Salt

Exports snapshot (latest available)

• Global rank: India was the #2 salt exporter in 2023 by value (≈ US$446M). Top buyers included China (~US$196M), South Korea (~US$44M), Japan (~US$26M), and Chinese Taipei (~US$26M).
  
• Output base: India remains a top-three producer globally; Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan together account for ~98–99% of India’s salt output (Gujarat alone ~87%).
  

India & region strengths (why India)

• West-coast salt belt: Arid, windy conditions and vast flats in Gujarat’s Kachchh/Little Rann drive exceptional evaporation rates and very high NaCl purity solar salt; proximity to Mundra/Kandla ports lowers logistics costs.
  
• Rajasthan brine lakes: Sambhar Lake (Rajasthan) is a centuries-old salt source; authorities have recently moved to demarcate boundaries and set sustainable extraction limits, underscoring long-term supply security.
  
• Institutional know-how: CSIR-CSMCRI (Bhavnagar, Gujarat) is a global leader in salt processing; ongoing international MoUs showcase technology leadership (membranes, marine chemicals).
  

Quality & regulatory requirements (export-grade)

Indian (FSSAI) & Codex refs most buyers look for:

• Edible common salt: ≥97.0% NaCl (dry basis) and moisture ≤6% (product-specific table in FSSAI 2.9.30); iodized salt must contain 15–30 ppm iodine (dry basis) at manufacture; retail minimum 15 ppm. Double-fortified salt (iron + iodine) also standardized.
  
• Iodization is mandatory for retail sale in India (non-iodized common salt is restricted). Many buyers ask for evidence of compliance.
  
• Anticaking agents (e.g., potassium/sodium ferrocyanide—INS 536/535) are permitted within limits; FSSAI cites ≤10 mg/kg benchmark and notes Codex allows slightly higher. (Buyers sometimes specify “no ferrocyanide” for clean-label SKUs.)
  
• Indian black salt (kala namak), rock salt (sendha), sea salt, and dendritic salt are recognized categories in the FSSAI food category system—useful for labelling and spec sheets.
  

Typical buyer spec pack (edible/industrial): COA showing %NaCl (dry), moisture, insolubles, iodine level (if iodized), heavy metals (per FSSAI contaminants code and/or buyer market), granulometry, anticaking agent declaration, and microbial (where applicable).

Organic Condiments (chutneys, pickles, sauces, pastes, mixed seasonings)

*HS 2103 covers “sauces and preparations; mixed condiments/seasonings; mustard etc.”—the right umbrella for most organic chutneys, pickles, sauces and spice blends.

Exports snapshot (latest available)

• India’s 2023 exports of HS 2103 were about US$1.38 billion (all condiments; organic is a subset). Major markets include the U.S., Middle East, UK/EU (varies by sub-HS)
  
• Organic (all product categories): India exported 261,029 MT of certified organic products worth US$494.8M in FY 2023–24 under the NPOP program (APEDA/PIB). This pool includes organic spice mixes, sauces and pickles.
  

India & region strengths (why India)

• Raw-material depth: India is the world’s spice powerhouse; FSSAI notes large export footprints for spice powders, blends, oils/oleoresins—core inputs to condiments.
  
• Certified organic ecosystems: NPOP (run by APEDA) and PGS-India give India an end-to-end certification and export gateway, recognized by the EU & Switzerland for unprocessed plant products—crucial for organic labels in those markets. Jaivik Bharat portal lists certification bodies and use of the logo for retail compliance.
  
• Organic states & clusters: Sikkim (India’s first 100% organic state) won FAO’s Future Policy Gold Award (2018)—signal of policy-backed organic supply. Himalayan & hill states (Uttarakhand, NE region) feed clean-label, small-holder supply chains for chutneys, pickles, herb pastes.
  

Quality & regulatory requirements (export-grade)

Organic compliance (India):

• FSSAI (Organic Foods) Regulations, 2017: any product sold/labelled “organic” in India must be certified under NPOP or PGS-India and display the Jaivik Bharat logo; exporters typically need NPOP (plus destination-market organic equivalence).
  
• Processing do’s & don’ts (NPOP): common prohibitions include ethylene oxide and methyl bromide as processing/sterilizing agents—key for organic spice mixes/condiments.
  

Food-product standards (FSSAI 2.3 & 2.9): (often mirrored in buyer specs)

• Pickles: drained weight ≥60%; for vinegar pickles, acetic acid ≥2.0%; for oil pickles, pieces must remain submerged in oil. Micro criteria as per Appendix B.
  
• Chilli/culinary sauces & pastes: Total Soluble Solids (salt-free) ≥8–15% (product-dependent) and acidity ≥1.0–1.2% (as acetic acid); ketchup/some sauces require higher TSS.
  
• Curry powders/mixed masalas (condiment seasonings): moisture, ash, insoluble ash, volatile oil, and extraneous-matter caps are defined in FSSAI Chapter 2.9—useful when your organic SKU is a dry seasoning.
  

Market-access & risk notes (what buyers ask now):

• Ethylene oxide (EtO) scrutiny on spices/seasonings has tightened in multiple markets since 2024; India’s Spices Board issued comprehensive guidelines urging exporters to avoid EtO and to test/monitor residues—organic lots must comply with NPOP (no EtO) and destination MRLs. Plan on steam sterilization or other compliant methods.
  

What “good” looks like (spec & documentation checklist)

Salt (edible, iodized)

• COA: NaCl (dry) ≥97%; Iodine 15–30 ppm at packing; moisture, insolubles, heavy metals per buyer market; anticaking agent (if any) stated with INS number; microbiology (as required).
  
• Regulatory: show FSSAI compliance (2.9.30), iodization compliance, and if using ferrocyanides, confirm within FSSAI/Codex limits.
  

Organic condiments (HS 2103)

• Certificates: NPOP scope + transaction certificates; if shipping to EU/CH/US, include equivalence/acceptance documentation as applicable; Jaivik Bharat logo usage for India retail.
  
• Specs: product-specific TSS, acidity, salt %, oil %, drained weight (pickles), volatile oil (for dry seasonings), micro limits (Appendix B); no EtO/irradiation for organic.
  

Sourcing/positioning angles unique to India

• Story & terroir:
  
  • Sea-harvested solar salt from Kachchh with naturally high purity; Rajasthan brine-lake salts for craft/heritage positioning; kala namak as an authentically Indian condiment salt (FSSAI-recognized category)
    
  • Organic chutneys/pickles leveraging regional fruits & chillies (e.g., hill citrus in Uttarakhand, Byadagi/Guntur chilli inputs for sauces) within an NPOP-certified supply chain.
    

Quick numbers

• Salt exports (India, 2023): US$446M; top buyers China, South Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei.
• Condiments HS-2103 exports (India, 2023): ~US$1.38B (organic is a subset).
• Certified organic (all products), FY 2023-24: 261,029 MT; US$494.8M under NPOP.