MOQ tiers
| Tier | Quantity | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Trial | 1 MT LCL | — |
| Commercial | 5–10 MT LCL | — |
| Standard FCL | 1 × 20'FCL ≈ 18–22 MT | — |
Licorice Roots Exporter & Wholesale Supplier — 35+ Origins, 80+ Destinations
Kehkashan exports licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) roots from origin partners in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan — supplied in bulk FCL or LCL with FOB Karachi or Jebel Ali, CFR, or CIF terms to confectionery, pharma, and traditional-medicine buyers 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
- Glycyrrhiza glabra
- Also known as
- Mulethi, Liquorice, عرق السوس, سوس, солодка, лакрица
- HS code
- 1211.90
- Common varieties
- Origins available
- Pakistan, AF, Uzbekistan, TM, AZ, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Iran, SY
- MOQ
- 1 × 20'FCL ≈ 18–22 MT
- Pack sizes
- 20 kg PP bag (small-cut grade), 25 kg PP bag (powdered grade), 50 kg jute bag (sticks / unpeeled), 500 kg compressed bale (raw roots)
- Specs
- Glycyrrhizin: 8–12% (custom titration available), Moisture: < 12%, Grade: Small-cut · Sticks · Peeled · Unpeeled · Powder, Foreign matter: < 2%, Aflatoxin: EU MRL compliant
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Small-cut (commercial extraction) | RFQ — entry tier |
| Sticks / unpeeled roots | RFQ — mid tier |
| Peeled premium sticks | RFQ — premium tier |
| Powdered (custom mesh) | RFQ — value-add |
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 PP (powder) · 50 kg jute · 500 kg compressed bale
- Container capacity
- 20'FCL: 18–22 MT
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 glycyrrhizin content should I specify?
- Standard commercial extraction wants 8–12% glycyrrhizin on dry-matter basis. Pharma-grade extracts target 10–14%. Confectionery (Dutch drop, Italian liquirizia) wants 6–10%. Pakistani and Afghan wild-harvest licorice typically tests 8–12%. Uzbek and Turkmen tests 9–14% (higher because of older root age). We custom-titrate by blending lots to spec — request glycyrrhizin assay on every PO.
- Wild-harvest versus cultivated — quality difference?
- Wild-harvest (Pakistan Cholistan, Afghan Helmand, Uzbek Aral basin) gives 4–6 year mature roots with higher glycyrrhizin and stronger aroma. Cultivated (Russian / Chinese irrigated farms) gives 2–3 year roots, lower glycyrrhizin, more uniform but less complex flavour. Pharma extractors prefer wild-harvest for active-compound concentration; confectionery makers often prefer cultivated for batch consistency.
- Are there CITES or sustainability concerns?
- Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is not CITES-listed but unsustainable harvest pressure has degraded Central Asian populations since the 1990s. We source from cooperative wild-harvest programmes that practice rotational extraction (5–7 year recovery between sites) and provide sustainability declaration on every shipment. Some EU buyers now require FairWild certification — available at premium.
- How do you handle ammoniated glycyrrhizin and EU regulations?
- Raw licorice root is unrestricted. Glycyrrhizin extracts > 100 mg / day intake have EU food-safety advisory. We supply raw root only — ammoniated glycyrrhizin (the sweetener) and concentrated extracts are downstream of our trade. Buyers manufacturing extracts manage compliance against EFSA and individual-country regulations.
- What about heavy-metals testing?
- Licorice root accumulates lead, cadmium, and arsenic from soil. Specify Pb < 3 ppm, Cd < 1 ppm, As < 5 ppm (EU pharma spec) on every COA. Wild-harvest lots from the Aral basin can show elevated cadmium because of legacy industrial pollution; we screen at origin and reject any lot above EU MRL. Heavy-metals certificate accompanies every shipment.
- Can you supply licorice powder customised by mesh size?
- Yes — 60 mesh, 80 mesh, or 100 mesh on request. Confectionery makers want 60 mesh (coarse); tea-blend retail wants 80 mesh; pharma / nutraceutical wants 100 mesh. Premium 15–25% over root pricing because of milling step. Powder ships in 25 kg PP bags with food-grade liner; MOQ 1 MT LCL.
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.
trade brief
Licorice Roots Wholesale: Glycyrrhizin % by Origin
Pakistan, Afghan, Iranian, Uzbek, Chinese licorice — glycyrrhizin titration, whole/cut/powder grades, EU-compliant. FOB Jebel Ali, reply in 1 working day.
12 min readRead the guide →
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