Senna is one of India’s highest-volume herbal exports, grown mainly in the dry belt of Rajasthan. Buyers order it in two forms, leaves and pods, for teas, supplements and pharmacy lines. This guide covers the difference between the two, the cuts you can order, minimum order, papers and where the demand sits.
Leaves or pods: which should you buy?
Both come from the same plant, but they do not behave the same way in a recipe or on a price sheet. Pods are the stronger of the two and more consistent from lot to lot, which is why extract makers usually take pods. Leaves are what tea and infusion brands buy, cut to a size that suits their packing line, or milled into powder for capsules.
What forms and grades are available?
We supply senna in the forms buyers ask for most. Grade names differ from one supplier to the next, so agree on the actual cut and strength rather than on the label:
| Form | Typical buyers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Whole leaves | Tea packers, wholesalers | Graded on leaf condition and colour |
| Fine cut leaves | Tea and infusion brands | A fine, even cut sized to run through tea bag machines |
| Coarse cut leaves | Loose leaf blends, capsule milling | A coarser cut than fine cut |
| Leaf powder | Supplement and capsule makers | Milled to the fineness you specify |
| Whole pods | Extract manufacturers | Stronger and steadier than leaves |
See the full listing for senna leaves and senna pods with current specifications.
How do you know the quality is right?
Every lot ships with a lab report, the Certificate of Analysis. Strength varies with the crop, the region and the grade, so the report on your batch is the document that matters, not a number in a brochure. Check it against your own specification before the lot ships. Strength, moisture, foreign matter, ash and the microbial results are all on it.
Minimum order, packing and lead time
Minimum order depends on the form and the grade. Standard export packing is food grade bags inside labelled cartons, or pressed bales for whole leaf, with lot numbers that tie back to the lab report. Tell our export desk your destination, the form you want and your target volume, and we confirm the minimum order, the packing and the price per kilo.
Where is senna demand strongest?
Indian senna sells into Sri Lanka, the United States, Germany and the wider EU pharmacy trade, and the Gulf. A.R.T International handles the export paperwork and ships worldwide, with a lab report on every lot.
Buying from the processor instead of a trader
Most enquiries name a cut and a role: a wholesale senna leaves supplier, a senna pods supplier, or a manufacturer who can hold one specification across repeat orders. A.R.T International covers all three. We process the crop in Rajasthan and export it ourselves, so you buy from the people who actually mill it.
- Leaves. Whole leaf, broken leaf, fine cut, coarse cut, and powder.
- Pods. Whole pods, broken pods, both cuts, and pod powder.
- Strength. Standard and higher strength grades, with the figure for your lot written on the lab report.
For certification, tell us what your buyers require, whether organic, fair trade or a set pesticide residue limit, and we confirm what we can document before you commit. Send your destination and target volume through the senna leaves page or the senna pods page for the current price per kilo and minimum order.
Exporting senna to Japan and East Asia
Japanese and East Asian buyers ask for the same cuts as everyone else, and the answer is the same Rajasthan crop. What changes is the emphasis on paperwork. Shipments travel with the lab report, a phytosanitary certificate, a certificate of origin and full packing documents, with BP, USP or EP pharmacopeia compliance stated where the buyer’s specification calls for it. Tell the export desk your destination port and which rules you work to, and the documents are prepared to match. The first reply arrives within 24 hours.
Specifications, for buyers who order to a number
Some buyers formulate to a figure rather than to a grade name, so here it is in one place. Sennosides A and B run 2.5% to 3.5% depending on grade, tested by HPLC and stated on the Certificate of Analysis for your lot. Moisture is held at 10% maximum, and shelf life is 2 years. Pharmacopeia compliance to BP, USP or EP is available where your specification requires it. Ask the export desk for a sample lab report before you order.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between senna leaves and senna pods?
Both come from the same plant. Pods are stronger and more consistent than leaves, so pods are the usual choice for extract production, while leaves are what tea brands and capsule makers buy. Ask for the lab report on the specific lot for exact figures.
What cut sizes can I order?
Fine cut is the fine, even cut used by tea and infusion packers, sized to run through packing machines. Coarse cut is coarser, used for loose leaf blends, capsule milling and extraction. Both are available on leaves and on pods. The choice depends on your packing line, and the exact cut size is written on the lab report.
How strong is the senna?
It varies by crop, region and grade. Leaves usually sit in a lower range than pods. Because it moves from lot to lot, always work from the lab report for the batch you are buying rather than from a fixed guarantee. Buyers who formulate to a percentage will find the figures in the specifications section above.
What is the minimum order quantity for senna?
It depends on the form and grade. Share your destination, the form you want and your target volume, and our export desk confirms the current minimum order and price per kilo.
Which countries do you supply senna to?
Demand is strongest across Sri Lanka, the United States, Germany and the wider EU, and the Gulf. We handle the export paperwork and ship worldwide with a lab report on every lot.
Are you a wholesale senna leaves supplier?
Yes. We supply senna leaves wholesale from Rajasthan, India, as whole leaf, broken leaf, fine cut, coarse cut and powder. Pods come in the same range of cuts.
Can I buy senna pods in bulk?
Yes. Senna pods ship in bulk as whole pods, broken pods, both cuts and pod powder, each with a lab report for the lot.
Do you supply organic or fair trade senna?
Tell us the certification your buyers require, whether organic, fair trade or a set pesticide residue limit, and we confirm what we can document before you order. The senna itself ships in the standard forms from Rajasthan, India.
Do you export senna leaves and pods to Japan?
Yes. Senna leaves and pods in every cut are available for export to Japan and East Asia, with the lab report, phytosanitary certificate and certificate of origin on every shipment.
Specs change with the crop, the season and the grade. Ask our export desk for a current lab report, the minimum order and a price to your port, and we will come back within 24 hours.