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Farm produce

Export psyllium (isabgol) husk and seed

India grows almost all of the world’s psyllium. Husk and powder go to fibre-supplement, food and pharma makers, above all in the USA.

Free to exportHS 1211.90.32
HS code
1211.90.32
Psyllium husk (isabgol husk). In DGFT Appendix 4R (October 2024) psyllium seed is 1211 90 13 and husk is 1211 90 32; 1211 90 31 was cascara sagrada bark in that schedule. Codes in Chapter 12 were renumbered by the Finance Act 2025, so confirm your 8-digit line on DGFT.
Export policy
Free to export
Free under ITC(HS); no licence is needed. Confirm the renumbered 8-digit line on DGFT before filing the shipping bill.
Registrations
4
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 336 mn
to 85 countries

What is exported

Psyllium (Plantago ovata) is a winter crop of north Gujarat, western Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, processed into husk, husk powder and seed mainly around Unjha in Mehsana district. The husk is a soluble fibre used in laxatives, fibre supplements, breakfast cereals and gluten-free baking. The USA is by far the largest buyer, followed by European and Asian supplement and food makers.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Psyllium husk, 85% to 99% purityGraded by purity; 95% and 98% are the most traded grades.
  • Husk powder (40–100 mesh)Milled husk for supplements and food.
  • Psyllium seedWhole seed for further processing.
  • Khakha and by-productsLower-grade husk and seed meal for cattle feed.

Where it is grown or made

  • GujaratUnjha (Mehsana) — the processing and trading centre; Banaskantha and Patan growers.
  • RajasthanJalore, Barmer, Jodhpur and Nagaur — the largest growing area.
  • Madhya PradeshNeemuch, Mandsaur and Ratlam.

Season

Sown in October–November and harvested in February–April; arrivals at Unjha peak from March to May.

Export packing

  • Husk in 25 kg or 50 kg paper or HDPE bags with poly liners; powder in lined fibre drums or bags.
  • 20-ft or 40-ft dry containers; keep away from moisture, which makes the husk swell and cake.

Who buys abroad

  • US fibre-supplement and laxative brands
  • Food makers (cereals, gluten-free bakery)
  • Pharmaceutical companies and ingredient distributors in Europe and Asia

The quality buyers ask for

Purity
85%, 95%, 98% or 99% husk by weight
Swell volume
Measured in ml per gram, often 40 ml/g or more for good husk
Mesh (powder)
40, 60, 80 or 100 mesh as ordered
Moisture and ash
Moisture typically below about 12%; total ash within pharmacopoeia limits
Microbiology
Total plate count, yeast and mould within limits; Salmonella and E. coli absent

Certificates

  • FSSAIRequiredCentral food licence for the processing and packing premises (FoSCoS).
  • RCMCRequiredRegistration with the export promotion council or board for your product (not needed up to ₹3 lakh FOB per consignment since 15 Sep 2026).
  • US FDA food facility registrationOften askedRequired for any plant that makes, packs or holds food for the USA.
  • GMPOften askedGood manufacturing practice certification, expected by supplement and pharma buyers.
  • Organic (NPOP / USDA NOP / EU)Often askedNeeded only if you sell as organic; certify through an accredited body.
  • KosherOften askedAsked for by many US ingredient buyers.
  • HalalOften askedAsked for by Gulf, Malaysian and Indonesian buyers.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

A 20-ft container typically holds about 10–12 tonnes of husk (it is bulky) and more of powder or seed.

How it travels

Sea freight from Mundra and Nhava Sheva; samples and urgent lots by air from Ahmedabad.

Storage

Dry, cool and pest-free storage; husk absorbs moisture quickly.

Shelf life

Typically 2–3 years in sealed, lined bags.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Bags: product, purity grade, mesh, lot, manufacture and best-before dates, net weight, processor and FDA registration where relevant.
  • USA: statement of identity, net quantity (US and metric units), ingredients, allergens, manufacturer or distributor and “Product of India”.
  • EU food and feed: product name, ingredients, net quantity, lot, best-before, business operator in the EU and country of origin, in the language of the selling country.
Where to get it tested

Use an FSSAI-notified or NABL-accredited laboratory with your product and tests in scope (fssai.gov.in → notified labs; nabl-india.org). APEDA-recognised labs are listed on apeda.gov.in.

Benefits of exporting this product

  • RoDTEP: 0.9% of FOB

    Tariff item 1211 90 32 (husk) and 1211 90 13 (seed) (psyllium husk and psyllium seed) earns 0.9% of FOB value, with no rupee cap, as a duty credit scrip on ICEGATE (Appendix 4R). Chapter 12 lines were renumbered by the Finance Act 2025; the RoDTEP line follows your current code. Rates continue to 31 Dec 2026 (DGFT Notification 41/2026-27). Confirm your exact 8-digit line on DGFT before pricing an order.

    DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification 32/2024-25) ↗

Where to register

  • SHEFEXILRCMC from the Shellac & Forest Products Export Promotion Council, which covers lac, guar gum, herbs, vegetable saps and extracts, and minor forest produce under Appendix 2T.shellacepc.com ↗
  • FSSAICentral food licence from FoSCoS for the premises that process and pack psyllium sold as food or supplement ingredient.foscos.fssai.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • Purity grade (85%, 95%, 98% or 99% husk), swelling volume, light extraneous matter, mesh size and moisture.
  • Microbiology (Salmonella, E. coli), pesticide residues, heavy metals and aflatoxin to US Pharmacopeia or buyer specifications.
  • US FDA food facility registration for the processing plant if you supply the USA.
How to start small

Buy graded husk from an FDA-registered processor in Unjha and send samples with a full certificate of analysis to supplement makers and ingredient distributors. Begin with a 20-ft container of 95% or 98% husk on advance payment or LC. Since 15 September 2026, a consignment worth up to ₹3 lakh FOB does not need an RCMC (DGFT Notification 36/2026-27). Registrations that a law requires for the product still apply.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Microbial counts above the buyer limit — psyllium is often sterilised to meet them; agree on the method in advance.
  • Prices swing with the Rajasthan and Gujarat crop and mandi arrivals; avoid long fixed-price contracts.
  • Using an outdated 8-digit code on the shipping bill and losing RoDTEP.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (5)
  1. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  2. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification 32/2024-25)
  3. SHEFEXIL — Shellac & Forest Products Export Promotion Council
  4. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  5. Department of Commerce — TradeStat export data by commodity and country

Trade data

Indian psyllium (isabgol) husk and seed exports in numbers

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

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 336 mn
+4.9% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -21.1%
US$ 425 mn → US$ 336 mn
Buyer countries
85
Average export price
US$ 5.42
per kg · 62,000 tonnes shipped · US$ 6.37 the year before
United States of America: US$ 106 mnGermany: US$ 59.3 mnItaly: US$ 33.2 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 11.5 mnFrance: US$ 11.4 mnBangladesh: US$ 9.1 mnRussia: US$ 7.8 mnSpain: US$ 7.3 mnSouth Korea: US$ 7.1 mnMexico: US$ 6.9 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 6.8 mnAustralia: US$ 6.8 mnChina: US$ 6.7 mnNetherlands: US$ 6.5 mnCanada: US$ 5.9 mnSweden: US$ 5 mnJapan: US$ 3.6 mnBrazil: US$ 3.5 mnIreland: US$ 3.2 mnThailand: US$ 2.5 mnMalaysia: US$ 2.4 mnPoland: US$ 2 mnMorocco: US$ 1.9 mnIndonesia: US$ 1.7 mnTaiwan: US$ 1.3 mnUnited States of America: US$ 106 mnUnited States of AmericaGermany: US$ 59.3 mnGermanyItaly: US$ 33.2 mnItalyUnited Kingdom: US$ 11.5 mnFrance: US$ 11.4 mnBangladesh: US$ 9.1 mnBangladeshRussia: US$ 7.8 mnSpain: US$ 7.3 mnSouth Korea: US$ 7.1 mnSouth KoreaMexico: US$ 6.9 mnMexicoUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 6.8 mnAustralia: US$ 6.8 mnChina: US$ 6.7 mnNetherlands: US$ 6.5 mnCanada: US$ 5.9 mnSweden: US$ 5 mnJapan: US$ 3.6 mnBrazil: US$ 3.5 mnIreland: US$ 3.2 mnThailand: US$ 2.5 mnMalaysia: US$ 2.4 mnPoland: US$ 2 mnMorocco: US$ 1.9 mnIndonesia: US$ 1.7 mnTaiwan: US$ 1.3 mnIndia
Where Indian psyllium (isabgol) husk and seed goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 265 mn2652020-212021-22: US$ 309 mn3092021-222022-23: US$ 335 mn3352022-232023-24: US$ 384 mn3842023-242024-25: US$ 425 mn4252024-252025-26: US$ 336 mn3362025-26
India’s psyllium (isabgol) husk and seed 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 2020-21 — a 26% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 5.10 per kg5.102021-22: US$ 5.55 per kg2022-23: US$ 6.43 per kg6.432024-25: US$ 6.37 per kg2025-26: US$ 5.42 per kg5.422020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian psyllium (isabgol) husk and seed · 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$ 265 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 309 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 335 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 384 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 425 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 336 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 425 mn (US$ 359 mn – US$ 504 mn)4252026-272027-28: US$ 454 mn (US$ 375 mn – US$ 549 mn)4542027-28
India’s psyllium (isabgol) husk and seed exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 454 mn

Likely range US$ 375 mn to US$ 549 mn.

Trend
+6.7% a year
Fit (R²)
0.54
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$ 106 mn-27.2%
2GermanyUS$ 59.3 mn-10.8%
3ItalyUS$ 33.2 mn-14.6%
4United KingdomUS$ 11.5 mn-17.2%
5FranceUS$ 11.4 mn-14.2%
6BangladeshUS$ 9.1 mn-18.5%
7RussiaUS$ 7.8 mn-8.9%
8SpainUS$ 7.3 mn+11.4%
9South KoreaUS$ 7.1 mn-13.3%
10MexicoUS$ 6.9 mn-14.5%
11United Arab EmiratesUS$ 6.8 mn-17.9%
12AustraliaUS$ 6.8 mn-10.2%

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. SpainUS$ 6.5 mn → US$ 7.3 mn+11.4%

Low demand

  1. BelgiumUS$ 4.2 mn → US$ 840k-79.9%
  2. IndonesiaUS$ 3.4 mn → US$ 1.7 mn-49%
  3. BrazilUS$ 6.2 mn → US$ 3.5 mn-43.6%
  4. JapanUS$ 5.2 mn → US$ 3.6 mn-30.4%
  5. United States of AmericaUS$ 145 mn → US$ 106 mn-27.2%
  6. CanadaUS$ 8.2 mn → US$ 5.9 mn-27.2%
  7. ThailandUS$ 3.4 mn → US$ 2.5 mn-26%
  8. IrelandUS$ 4.2 mn → US$ 3.2 mn-23.8%

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
Psyllium husk (isobgul husk)1211 90 32 · Plants and parts in heading no. 1211, of a kind used primarily in perfumery, in pharmacy or for…US$ 331 mn-20.9%59,974 tonnesUS$ 5.52 per kgwas US$ 6.54
Plants and parts in heading no. 1211, of a kind used primarily in perfumery, in pharmacy or for… — psyllium seed (isobgul)1211 90 13US$ 4.6 mn-28.5%2,026 tonnesUS$ 2.25 per kgwas US$ 2.42

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$ 3.94 bn
2023
India among exporters
#2
of 147 countries
India’s share of world exports
11.9%
US$ 450 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 3.34 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 888 mn 23.4%
  2. 2IndiaUS$ 450 mn 11.9%
  3. 3GermanyUS$ 239 mn 6.3%
  4. 4EgyptUS$ 190 mn 5%
  5. 5CanadaUS$ 184 mn 4.9%
  6. 6USAUS$ 128 mn 3.4%
  7. 7SpainUS$ 113 mn 3%
  8. 8PolandUS$ 107 mn 2.8%
  9. 9Viet NamUS$ 78.2 mn 2.1%
  10. 10MexicoUS$ 74.5 mn 2%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 494 mn 12.5%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 433 mn 11%
  3. 3JapanUS$ 271 mn 6.9%
  4. 4ChinaUS$ 207 mn 5.3%
  5. 5AustraliaUS$ 147 mn 3.7%
  6. 6FranceUS$ 134 mn 3.4%
  7. 7Rep. of KoreaUS$ 131 mn 3.3%
  8. 8Other Asia, nesUS$ 127 mn 3.2%
  9. 9China, Hong Kong SARUS$ 124 mn 3.2%
  10. 10IndiaUS$ 114 mn 2.9%

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.

GermanyUS$ 521 mnIndia 15.8% · gap US$ 438 mn
United States of AmericaUS$ 533 mnIndia 32.3% · gap US$ 361 mn
JapanUS$ 288 mnIndia 3.5% · gap US$ 278 mn
ChinaUS$ 238 mnIndia 8.4% · gap US$ 218 mn
AustraliaUS$ 147 mnIndia 5% · gap US$ 140 mn
FranceUS$ 142 mnIndia 13.1% · gap US$ 123 mn
South KoreaUS$ 125 mnIndia 7.6% · gap US$ 116 mn
SpainUS$ 108 mnIndia 7% · gap US$ 101 mn
United KingdomUS$ 111 mnIndia 14.8% · gap US$ 94.9 mn
VietnamUS$ 93.4 mnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 92.8 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 psyllium (isabgol) husk and seed

India grows almost all of the world’s psyllium and is the dominant exporter of husk, powder and seed; there is no major competing origin. Demand is driven by fibre supplements, digestive-health products and the gluten-free and plant-based food trend, above all in the USA. Prices depend on the Gujarat and Rajasthan crop and on Unjha mandi stocks. Openings lie in high-purity, low-microbial and organic husk, and in finished retail fibre products.

  1. 01Choose the processor

    Work with an FSSAI-licensed, FDA-registered Unjha processor with an in-house lab.

  2. 02Agree the specification

    Fix purity, mesh, microbial limits, any sterilisation and the testing method with the buyer.

  3. 03Buy and process the crop

    Buy seed at Unjha, dehusk, clean, grade and mill as ordered.

  4. 04Test the lot

    Test purity, swell volume, microbiology, pesticides and heavy metals; issue the certificate of analysis.

  5. 05Book, stuff and file the shipping bill

    Book the container, stuff it at the factory or a CFS, file the shipping bill on ICEGATE with the correct 8-digit code and the RoDTEP/RoSCTL declaration, and get the bill of lading.

  6. 06Get paid and close the file

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

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting psyllium (isabgol) husk and seed

Is psyllium export free?
Yes, it is free under ITC(HS). Confirm the renumbered 8-digit code on DGFT.
Which grade should I start with?
95% and 98% husk are the most widely traded and easiest to sell.
Why do buyers ask for sterilised husk?
To meet strict microbial limits for supplements and food; agree the method (steam or other) in advance.
Who issues the RCMC?
SHEFEXIL covers herbs and minor forest produce under Appendix 2T; confirm with the council.
What RoDTEP applies?
Psyllium husk and seed earn 0.9% of FOB with no rupee cap in Appendix 4R.
Sources (5)
  1. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  2. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification 32/2024-25)
  3. SHEFEXIL — Shellac & Forest Products Export Promotion Council
  4. US FDA — Dietary supplements
  5. NABL — laboratory search

Who buys Indian psyllium (isabgol) husk and seed

All countries →

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