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Farm produce

Export millets (shree anna)

Bajra, jowar, ragi and small millets as grain, flour and ready foods. Small but growing; the Gulf, Nepal and the USA buy most.

Free to exportHS 1008
HS code
1008
Buckwheat, millet and other cereals (pearl millet, finger millet and small millets). Sorghum (jowar) is 1007.
Export policy
Free to export
Free, as far as we could confirm. Check the exact 8-digit line on DGFT’s ITC(HS) Schedule 2 before shipping.
Registrations
5
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 67.2 mn
to 88 countries

What is exported

India produced about 18.6 million tonnes of millets in 2024-25, led by Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. Exports in 2025-26 were 1.39 lakh tonnes worth US$ 61.6 million. The UAE (22.4%), Saudi Arabia (12.7%), Nepal (7.8%), the USA (6.7%) and Morocco (3.8%) were the top destinations.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Pearl millet (bajra)Largest millet export; grain, flour and bird feed.
  • Finger millet (ragi)Whole grain and flour for health and baby foods.
  • Sorghum (jowar)Grain and flour; HS 1007, not 1008.
  • Small millets — foxtail, kodo, little, barnyard, prosoEach has its own 8-digit line under 1008 21 / 1008 29.
  • Ready-to-eat millet productsFlakes, noodles, cookies and mixes (Chapter 19).

Where it is grown or made

  • RajasthanLargest producer (29.86%), mainly bajra in the west.
  • Maharashtra13.62%; jowar in Marathwada and Solapur.
  • Karnataka12.91%; ragi in the south (Tumakuru, Hassan, Mandya).
  • Uttar Pradesh and GujaratUP 12.67%, Gujarat 7.25% — mainly bajra.

Season

Mostly kharif crops harvested September–November; rabi jowar comes in February–March.

Export packing

  • 25–50 kg PP bags for grain; cleaned and machine-sorted.
  • Flour and ready-to-eat products in retail pouches with nutrition labels for the destination.

Who buys abroad

  • Importers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Nepal
  • Health-food and gluten-free brands in the USA and Europe
  • Bird-feed and animal-feed blenders

The quality buyers ask for

Grade standards
AGMARK Millets Grading and Marking Rules, 2024 (DMI); Codex standards for pearl millet (CXS 169-1989) and sorghum (CXS 172-1989)
Moisture
Set by the grade standard and contract; dry grain keeps and ships safely
Foreign matter and damage
Limits on other grains, stones, weevilled and damaged grains
Mycotoxins
Aflatoxin and other mycotoxins within destination limits; ergot is a risk in pearl millet
Gluten-free claim
Codex and EU rules allow “gluten-free” only at 20 mg/kg gluten or less — test for cross-contact with wheat

Certificates

  • APEDA RCMCRequiredRegistration with APEDA, issued as an RCMC on the DGFT portal. Since 15 Sep 2026, a consignment up to ₹3 lakh FOB can go without it.
  • Phytosanitary certificateRequiredIssued by Plant Quarantine (DPPQS) for each consignment of plant produce, after inspection. Apply on PQMS.
  • FSSAI licenceRequiredCentral licence from FSSAI for the premises where the food is packed or stored for export. Apply on FoSCoS.
  • Organic (NPOP / NOP / EU)Often askedNeeded only if you sell the product as organic: NPOP certification by an accredited body, plus the buyer market’s own organic rules.
  • HACCPOften askedA food-safety plan that identifies hazards at each processing step and controls them. Most importers ask for it from the processing unit.
  • Gluten-free certificationOften askedThird-party gluten-free scheme some retailers ask for; needs a dedicated or well-controlled line.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Grain in 25 or 50 kg bags: a 20-ft container typically holds about 22–25 tonnes. Flours and foods go in cartons.

How it travels

Sea freight from Mundra, Kandla and Nhava Sheva; land routes to Nepal.

Storage

Dry, fumigated godown. Pearl millet flour turns rancid quickly, so mill close to shipment or stabilise it.

Shelf life

Whole grain about a year; flours typically only a few months.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Bulk bags and cartons: product and grade, crop year, lot number, net and gross weight, “Product of India”, exporter name and the buyer’s shipping marks, matching the invoice and packing list exactly.
  • EU retail packs (Regulation 1169/2011): name of the food, ingredients with allergens highlighted, net quantity, best-before date, storage conditions, the EU importer’s name and address, and origin where required — in the language of the country of sale.
  • USA (21 CFR 101): product name, net quantity in both US and metric units, ingredients, allergens, name and place of business of the packer or distributor, Nutrition Facts unless exempt; and “Product of India” marking (19 CFR 134).
  • Lot or batch number on every pack and bag — FSSAI’s Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020 require it, and every importing country uses it to trace and recall.
Where to get it tested

Use a laboratory on APEDA’s list of recognised laboratories (apeda.gov.in → Quality → Recognised Organisations). For any other test, search the NABL directory (nabl-india.org) for a lab accredited for that test, or use an FSSAI-notified lab. Ask the buyer which lab reports they accept before you send samples.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • APEDARegistration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) for APEDA-scheduled products. Apply on the DGFT portal after you have your IEC.dgft.gov.in ↗
  • FSSAIFood business licence. FSSAI rules put food exporters under the Central licence; apply on FoSCoS and keep it valid for the premises you pack from.foscos.fssai.gov.in ↗
  • Plant Quarantine (DPPQS)Phytosanitary certificate for each consignment of plant produce, applied for online on PQMS. Some markets also need the farm, packhouse or mill to be registered with Plant Quarantine.pqms.cgg.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • Pesticide residues and mycotoxins (aflatoxin) against buyer limits.
  • Cleaning to remove stones, dust and other grain; moisture under 12% or as contracted.
  • For flours and ready mixes: shelf life, rancidity and the buyer country’s labelling rules.
How to start small

Partner with a millet FPO that already cleans and packs. Send consumer packs of ragi or bajra flour, or cleaned small millets, LCL to a Gulf supermarket supplier. 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

  • Millet flours turn rancid quickly; ship whole grain or use short best-before dates and good barrier packs.
  • Using Indian names only on labels; buyers abroad need the English and botanical names.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (2)
  1. APEDA — Indian Millets (production, exports and destinations 2025-26)
  2. DGFT Notification 36/2026-27 (15 Sep 2026) — no RCMC needed for consignments up to ₹3 lakh FOB

Trade data

Indian millets (shree anna) exports in numbers

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

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 67.2 mn
+9.5% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +19.9%
US$ 56.1 mn → US$ 67.2 mn
Buyer countries
88
Average export price
US$ 0.56
per kg · 1,19,515 tonnes shipped · US$ 0.56 the year before
United Arab Emirates: US$ 9.6 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 5.3 mnNepal: US$ 4.8 mnUnited States of America: US$ 4.4 mnRussia: US$ 3.9 mnNetherlands: US$ 3.5 mnGermany: US$ 3.3 mnMorocco: US$ 2.6 mnSpain: US$ 2.6 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 2.4 mnCanada: US$ 1.8 mnJapan: US$ 1.7 mnAlgeria: US$ 1.5 mnSri Lanka: US$ 1.4 mnPoland: US$ 1.3 mnItaly: US$ 1.1 mnOman: US$ 1.1 mnYemen: US$ 970kIsrael: US$ 790kQatar: US$ 790kTürkiye: US$ 710kTaiwan: US$ 700kBelgium: US$ 680kAustralia: US$ 600kUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 9.6 mnUnited Arab EmiratesSaudi Arabia: US$ 5.3 mnNepal: US$ 4.8 mnNepalUnited States of America: US$ 4.4 mnUnited States of AmericaRussia: US$ 3.9 mnRussiaNetherlands: US$ 3.5 mnNetherlandsGermany: US$ 3.3 mnMorocco: US$ 2.6 mnMoroccoSpain: US$ 2.6 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 2.4 mnCanada: US$ 1.8 mnJapan: US$ 1.7 mnAlgeria: US$ 1.5 mnSri Lanka: US$ 1.4 mnPoland: US$ 1.3 mnItaly: US$ 1.1 mnOman: US$ 1.1 mnYemen: US$ 970kIsrael: US$ 790kQatar: US$ 790kTürkiye: US$ 710kTaiwan: US$ 700kBelgium: US$ 680kAustralia: US$ 600kIndia
Where Indian millets (shree anna) goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 42.8 mn432020-212021-22: US$ 45.7 mn462021-222022-23: US$ 57.2 mn572022-232023-24: US$ 56.3 mn562023-242024-25: US$ 56.1 mn562024-252025-26: US$ 67.2 mn672025-26
India’s millets (shree anna) exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2025-26, lowest in 2020-21 — a 39% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 0.40 per kg0.402021-22: US$ 0.41 per kg2022-23: US$ 0.45 per kg2024-25: US$ 0.56 per kg2025-26: US$ 0.56 per kg0.562020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian millets (shree anna) · 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$ 42.8 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 45.7 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 57.2 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 56.3 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 56.1 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 67.2 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 71.3 mn (US$ 64.8 mn – US$ 78.5 mn)712026-272027-28: US$ 77.4 mn (US$ 69.6 mn – US$ 86.1 mn)772027-28
India’s millets (shree anna) exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 77.4 mn

Likely range US$ 69.6 mn to US$ 86.1 mn.

Trend
+8.5% a year
Fit (R²)
0.86
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 Arab EmiratesUS$ 9.6 mn+22.7%
2Saudi ArabiaUS$ 5.3 mn-7.2%
3NepalUS$ 4.8 mn-10.2%
4United States of AmericaUS$ 4.4 mn-5.9%
5RussiaUS$ 3.9 mn+103.2%
6NetherlandsUS$ 3.5 mn+116.2%
7GermanyUS$ 3.3 mn-15.5%
8MoroccoUS$ 2.6 mn+364.3%
9SpainUS$ 2.6 mn+169.8%
10United KingdomUS$ 2.4 mn+41.6%
11CanadaUS$ 1.8 mn+50.4%
12LibyaUS$ 1.8 mn-19.7%

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. MoroccoUS$ 560k → US$ 2.6 mn+364.3%
  2. SpainUS$ 960k → US$ 2.6 mn+169.8%
  3. NetherlandsUS$ 1.6 mn → US$ 3.5 mn+116.2%
  4. RussiaUS$ 1.9 mn → US$ 3.9 mn+103.2%
  5. Sri LankaUS$ 730k → US$ 1.4 mn+97.3%
  6. PolandUS$ 700k → US$ 1.3 mn+85.7%
  7. CanadaUS$ 1.2 mn → US$ 1.8 mn+50.4%
  8. United KingdomUS$ 1.7 mn → US$ 2.4 mn+41.6%

Low demand

  1. ItalyUS$ 1.7 mn → US$ 1.1 mn-37%
  2. LibyaUS$ 2.2 mn → US$ 1.8 mn-19.7%
  3. GermanyUS$ 3.9 mn → US$ 3.3 mn-15.5%
  4. NepalUS$ 5.4 mn → US$ 4.8 mn-10.2%

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
Cereals, millet, other than seed — bajra1008 29 20US$ 19.7 mn+1.3%55,105 tonnesUS$ 0.36 per kgwas US$ 0.39
Quinoa(chenopodium quinoa)1008 50 00 · Cereals, quinoaUS$ 14.2 mn+133.8%10,633 tonnesUS$ 1.33 per kgwas US$ 1.21
Cereals, millet, seed — bajra1008 21 20US$ 6.1 mn+88.6%12,332 tonnesUS$ 0.50 per kgwas US$ 0.50
Other cereals,other then seed qlty1008 90 90 · Cereals in chapter 10US$ 6.1 mn-12.4%6,765 tonnesUS$ 0.90 per kgwas US$ 0.82
Cereals, millet, other than seed — ragi1008 29 30US$ 5.9 mn-2.6%15,054 tonnesUS$ 0.39 per kgwas US$ 0.39
Cereals, millet, other than seed — amaranth1008 29 91US$ 5 mn-26.1%4,229 tonnesUS$ 1.19 per kgwas US$ 1.25
Cereals, millet, seed — ragi1008 21 30US$ 2 mn+16.8%3,423 tonnesUS$ 0.57 per kgwas US$ 0.58
Cereals, millet, seed — amaranth1008 21 91US$ 1.7 mn+630.4%1,464 tonnesUS$ 1.15 per kgwas US$ 1.19
Cereals, millet, other than seed — jawar1008 29 10US$ 1.5 mn+122.4%2,728 tonnesUS$ 0.55 per kgwas US$ 0.55
Cereals, millet, other than seed — foxtail1008 29 60US$ 1.1 mn-41.9%2,187 tonnesUS$ 0.49 per kgwas US$ 1.15
Cereals, millet, seed — jawar1008 21 10US$ 1.1 mn+11.6%1,876 tonnesUS$ 0.57 per kgwas US$ 0.75
Cereals, millet, other than seed — barnyard1008 29 40US$ 360k+125%513 tonnesUS$ 0.70 per kgwas US$ 1.51
Cereals, millet, seed — proso1008 21 50US$ 320k+1,500%564 tonnesUS$ 0.57 per kgwas US$ 1.66
Cereals, buckwheat — other buck wheat1008 10 90US$ 310k-11.4%513 tonnesUS$ 0.60 per kgwas US$ 0.71

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$ 1.1 bn
2023
India among exporters
#6
of 118 countries
India’s share of world exports
5.4%
US$ 58.8 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 1.02 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1PolandUS$ 209 mn 19.3%
  2. 2CanadaUS$ 129 mn 12%
  3. 3PeruUS$ 100 mn 9.3%
  4. 4USAUS$ 88.6 mn 8.2%
  5. 5FranceUS$ 67.1 mn 6.2%
  6. 6IndiaUS$ 58.8 mn 5.4%
  7. 7Bolivia (Plurinational State of)US$ 57.3 mn 5.3%
  8. 8GermanyUS$ 47.2 mn 4.4%
  9. 9UzbekistanUS$ 40.4 mn 3.7%
  10. 10ChinaUS$ 26.1 mn 2.4%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1GermanyUS$ 143 mn 13.1%
  2. 2USAUS$ 107 mn 9.8%
  3. 3NetherlandsUS$ 72.4 mn 6.6%
  4. 4SpainUS$ 71.9 mn 6.6%
  5. 5ChinaUS$ 63.2 mn 5.8%
  6. 6JapanUS$ 58 mn 5.3%
  7. 7ItalyUS$ 49.5 mn 4.5%
  8. 8BelgiumUS$ 41 mn 3.7%
  9. 9IndonesiaUS$ 37.4 mn 3.4%
  10. 10MexicoUS$ 35.2 mn 3.2%

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$ 194 mnIndia 1.7% · gap US$ 190 mn
United States of AmericaUS$ 141 mnIndia 3.2% · gap US$ 136 mn
ChinaUS$ 89.3 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 89.3 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 70.3 mnIndia 1.7% · gap US$ 69.1 mn
SpainUS$ 67.3 mnIndia 1.2% · gap US$ 66.5 mn
ItalyUS$ 48.9 mnIndia 2.8% · gap US$ 47.5 mn
JapanUS$ 44.9 mnIndia 4% · gap US$ 43.1 mn
CanadaUS$ 37 mnIndia 3.2% · gap US$ 35.9 mn
FranceUS$ 26.1 mnIndia 0.3% · gap US$ 26 mn
IndonesiaUS$ 21.7 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 21.6 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 millets (shree anna)

India is a leading grower of millets — pearl millet (bajra), sorghum (jowar), finger millet (ragi) and small millets — and pushed them worldwide during the International Year of Millets 2023. In grain trade it competes with the USA, Argentina, Ukraine and Australia for sorghum and proso millet. Gulf countries, Nepal, Libya, Tunisia and other markets buy grain for food and feed, while health-food buyers in Europe, the USA and Australia want gluten-free millet flours and ready foods. The openings are value-added millet products and organic millets.

  1. 01Choose grain or product

    Bulk grain is price-driven; flours, flakes and snacks earn more but need a food unit and labels.

  2. 02Source from FPOs

    FPOs in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Odisha can supply cleaned and graded grain.

  3. 03Clean and grade

    Destone, clean and grade to the AGMARK or buyer standard.

  4. 04Test

    Test mycotoxins, residues and, for gluten-free claims, gluten.

  5. 05Fumigate, ship, certify

    Fumigate, stuff, file the shipping bill and get the phytosanitary certificate.

  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 and drawback where they apply.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting millets (shree anna)

Which millet sells most abroad?
By volume, pearl millet and sorghum grain; by value growth, finger millet and multi-millet foods for health markets.
Can I call millet flour gluten-free?
Only if tests show 20 mg/kg gluten or less. Mills that also grind wheat often fail.
Why is bajra flour hard to export?
Its fat turns rancid within weeks. Export whole grain, or heat-treat flour and use good packaging.
Is millet export free?
As far as we could confirm, yes — check the 8-digit line in DGFT’s ITC(HS) Schedule 2 before shipping.
Is organic certification worth it?
Many millets are grown with few inputs, so organic conversion is easier; EU and US health-food buyers pay more for certified lots.
Sources (5)
  1. APEDA — Indian Millets profile
  2. Directorate of Marketing & Inspection — AGMARK grade standards (commodity-wise rules)
  3. Codex Alimentarius — list of standards
  4. EU — Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers
  5. APEDA — Recognised organisations (list of recognised laboratories, FSMS bodies)

Who buys Indian millets (shree anna)

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