from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Daman and Tamil Nadu. China is the dominant exporter, followed by Germany, the USA and others; Vietnam, Thailand and Turkey compete in specific lines. Demand comes from packaging, agriculture, construction and household goods buyers, but rules on single-use plastics and recycled content are reshaping the trade. Openings are in FIBCs and woven sacks for bulk packing, recycled-content products, and durable housewares that meet food-contact rules.

  1. 01Check market rules

    Make sure the item is not banned or restricted (single-use bans, recycled-content rules) in the target market.

  2. 02Choose compliant resins

    Buy resins and masterbatches with food-contact and REACH declarations.

  3. 03Samples and tests

    Test migration, strength or safety factor as the product requires.

  4. 04Production

    Mould, extrude or weave; keep batch and resin records.

  5. 05Inspection and packing

    Check dimensions, weight and print; compress bales or nest items.

  6. 06Ship and claim

    File the shipping bill, claim RoDTEP and drawback.

  7. 07Payment

    LC or advance with new buyers; resin prices move, so fix price validity.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting plastic goods and packaging

Can I export single-use plastic items to Europe?
Some items (plastic cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers and others) are banned in the EU; others need marking. Check the Single-Use Plastics Directive list before quoting.
What is the safety factor on an FIBC?
The ratio between the load the bag survives in testing and its rated safe working load — for example 5:1 for single-trip bags under ISO 21898.
Do I need a Declaration of Compliance for plastic boxes?
Yes, if they are meant for food in the EU. It must be backed by migration tests and supplier declarations.
Which council covers plastics?
PLEXCONCIL (Plastics Export Promotion Council).
Is recycled plastic allowed for food contact?
Only from authorised recycling processes. In the EU, recycled plastic for food contact must come from processes authorised under EU rules; check before offering it.
Sources (7)
  1. PLEXCONCIL (Plastics Export Promotion Council) — official site
  2. European Commission — Food contact materials
  3. European Commission — Single-use plastics
  4. European Commission — Packaging waste (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation)
  5. ECHA — substances restricted under REACH (Annex XVII list with conditions)
  6. CIPET — Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (testing services)
  7. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories

Who buys Indian plastic goods and packaging

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