Seeds ExporterLicorice Root exporter — Pakistan origin
Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra, mulethi) from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is exported by Kohenoor International under HS 121120 as whole root, cut root (tea-bag cut, 3–8 mm) and powder, sorted and dried, in 25 kg bales or bags. A 20ft container takes about 12 MT of whole root. Buyers are extract manufacturers in China, Japan, Germany, France and the US.
Root is dug from wild and semi-cultivated stands between October and March, washed, sun-dried and graded by diameter. Glycyrrhizin content is tested by HPLC on request.
Quick answer
Specification
Standard export specification for licorice root, as it appears on the pro forma invoice and the lot report. Custom specifications (higher purity, treated seed, different pack, private label) are quoted on request.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Glycyrrhiza glabra |
| HS code | 121120 |
| Varieties / grades | Whole root, Cut, Powder |
| Purity | Sorted |
| Germination | Not tested — edible / industrial grade |
| Forms | Whole root, cut (3–8 mm tea-bag; 10–20 mm decoction), powder (40–60 mesh) |
| Moisture | 12% max |
| Root diameter (whole) | 8–25 mm, graded |
| Glycyrrhizin (HPLC) | 3–5% typical, reported on request |
| Foreign matter | 2% max |
| Bulk density | approx. 0.25 kg/litre whole; 0.45 powder |
| Colour | Yellow interior, brown skin (unpeeled) or cream (peeled) |
| Total ash | 7% max |
| Heavy metals (Pb, As, Cd, Hg) | Tested per lot |
| Microbiology | TPC, yeast and mould, Salmonella on request |
| Pesticides | Wild-harvested; screen on request |
| Packing | 25 kg pressed bales or PP bags |
| Packing | 25 kg bales |
| MOQ | 1 x 20ft |
| Origin | Pakistan (Sindh / Punjab unless stated) |
Varieties and grades
Whole root, unpeeled. Dried roots and runners 8–25 mm in diameter, graded thick (over 15 mm), medium and thin, brown skin on, yellow interior. The grade extractors buy: thick root carries the most glycyrrhizin and is priced highest.
Whole root, peeled. Skin removed, cream to yellow, for retail chewing sticks and premium tea; more hand work, higher price.
Cut. Tea-bag cut 3–8 mm for herbal tea and tisane blends, or 10–20 mm decoction cut for traditional medicine; cut to order from graded whole root.
Powder. 40–60 mesh for cosmetics, confectionery, tobacco flavouring and traditional medicine; milled to order.
All forms are G. glabra; we do not blend with G. uralensis or G. inflata, and the species is stated on the COA.
Uses by industry
Who buys licorice root from Pakistan and what they do with it.
- Extract manufacturers. Glycyrrhizin, licorice extract and block for confectionery, tobacco and pharmaceuticals in China, Japan, Germany and the US.
- Herbal tea blenders. Tea-bag cut for sweetening and throat blends in France, Germany and the UK.
- Confectioners. Extract and powder for licorice sweets and syrups.
- Cosmetic makers. Powder and extract for skin-brightening and soothing products.
- Traditional medicine. Decoction cut and sticks for Unani, Ayurvedic and Chinese formulations; retail chewing sticks in the Gulf.
- Flavour houses. Extract for beverages, tobacco and pet food.
Quality control and testing
Licorice Root ship on a certificate of analysis from our laboratory or an accredited third-party laboratory in Karachi. Depending on the buyer's use the COA covers moisture, foreign matter, colour, particle or piece size, heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury), microbiology and, where relevant, the marker compound the buyer prices on. Product is sorted by hand or on screens and, for some grades, Sortex, then held in sealed lined packs in a dark, dry store until loading.
Sampling: composite from at least 10 packs, 1 kg sealed reference kept for 12 months, lot number on the COA, packing list and every pack. An MSDS accompanies every shipment and HACCP procedures cover drying, sorting and packing.
Licorice is released on a COA covering moisture, foreign matter, root-diameter grade, total ash and, on request, glycyrrhizin by HPLC, heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury), microbiology and a pesticide screen at an accredited laboratory; extractors usually specify a minimum glycyrrhizin and we grade thick root to meet it. Roots are washed, sun-dried, hand-sorted to remove soil, stones and rotten pieces, and pressed into bales under HACCP; cut and powder are processed on dedicated lines.
How to verify on arrival. Composite-sample at least 10 packs, seal it, and test within 14 days at your own laboratory using the methods named on the COA. Moisture and foreign matter are checked first; heavy metals and microbiology are compared against the COA method limits. Discrepancies reported within 30 days are re-tested on the retained reference sample.
Packing, loading and shipping
Standard packing for licorice root is 25 kg bales, in pressed bales wrapped in PP. Each pack is printed or labelled with product, variety or grade, lot number, net weight, origin (Pakistan), exporter and any text the importing country's labelling rules require, and closed with a sewn tear-off tag. Private-label printing is available with artwork two weeks before loading.
A 20ft container carries about 12 MT (about 480 x 25 kg per 20ft) loose-stacked on a kraft-paper floor in a brick pattern with a cardboard door wall; a 40ft carries about 22–24 MT (40ft HC). Palletised loads on ISPM 15 heat-treated pallets take roughly 10% less and are used for Europe, East Asia, North America and Australia where the container is unloaded by forklift. Desiccant bags are added for humid destinations on request. Every stuffing is photographed from empty box to applied seal and the photos go to the buyer the same day with the packing list. Full figures for every product are in the container loading guide.
Storage and shelf life. Dried root keeps 24 months in bales in a dry, ventilated store; powder 12 months in sealed bags. Moisture above 12% risks mould, so keep bales off the floor and away from walls in humid climates.
| Container | Net cargo | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard | 12 MT | about 480 x 25 kg per 20ft; loose on kraft-paper floor |
| 40ft / 40ft HC | 22–24 MT (40ft HC) | Weight-limited on dense seed; volume-limited on light seed |
| Palletised (any size) | ≈ 10% less | ISPM 15 pallets, shrink-wrapped and strapped |
| LCL / air | 3 MT LCL | Higher per-kg rate; used for trial lots |
Documents and import compliance
Every container of licorice root leaves with the phytosanitary certificate from the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) Karachi carrying the importer's additional-declaration wording, a certificate of origin from the Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce, the certificate of analysis and MSDS, commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading, plus a fumigation certificate and pre-shipment inspection report where the destination requires them. The table lists what the main destinations for this product ask for; the documents guide explains each certificate and the import guide shows the sequence.
| Country | Authority | Documents required | Transit from Karachi |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | GACC | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; GACC registration; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 18–24 days sea |
| Japan | MAFF Plant Protection | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 22–28 days sea |
| Germany | BVL / EU | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; EU TRACES CHED-PP; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 22–26 days sea |
| France | DGAL / EU | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; EU TRACES CHED-PP; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 20–25 days sea |
| United States | USDA APHIS | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; APHIS import permit where required; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 30–40 days sea |
HS classification. Licorice roots are HS 1211.20 (plants and parts of plants used primarily in perfumery, pharmacy or for insecticidal purposes: liquorice roots). Licorice is not CITES-listed. EU and UK food-use imports enter with a COA and CHED-D as a food or food supplement ingredient; China requires GACC registration; Japan applies MHLW residue monitoring; the US importer files FDA prior notice. Duty is zero in the EU (GSP+) and the US.
Season, new crop and availability
Dug October–March; dried, graded root is available year-round from stock. Cut and powder are processed to order and add 2–3 weeks to lead time. Because the crop is wild and semi-cultivated, the volume available in a season depends on the collector network, and large extract buyers reserve thick-root grades in advance.
Chinese and Japanese extractors typically contract in March–May after the digging season; tea blenders buy through the year.
The availability calendar shows every product month by month, and prior-crop lots are always described as such on the pro forma.
Price factors and how to get today's rate
Kohenoor does not publish a price for licorice root because a price is only meaningful for a specific lot, grade, pack, quantity and date. A firm FOB Karachi or CIF quote in USD per kg or per MT comes back within 24 hours of an enquiry and is held for 7–14 days. What moves the number, in order of size:
- Crop year and timing. Pre-harvest bookings are fixed and usually lowest; spot prices rise in a short crop or when prior-crop stock runs down before new crop. Difference between the two can be 15–20%.
- Grade and purity. Thick unpeeled root (over 15 mm, highest glycyrrhizin) is the top grade, then medium and thin root; peeled root, cut and powder add processing cost. Glycyrrhizin, heavy-metal and microbial tests are itemised. Freight per kg is high on whole root because a 20ft carries only 12 MT.
- Packing. 25 kg loose bags are the base; 50 kg is slightly cheaper per kg; 10 kg, cartons, private label and palletising add 2–8%.
- Quantity. Each additional container in one contract is priced 2–5% lower; LCL lots cost 20–40% more per kg because inspection, documents and handling are the same for 2 MT as for 20 MT.
- Incoterm. FOB Karachi is the base; CIF adds freight and insurance at the current line rate for your port; road delivery to Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia is priced per truck.
- Tests and treatment. Third-party COA, residue or aflatoxin panels, SGS inspection, fumigation and seed treatment are itemised at cost.
Samples. 200 g to 1 kg from the offered lot is free against courier charges (typically USD 40–90) and goes out with the current report. Larger trial lots are invoiced at the container rate. The full logic, MOQ table and sample policy are on seed prices and MOQ.
How this compares
Botanical buyers compare licorice root with sea buckthorn and rose petals as Pakistani tea and extract ingredients; the table shows how they differ in form, testing and shipping economics.
| Criterion | Licorice Root | <a href="/products/sea-buckthorn/">Dried Sea Buckthorn Berries</a> | <a href="/products/rose-petals/">Dried Rose Petals & Buds</a> |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | Whole root, cut, powder | Whole dried berries | Petals, buds, powder |
| Main use | Extract, tea, confectionery | Tea, supplements, oil | Tea, cosmetics, confectionery |
| MOQ | 1 x 20ft (LCL 3 MT) | 200 kg | 100 kg |
| 20ft / 40ft HC | 12 / 22–24 MT | 6–8 / 14–16 MT | 3–4 / 6–8 MT |
| Harvest | Oct–Mar | Sep–Oct | Apr–May |
| Marker compound | Glycyrrhizin | Vitamin C, omega-7 | Colour, aroma |
| HS | 121120 | 081340 | 060390 |
Markets served
Kohenoor has shipped licorice root to China, Japan, Germany, France, United States. Demand comes from extract manufacturers in China, Japan, Germany and the US, herbal tea blenders in France and Germany, and confectionery and cosmetic makers. Each destination has its own permit and phytosanitary wording; the country pages under markets summarise them and we prepare the certificate to match before DPP inspection.
Specialist site and further reading
Detailed agronomy, variety trials and technical downloads for licorice root are published on our specialist site herbnseed.com. For pricing, MOQ and shipping use the quote form on this page; the lab and sorting line are described on the quality page, and all 28 lines are listed under products.
Frequently asked questions
What glycyrrhizin content does Pakistani licorice root have?
Typically 3–5% on a dry-weight basis, with selected thick-root lots higher. We test by HPLC on request at a third-party laboratory and state the result on the certificate of analysis for extract manufacturers.
Peeled or unpeeled root?
Both. Unpeeled is standard for extraction; peeled root is supplied for tea and retail sticks at a higher price. Cut sizes are 3–8 mm for tea bags and 10–20 mm for decoction.
How much licorice fits in a 20ft container?
About 12 MT of whole root in pressed bales; cut root packs to 14–15 MT and powder to 18 MT. A 40ft high-cube takes 22–24 MT of whole root.
Is licorice root regulated for export?
Licorice root is not CITES-listed. It requires a phytosanitary certificate and, for the EU, a CHED-D pre-notification as a food or herbal import. We also supply an MSDS and COA.
Which Glycyrrhiza species do you supply?
Glycyrrhiza glabra only, from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. We do not blend with G. uralensis or G. inflata, and the species is stated on the COA and phytosanitary certificate.
Do you test licorice for heavy metals?
Yes, per lot on request and always for EU, US and Japanese buyers: lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury at an accredited laboratory, reported against the buyer's pharmacopoeia or food limits.
Is the root wild or cultivated?
Wild and semi-cultivated stands dug by collector cooperatives between October and March under a buy-back arrangement. No pesticides are used; a residue screen is available on request.
What is the lead time for cut root or powder?
Whole root ships from stock in 2–3 weeks; cut and powder are processed to order and add 2–3 weeks. Large extract buyers reserve thick-root grades in March–May after the digging season.
Can I order a smaller lot than a container?
Yes, 3 MT by LCL in bales or bags at a higher per-kg rate; tea blenders often start with 3–5 MT of cut root.
How should licorice root be stored?
Bales off the floor in a dry, ventilated store; 24 months for whole and cut root, 12 months for powder in sealed bags. Moisture above 12% risks mould in humid climates.
Get today's FOB rate
Tell us the product, quantity and destination port. The export desk replies within 24 hours with price, MOQ, documents and transit time.
export@kohenoorint.com · +92 310 4929292 · Reply within 24 hours