Red Chilli Exporter from India
Dried Indian red chilli — whole, stemless and crushed grades from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, India's single largest spice export by value.
Quick answer: Green Plus EXIM exports Indian dried red chilli — whole, stemless and crushed/ground — sourced primarily from Andhra Pradesh (Guntur) and Telangana. Red chilli is India's largest spice export by value, with China as the single biggest market, followed by Thailand, the United States, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (WITS/UN Comtrade, 2024). Available in a range of pungency and colour grades depending on variety (Teja, Byadgi, Sannam and others).
Indian dried red chilli for export
Red chilli is India's single largest spice export by value, and Andhra Pradesh — with Guntur as the country's principal chilli trading hub — is the backbone of that trade, alongside Telangana and Karnataka. We supply whole pods (with or without stem) and crushed/ground chilli across the main commercial varieties, matched to whether a buyer needs heat, colour, or both.
Harvest runs January-April depending on region and variety. Pods are sun-dried after picking, then cleaned and graded; well-dried chilli stores for many months, which is why we can supply from stock through the year rather than only immediately after harvest.
How should I specify red chilli?
- Variety. Teja for high pungency, Byadgi for deep colour with milder heat, Sannam and other regional types in between. Your end use — direct food heat, colour extraction, or both — should drive the choice.
- Form. Whole pods keep longer and travel better; stemless whole pods suit buyers who want to skip that step; crushed/ground is ready for direct use but shorter-lived.
- Pungency and colour. Scoville Heat Units and ASTA colour value both vary by variety and season — we confirm both on the certificate of analysis rather than presenting a single number as fixed across all lots.
Which markets buy Indian red chilli?
China is by a clear margin the largest single market, feeding food-processing and oleoresin-extraction demand at scale, followed by Thailand, the United States, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka — see the cited table below for the full country breakdown.
Shipping specifically to China, the USA or Bangladesh? Each has its own dedicated route page covering the specific registration, testing and documentation requirements for that market.
Red chilli export pricing
Chilli pricing moves with variety, pungency grade, form and current-season crop conditions in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Send your variety, form, quantity and destination port and we'll quote current FOB/CIF terms.
Key facts
- HS code: 0904.21 (whole) / 0904.22 (crushed or ground) — export policy: Free, no DGFT restriction
- India's largest spice export by value; main sourcing: Andhra Pradesh (Guntur), Telangana
- Key varieties: Teja (heat), Byadgi (colour), Sannam and regional types
- Leading markets: China, Thailand, USA, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
- ~12-14 MT per 20ft container (bagged, whole pods)
- Stores 12-18 months whole; crushed/ground best used within 6-12 months
Step 1 of 2 — takes 60 seconds
Red Chilli specifications
| Parameter | Typical specification |
|---|---|
| Form | Whole pods, stemless whole, or crushed/ground — buyer specified |
| Variety | Teja (high pungency), Byadgi (low pungency, deep colour), Sannam and other regional varieties on request |
| Pungency | Varies by variety — from mild/colour-focused (Byadgi) to high-heat (Teja); Scoville range confirmed per lot |
| Moisture | ≤ 10-12% |
| Colour | Deep red, variety-dependent (ASTA colour value available on request) |
| Extraneous matter | ≤ 1-2%; free from foreign material |
Typical specs — final specifications as per contract. Tell us your required grade when you request a quote and we'll confirm availability.
Packaging & container loading
| Detail | Options |
|---|---|
| Packaging | 25 kg and 50 kg PP/HDPE bags; jute bags on request; vacuum-packed cartons for crushed/ground chilli |
| Minimum order quantity | 1 × 20ft container; trial orders discussed |
| Loading capacity (20ft) | Approx. 12-14 MT in a 20ft container (bagged, whole pods) |
| Loading capacity (40ft) | Approx. 22-24 MT in a 40ft container |
| Shelf life & storage | 12-18 months for whole dried pods in cool, dry, dark storage; crushed/ground chilli is best used within 6-12 months to retain colour and pungency |
Loading figures are typical estimates — use the red chilli container load estimator for a planning figure, and confirm exact figures with us before booking.
Availability calendar
Typical availability for red chilli from India, by month:
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Availability shifts year to year with weather and growing conditions — ask for current availability before planning a shipment window.
Where India exports red chilli (dried)
India's top destination markets for red chilli (dried) (HS 0904.21 / 0904.22 (dried chilli, whole / crushed or ground); WITS legacy 0904.20), 2024 (calendar year). India exported $1,297,287,380 of red chilli (dried) worldwide that year:
| Destination country | Export value (USD) | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| China | $455,842,510 | 186,559,000 Kg |
| Thailand | $136,728,710 | 55,112,400 Kg |
| United States | $132,195,810 | 38,849,800 Kg |
| Bangladesh | $125,104,920 | 60,289,400 Kg |
| Sri Lanka | $78,717,110 | 42,770,600 Kg |
| Indonesia | $74,364,180 | 36,593,300 Kg |
| Malaysia | $53,408,670 | 22,736,300 Kg |
| United Arab Emirates | $30,198,770 | 13,638,900 Kg |
| United Kingdom | $21,319,380 | 5,147,580 Kg |
| Vietnam | $20,162,810 | 8,129,100 Kg |
Source: WITS (World Bank) / UN Comtrade — India exports by partner, calendar year 2024 — view source. Data year: 2024 (calendar year). Retrieved: 2026-09-17.
Notes on this data
HIGH CONFIDENCE — primary-tier (WITS/UN Comtrade). This is India's single largest spice export by value: USD 1.297 BILLION in 2024 across ~537,599 MT. China alone takes ~35% of value. Note the HS nuance: WITS reports under the legacy aggregate 0904.20; current HS2017+ nomenclature splits this into 0904.21 (dried, neither crushed nor ground) and 0904.22 (crushed or ground), so a customs filing should use the split code. Strong candidate for the highest-priority blog cluster (China, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh all major).
Indian sourcing regions
Andhra Pradesh is India's largest chilli-producing state — Guntur is the country's principal chilli trading market — with Telangana and Karnataka adding significant volume. Harvest runs January-April depending on region and variety; pods are sun-dried after picking, then graded and stored, which supports year-round supply from stock.
Export documentation
Export documentation prepared to match destination-country and buyer requirements — phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin, fumigation certificate, lab test reports and more, as applicable.
- Phytosanitary certificate
- Certificate of origin
- Fumigation certificate (where required by destination)
- Certificate of analysis — moisture, pungency/Scoville level, colour value, extraneous matter
- Spices Board registration documentation, where applicable to the shipment
- Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading
Share your compliance checklist and we will confirm the documentation for your shipment. Third-party inspection (SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or your nominated agency) can be arranged on request.
Get a quote for Red Chilli
Tell us your specs — get a quote within 24 business hours.
Red Chilli export FAQs
Yes — dried red chilli carries no DGFT export restriction and is classified Free under the current ITC-HS Schedule 2 export policy. Standard phytosanitary and spice-trade documentation applies as with any spice shipment.
Teja is a high-pungency variety popular for heat-focused markets; Byadgi is prized for its deep red colour with comparatively mild heat, common in colour-extraction and oleoresin use. Sannam and other regional varieties sit in between. Tell us your end use — heat, colour or both — and we'll recommend a variety.
Whole pods (with or without stem) keep longer and give buyers control over their own processing. Crushed/ground chilli is more convenient for direct food-manufacturing use but has a shorter shelf life for colour and pungency retention.
China is consistently India's largest chilli buyer by a wide margin — Indian dried chilli feeds China's food-processing, oleoresin-extraction and condiment industries at scale. Thailand, the US, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow as the next-largest markets.
Pungency is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which varies materially by variety and growing season. We confirm the applicable Scoville range and colour (ASTA) value for your specific lot before shipment rather than quoting a single fixed number for all chilli.
Roughly 12-14 MT bagged in a 20ft container and 22-24 MT in a 40ft for whole dried pods — dried chilli is comparatively light and bulky, so loading is closer to volume-limited than weight-limited.
One 20ft container is our standard minimum. Send your target variety, form and destination port for a current quote.
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Request a quote for Red Chilli
Tell us your quantity, destination port and required specification — we'll come back within 24 business hours.
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Step 1 of 2 — takes 60 seconds