Key Highlights

• Overall, charcoal exports from India amounted to $0.40 billion during 2024-2025.

• The HS code for charcoal is 4402. It is mandatory for charcoal exports in the global market.

• Tai Industries Limited tops the list of charcoal exports from India with 13.41%.

• BS D Eastern Bhutan Ferro Silicon P Ltd, the Bhutan-based firm, is the major charcoal importer for India.

• Bhutan is the major charcoal importing destination for India. It leads with imports worth $31.04 million during 2024-2025.
  
  

India’s Growing Charcoal Export Market

Charcoal in ancient India was perceived as a symbol of purification. It was used in the cleaning of water, purification of the environment, and detoxification of the body.  It also played a crucial role in daily household use as a fuel for cooking and metalworking. Over the period of years, the use of charcoal has evolved with people's changing lifestyles. It is now a global commodity traded across nations for economic growth and development.

Its sourcing method, mainly the coconut charcoal sourcing, has changed it to a substitute for harmful fuel. Indian charcoal exporters now supply a variety of charcoal, including wood and coconut, across the globe, mainly to the Asian and European continents.

The coconut shell charcoal buyers are creating a shift in the Indian charcoal export market. Charcoal was once assumed to be an important fuel commodity in the industrial process. People's luxury lifestyle demands for shisha and barbeques and the growing inclination towards the sustainable sourcing impact are the drivers of the demand. A strong supply chain, developed infrastructure, and trade-friendly policies boost the supply.

Top 5 Charcoal Exporters From India

A mix of trade giants and emerging exporters drives the charcoal trade in India. These exporters control the supply and pricing of Indian charcoal in the global market through significant contribution. Tai Industries Limited dominates the charcoal exporters list with a substantial contribution of 13.41%. It is a Bhutan-based company with operations in India. It is known for trading charcoal and agro-based commodities. Next in line with close competition is the Tamil Nadu-based G. Loganathan. It contributes 13.14% of charcoal exports. It is well known for exporting charcoal, mainly coconut shell charcoal. Organature Products and Bhama Enterprises follow with contributions of 8.88% and 7.63%, respectively. Organature is based in Thrissur, while Bhama Enterprises operates from Indore in Madhya Pradesh, in sustainable and organic export products, including processed coconut derivatives and charcoal used in industrial and energy sectors.

Major Purchase Destinations For Indian Charcoal

 

India's recent charcoal exports depict the increasing demands for sustainable coconut shell charcoal. As per export data, the combined export to the top five destinations has amounted to $39.02 million. Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, Iceland, and the Maldives are the top five markets for charcoal exporters in India. Bhutan leads the charcoal importers list with $31.04 million worth of imports. There is a vast gap between the import value of Bhutan compared to other top nations. 

Sri Lanka follows with imports worth $6.17 million. It majorly imports coconut shell charcoal, used for water refining, activated carbon production, and barbeque charcoal. The Netherlands focuses on the import of eco-friendly fuels and barbeque charcoal. It imports $1.16 million worth of charcoal. Iceland and the Maldives import small, consistent quantities. They import charcoal to meet their domestic energy requirement. Their imports amount to $372,647 thousand and $266,492 thousand, respectively.

Companies Importing Charcoal From India

 

Bhutan is the major destination for Indian charcoal exporters. The growing ferroalloy and metal processing industry drives the high demand for Indian charcoal. Bhutan leverages India’s coal resources for its industrial process. The S D Eastern Bhutan Ferro Silicon Pvt Ltd specializes in manufacturing ferro-silicon & magnesium. It contributes a substantial 16.38% of total charcoal imports from India. Druk Wang Alloys and Druk Ferro Alloys Ltd are known for ferro-silicon manufacturing. They contribute 14.98% and 9.31% to the total Indian charcoal imports, respectively. Tashi Metals Pvt Ltd ranks fifth in the major charcoal importers list with a contribution of 5.42%. It operates in metal manufacturing and processing. It is a part of the giant Tashi Group.

Coconut Shell Charcoal Exporters Market

The coconut charcoal export business has emerged as one of India’s most promising and sustainable export segments. Its unique features, including eco-friendliness, high calorific value, and minimal smoke emission, drive the demand. It is widely used in households and restaurants for shisha (hookah), barbeque, and industrial fuel. The coconut charcoal export business has been evolving consistently among the sustainable export segments. Coconut charcoal exports from India amounted to $8.71 million during 2024-2025. Major charcoal export markets for India include Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, Iceland, the Maldives, and the Dominican Republic. It is majorly exported from Southern ports of India. Big and small producers across the nation, mainly in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, strengthen the supply chain.

The production of coconut shell charcoal requires heating the clean coconut shells at high temperature in a controlled environment to ensure consistent export quality. This process requires government-approved certificates such as ISO and SGS. It's mandatory to label them accurately and pack them with eco-friendly packaging. 

Kerala-based Organature Products is the major exporter of coconut charcoal in India; it tops the list with a contribution of 40.61% of the total coconut charcoal exports.  The Netherlands-based Norit Nederland BV is the top importer of coconut charcoal. Its imports amount to 10.59% of the total coconut charcoal imports from India. Consumers' inclination for sustainable products drives the charcoal exporters' market.

The type of charcoal depends on its sourcing process. Research the demand of the charcoal across different markets. Follow these export phases to export charcoal from India to the global market.

Phase 1: Registration and Licensing
Obtain the Import Export Code (IEC) from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). This code is mandatory for all international exports. Further register with Shellac and Forest Products Export Promotion Council (SHEFEXIL). It is the government body that overlooks forest-based products like charcoal, wood-based materials, and shellac.

Phase 2: Compliance and Quality Assurance
Follow the specified sustainable sourcing methods, mainly for coconut shell charcoal production. Ensure quality by conducting moisture and ash content tests to ensure export-grade quality.

Phase 3: Market Access and Logistics
Track the market trends across nations like Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, Iceland, the Maldives, Mexico, etc.  Identify and analyze buyers' movements, and use the Ex-Im application to reach out to the genuine buyers through verified contacts.

Phase 4: Secure Payments
Reduce financial risks by using safe payment methods such as Letter of Credit (LC) or verified Telegraphic Transfer (T/T). Structured payment methods and timely delivery help build credibility and a diverse client market.

 In A Nutshell

The charcoal export in India has witnessed substantial growth over the years. There has been a shift in increasing coconut shell charcoal buyers compared to wood charcoal. The sustainable sourcing process and its varied use in the domestic and industrial sectors drive the demand. The exporters leverage the circular economy and have a diversified market through global exports. 

The HS codes for wood charcoal and coconut shell charcoal are 44029090 and 44022010, respectively. Existing wood charcoal exporters can expand their market by learning about the trends in the coconut shell charcoal buyers' market. Monitor the potential buyer market and analyze buyers' purchase trends. Furthermore, reach out to genuine global buyers through the Ex-Im platform.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do I need a license to export charcoal from India?
Yes. Charcoal exporters need a list of licenses, including Import Export Code (IEC), Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC), Product-specific Export License/Authorization (as per DGFT policy), Certificate of Origin, Environmental Clearance, and State Forest Department Permit (for wood-based charcoal).

2. What are the benefits of coconut shell charcoal exports?
Coconut shell charcoal is an eco-sustainable product. Benefits of exporting coconut shell charcoal include diverse clientele, access to the global market, increased revenue, a circular economy, and an international network

3. How can new exporters find genuine charcoal buyers?
New exporters need to start by tracking market trends, monitoring potential buyers, analyzing their import trends, and approaching the buyers using the verified data on the Ex-Im application.

4. Can we export charcoal?
Yes, businesses are liable to export once they have obtained the required documents.  You leverage trade data and export coconut shell charcoal or hardwood charcoal. The former, being a sustainable product, has high demand.

5. Does India import charcoal?
Yes, India imports charcoal, mainly coking coal and high-grade thermal coal, to supplement the lack of sufficient high-quality reserves. India’s charcoal imports amounted to 22.17 million during 2024-2025.

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