Minimum Order Quantity for Bulk Spices
The working MOQ ladder for Indian spices, from a 50 kg sample to a full 20ft container, framed as trade practice rather than statute.
What is the minimum order quantity for bulk spices from India?
There is no legal minimum. As trade practice, samples run 50-100 kg, private label near 100 kg per variant, a standard blend near 300 kg and a custom blend near 500 kg. Sea LCL moves 1-5 MT; a 20ft container holds roughly 18-22 MT.
The MOQ ladder
| Stage | Typical quantity |
|---|---|
| Sample | 50-100 kg |
| Private label, per variant | ~100 kg |
| Standard blend | ~300 kg |
| Custom blend | ~500 kg |
| Sea LCL (part container) | 1-5 MT |
| 20ft FCL, dense seed spice | ~18-22 MT |
| Air freight, cardamom/saffron | from ~100 kg |
Why the container figure varies by spice
A 20ft container is limited by weight for dense seed spices like cumin, coriander and fennel, so it fills near 18-22 MT. Whole dried chilli behaves differently: it cubes out, filling the volume long before it reaches the weight limit, so a chilli container ships comparatively light.
High-value spices skip the ladder. Cardamom and saffron often move by air from around 100 kg because value per kilo justifies the freight and speed.
Frequently asked
Can I order a single pallet to test the market?
Yes. Sea LCL commonly carries 1-5 MT, which lets you validate a grade and your destination test results before committing to a full container.
Sourcing this? Tell us the spice, grade and destination and we return a documented offer — vetted supply, QC oversight, and the test dossier your market needs.
Start a sourcing enquiry →What this page does not tell you
- Per-exporter MOQ
- Individual suppliers set their own minimums above or below this ladder; figures here are common trade practice, not a quoted supplier minimum.
Reviewed 16 July 2026.
Sources
- CBI — Entering the European market for spices and herbs· Tier 2, retrieved 2026-07-16