Spices

What it covers here: mainstream spices plus high-value derivatives (spice oils & oleoresins) and India’s mint/menthol product stream.

Latest export picture

• All Spices & Spice products: 1.799 million tons; ₹399,944.8 lakh; US$ 4,722.65 mn.
• Spice oils & oleoresins (HS 3301 group): 77,151 t; ₹209,499 lakh; US$ 247.59 mn. Top destination: USA.
• Mint products (menthol, mint oils—HS 3301): 27,823 t; ₹353,576 lakh; US$ 417.80 mn. Top destinations include China, USA, Germany, Singapore, Netherlands, Japan.
• India continues to be the world’s largest producer, consumer and exporter of spices by volume/value.
  

Quality & compliance (what buyers check)

• Indian law (domestic sales & as baseline for exports): FSSAI Food Product Standards 2.9 – Salt, Spices, Condiments. Defines identity/quality factors (e.g., moisture/volatile oil), contaminants, and extraneous matter ≤2%; supported by the official FSSAI Spices/Herbs Manual.
• Export testing infrastructure: Spices Board runs a nationwide network of Quality Evaluation Laboratories (QEL), with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditations (e.g., Delhi QEL certificate TC-7776, valid to 2029). The Board also empanels external ISO/IEC 17025 labs for export testing.
• Pre-export checks: Spices Board operates a mandatory sampling/testing regime for designated spices & spice products under its Quality Evaluation System (circulars & mapping list).
• Hot-button residues: Buyers (esp. EU/US/ANZ) rigorously check pesticide MRLs, aflatoxins, EO/ETO (ethylene oxide) in certain products; India has intensified compliance oversight following 2024 alerts (context).
  

India/region strengths you can market

• Scale & variety: India offers the broadest commercial range of spices globally, and a mature derivative industry for spice oils & oleoresins (efficient solvent extraction/steam distillation) used by F&B and flavor houses.
  
• Menthol leadership: India’s menthol mint belt underpins a large, traceable supply of mint products with strong demand in China, the US and EU.
  
• Testing depth & speed: Spices Board QEL + empanelled labs (LC-MS/MS, GC-MS) enable fast pre-shipment certificates aligned with importer specs.
  

Practical spec pointers for RFQs

• Whole/powder specs: moisture, total ash/acid-insoluble ash, volatile oil (for aromatic seeds/leaves), size/cleanliness class, microbial limits; declare treatment (steam, irradiation) where applicable. (Basis: FSSAI 2.9 & Manual.)
  
• Derivatives (oils/oleoresins): pesticide residues, solvent residues (oleoresins), GC-MS profile, color value (e.g., ASTA for chilli), and allergen declarations for finished goods destined for cosmetics/personal-care overlap.
  

Attars (Ittar) & natural perfumery concentrates

What it covers here: traditional Indian attars (hydrodistilled perfumes, often in a sandalwood or other fixed-oil base) and related naturals.

What makes Indian attars distinct

• Kannauj Perfume is a registered GI (Geographical Indication) for attar made by the traditional deg-bhapka hydrodistillation method in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh—India’s “perfume capital.”
• Process & know-how: Cluster capabilities include copper still distillation, natural concretes/absolutes and Mitti attar (rain-on-earth note) unique to the region’s craft heritage.
• Technical support: The Fragrance & Flavour Development Centre (FFDC), Kannauj (MSME, Govt. of India) provides training, pilot production and analytical (GC/GC-MS) services to artisans/SMEs.

Trade classification & market access

• HS coding (India): Attars are specifically enumerated as HS 3301.90.31 “Attars of all kinds in fixed oil base” within Chapter 33 (Essential Oils/Resinoids)
  
• Where exports show up in stats: Attars are typically recorded under HS 3301/3303 lines (essential oils / perfumes). Public dashboards and trade tools map many attar exports to 3301.90.31.
  
• Sandalwood oil policy (if used as base): HS 3301.29.37 Sandalwood oil is freely exportable but subject to DGFT-notified quantitative ceilings/conditions—a key compliance note for attar makers using genuine sandalwood.
  

Buyer-side quality & regulatory expectations

• Safety standards (finished perfumes/cosmetics going to EU): EU Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 (cosmetics) as amended by Reg. (EU) 2023/1545—expanded fragrance-allergen labelling with 3-year (new) / 5-year (existing) transition. Ensure ingredient lists reflect allergens from naturals (e.g., eugenol, isoeugenol, citral) at the new thresholds.
• IFRA Standards: Many global buyers require conformity to IFRA (usage limits/restrictions for specific naturals—oakmoss, safrole, etc.). Include IFRA Certificate per batch/lot.
• Analytical proof: Provide GC-MS fingerprints, refractive index, specific gravity, optical rotation, solvent/phthalate-free declarations (where applicable), and allergen calculations for label compliance. (FFDC/independent labs can assist.)
  

India/region strengths you can market

• GI-backed provenance (Kannauj) + handcrafted hydrodistillation story for premium segments.
  
• Testing & certification access (FFDC + private labs), enabling boutique makers to meet IFRA/EU buyer documentation quickly.
  
• Broad naturals ecosystem: Easy pairing with India’s spice oils & oleoresins and mint products for bespoke blends at scale.

Quick sourcing checklist

Spices & derivatives

• Product spec vs FSSAI 2.9 (and importer specs), full CoA, pesticide/aflatoxin results, and if treated: proof of ETO-free or validated steam process.
  
• For oils/oleoresins: solvent residue (oleoresins), GC-MS profile, ASTA color (for chilli oleoresin), and QEL/empanelled-lab test report.

Attars

• HS code declaration (3301.90.31) on invoice/packing list, IFRA certificate, EU allergens list compliance statement, GC-MS. For sandalwood-based attars, secure DGFT-compliant sourcing docs.
  

One-slide takeaways

• India exported US$ 4.72 bn worth of spices in 2024–25; spice oils/oleoresins and mint products are the value-dense segments with clear country demand (USA/China lead)
• Quality is test-led: FSSAI + Spices Board QEL + empanelled labs + mandatory export testing underpin compliance.
• Attars are India-distinct: Kannauj GI, heritage hydrodistillation, and access to modern compliance (IFRA/EU allergens) make the category credible for premium/luxury buyers—provided documentation is in order.