How to Import Turmeric from India: A Practical

Written by the VKRUND ENTERPRISE Export Desk

Sourcing & export specialists · 11 June 2026 · 7 min read

Which variety to buy, how to lock curcumin and colour in writing, the documents you will need, and how a sensible first shipment is put together.

India grows the bulk of the world's turmeric, and most of it passes through a handful of well-known belts. If you are buying for the first time, the country is rarely the hard part — picking the right material and pinning down the specification is. Here is how we walk a new buyer through it.

First, decide which turmeric you actually need

Not all turmeric is the same, and the price gap between grades is real. Erode and Salem (Tamil Nadu) finger turmeric carries higher curcumin and a deeper colour, and is what most curcumin extractors and premium spice packers ask for. Nizamabad bulb turmeric is brighter and cheaper, common in everyday cooking blends. Sangli (Maharashtra) Rajapuri is bold and hard, favoured where appearance matters. Tell us the end use — extraction, retail masala, or food manufacturing — and we will point you at the belt that fits, single- or double-polished as you prefer.

Lock curcumin and colour in writing

The two numbers buyers argue about most are curcumin content and ASTA colour. As a rule of thumb Indian turmeric runs roughly 2–5% curcumin, with colour anywhere from 100 to 140+ ASTA depending on the lot and the season. Do not accept a vague "good quality" promise — agree the figures on the purchase contract and have them confirmed on the Certificate of Analysis for the actual lot. A reference figure on a website is a guide; the CoA is what your QA can stand behind.

Curcumin % (e.g. 3% min) — by HPLC
ASTA colour value and moisture (typically below 10%)
Mesh / grind for powder, or whole-finger grade
Aflatoxin and pesticide (MRL) limits for your market
Sortex / cleanliness and freedom from foreign matter

Mind the paperwork — especially aflatoxin and MRL

Turmeric is a low-risk spice for aflatoxin compared with chilli or groundnut, but serious markets still check it, along with pesticide residues. For the EU you are working to MRL limits; for the US, FDA prior notice and your FSVP obligations apply. A clean shipment travels with a Certificate of Analysis, Certificate of Origin, phytosanitary certificate and the usual commercial set. We assemble that pack before the container sails — customs surprises are almost always a documents problem, not a product problem.

MOQ, packing and a sensible first order

You do not need to commit to a full container to start. A trial of a few hundred kilos to a tonne, sent as part of an LCL (shared container) shipment, lets you put the product in front of your own buyers before you scale to a full FCL. Powder ships in 25 kg PP or paper bags, or retail packs to your artwork; whole turmeric in jute or PP sacks. Confirm the pack, get a sample against the agreed spec, and reorder once it has cleared and sold.

Tip: A small thing that saves headaches: ask for the sample to come from the same lot you will ship, and keep a sealed counter-sample. If a query ever comes up, both sides are looking at the same material.

Frequently asked questions

Can you supply our own brand in retail packs, or only bulk?

Both. Beyond bulk PP, jute or vacuum packing, we run a single-window private-label service — your label and pack designed with you, filled into supermarket-ready retail packs such as jars, stand-up or pillow pouches and cartons, and delivered on DAP terms right to your warehouse. Packing is at our audited partner facility under our oversight; import duties and taxes remain your account.

What curcumin and ASTA colour can you supply?

Our Erode and Salem lots typically run curcumin 2 to 5% and ASTA 100 to 140 plus, with Nizamabad bulb and Sangli Rajapuri available too. These are indicative ranges only; the actual figures are confirmed on the CoA for the lot you buy, and we agree the minimum spec on the contract.

Do you sell whole fingers or powder, and is it tested for aflatoxin?

Both whole fingers and powder. Turmeric is a low aflatoxin risk crop, but we still test every lot at our accredited partner lab and ship with a CoA covering aflatoxin, curcumin and moisture.

Can I start with a trial order rather than a full container?

Yes. We do trial quantities on an LCL basis for new buyers, then move to full FCL once you scale. Tell us your destination and we will work the packing and freight around it.

What documents come with the shipment?

Standard set is CoA, Certificate of Origin and Phytosanitary Certificate, plus packing list and invoice. We are APEDA registered and can add any destination-specific paperwork you need.