Consolidated Shipments of Botanical Ingredients From India: Documents, Packing and Timing

One Consignment, One Set of Documents

• Commercial invoice: one invoice with a line per ingredient and lot, each with its description, quantity, value and HS code.
• Packing list: one list showing which drums or cartons hold which lot, with net and gross weights.
• Certificate of analysis: one per lot, batch-specific.
• Safety data sheet per product where required.
• Transport document: one air waybill or bill of lading for the consignment.
• Destination certificates: whatever your market requires, such as certificates of origin or official certificates for controlled goods.

HS Codes Line by Line

Different ingredients often fall under different headings: plant extracts under 1302, oleoresins and essential oils under 3301, and some nutraceuticals elsewhere. Each line carries its own code, and duties are assessed per line. Agree the codes with your customs broker before shipping. See our HS code guide and the World Customs Organization’s overview of the Harmonized System.

Packing and Labels

Every drum or carton should carry its own label: product name, botanical name, lot number, net weight and dates. Labels must match the packing list and the certificate exactly. A mismatch between a drum label and the paperwork is one of the most common reasons a consignment is held.

Keep lots separate on the pallet, and do not mix two lots of the same product in one drum.

Border Controls Apply Line by Line

Destination rules apply to each product, not to the shipment as a whole. In the EU, for example, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 sets special import conditions for food supplements containing botanicals from India because of ethylene oxide. If one line falls under it, that line needs its official certificate and analytical results, and the whole consignment waits for the check.

Check every line against your market before ordering. Our market access checker and the EU import requirements guide are a starting point.

Air or Sea

• Air or courier for trial orders and small consolidated lots, where speed matters more than freight cost.
• Sea, as LCL (less than container load) for larger mixed lots that do not fill a container.
• Sea, as FCL when the combined order fills a container.

The Incoterm decides who arranges and pays for each leg. The ICC Incoterms® rules define the common terms such as FOB, CIF and DAP.

Timing: the Slowest Line Sets the Date

A consolidated shipment leaves when the last ingredient is ready and tested. Ask for the expected ready date of each line, not just the shipment date. If one item has a long lead time, you can choose to ship the rest first and send that line separately.

How We Ship

For export orders, SV Botanica consolidates ingredients from different facilities into one shipment, with one commercial invoice, one packing list, the certificate of analysis for each lot and the certificates your destination requires. See the multi-ingredient sourcing page and the documents we supply.