MOQ tiers
| Tier | Quantity | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Trial | 100 kg LCL | — |
| Commercial | 500 kg–2 MT LCL | — |
Alkanet Roots Exporter & Wholesale Supplier — 35+ Origins, 80+ Destinations
Kehkashan exports alkanet (Alkanna tinctoria) roots from origin partners in Türkiye, Iran, and Pakistan — supplied in bulk FCL or LCL with FOB Jebel Ali, CFR, or CIF terms to natural-dye houses and cosmetic formulators across 80+ destinations.
- 35+ origins
- 80+ destinations
- ISTA / OECD certified
- LC at sight (USD/EUR)
Reference image. Sample lots and product-specific photography available on RFQ.
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Alkanna tinctoria
- Also known as
- Ratanjot, Dyer's alkanet, جذور الحناء البرية, شنجار, алканна
- HS code
- 1211.90
- Common varieties
- Origins available
- Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, India, AF
- MOQ
- 500 kg starter, FCL volumes available
- Pack sizes
- 20 kg PP bag, 25 kg cartons (food / cosmetic grade), 50 kg jute bag
- Specs
- Color: Deep crimson to maroon, Moisture: < 10%, Grade: Whole roots · Cut · Powdered, Foreign matter: < 1%, End uses: Cosmetic · Culinary · Ayurvedic
- Lead time
- 14–28 days from PO confirmation
- Incoterms
- FOB Jebel Ali · CFR · CIF · DAP
- Payment terms
- LC at sight · TT · DP
Specification & container math
FOB pricing bands (RFQ)
| Grade | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Whole roots (cosmetic / dye) | RFQ — mid tier |
| Cut / shredded (extraction) | RFQ — entry tier |
| Powdered (formulators) | RFQ — premium tier |
Lead times — top destinations
| Discharge port | Transit | Incoterm |
|---|---|---|
| Karachi (Pakistan, FOB) | 0 days | FOB |
| Jebel Ali (UAE) | 4–6 days | CFR / CIF |
| Jeddah Islamic Port (KSA) | 8–12 days | CFR / CIF |
| Dammam (KSA) | 7–10 days | CFR / CIF |
| Mombasa (Kenya) | 14–20 days | CFR / CIF |
- Packaging formats
- 20 kg PP bag · 25 kg cartons (cosmetic grade) · 50 kg jute
- Container capacity
- LCL typical; FCL on programme
Documentation set per shipment
Every container leaves UAE Free Zone with the document pack below. Additional certificates (Halal, SASO conformity, BRC, organic, FairWild, etc.) are added on request before vessel loading.
- Bill of Lading (BL) — original 3/3 set
- Commercial Invoice — UAE Free Zone issued
- Packing List with lot codes
- Certificate of Origin (CoO) — Dubai Chamber attested
- Phytosanitary Certificate — origin NPPO
- EU Mycotoxin / Aflatoxin test report (per EU 1881/2006)
- Heavy-metals test report (Pb, Cd, As, Hg)
- Microbiological test (Salmonella, E. coli, total plate count)
- Fumigation Certificate
- Form A (GSP) where applicable
Procurement-team questions
Answers to the questions buyers ask us most often during RFQ and trial-shipment evaluation.
- What end-uses drive alkanet demand?
- Three main streams: (1) Natural-color cosmetic — lipsticks, lip balms, soap-making (deep crimson to maroon dye); (2) Ayurvedic / Unani medicine — wound-healing topical preparations; (3) Culinary garnish — Kashmiri rogan-josh red color (alkanet root steeped in oil). Buyers in cosmetic-formulator and natural-dye houses are the high-tier segment.
- Is alkanet sustainable / ethical?
- Alkanet (Alkanna tinctoria) grows wild across the Mediterranean basin, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey. Most commercial supply is wild-harvest; over-harvest pressure exists in Turkish and Iranian populations. We source from cooperative wild-harvest programmes practicing seasonal rotation and provide sustainability declaration on shipments. FairWild certification is not yet available for alkanet but ECOCERT-track is.
- How is alkanet color extracted by formulators?
- The active dye (alkannin / shikonin) is fat-soluble. Cosmetic formulators infuse alkanet roots into a carrier oil (jojoba, sweet almond, coconut) for 2–6 weeks at 30–40 °C, then filter. Ayurvedic preparations infuse in mustard or sesame oil. Specify root format: whole roots for slow infusion, cut for medium-speed, powder for fastest extraction (but harder to filter).
- What is the difference between alkanet and ratanjot in Indian retail?
- Indian retail "ratanjot" is sometimes Alkanna tinctoria (Mediterranean alkanet) and sometimes Onosma echioides (Indian alkanet). Different active compounds; different colour intensity. We supply Alkanna tinctoria specifically and label the Latin binomial on every shipment. Buyers wanting Onosma echioides need to specify clearly.
- How do I evaluate alkanet quality on receipt?
- Sensory: deep crimson to maroon when freshly cut; greying or yellowing indicates aged or sun-bleached stock. Test: infuse 1 g into 50 mL almond oil at 35 °C for 24 hours — colour should reach deep ruby-red. Lab: HPLC for shikonin / alkannin content (typically 1–3% in wild-harvest). We provide a colour-density panel and HPLC report on programme volumes.
Related buyer guides & trade briefs
Long-form guides written by the Kehkashan trade desk for buyers and procurement teams scoping origin trade-offs, variety codes, and documentation flows.
origin report
Sourcing from Pakistan: Exporter Due-Diligence Guide
What Pakistan exports at scale, agroclimatic zones, Karachi/Qasim ports, DPP regime, supplier due-diligence. UAE Free Zone trade desk, reply in 1 working day.
13 min readRead the guide →
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