According to the latest data, experts note that the export of herbal medicinal raw materials abroad is currently showing steady growth.
Experts note that fruits and berries currently dominate the structure of foreign wild plant exports.
However, there are other promising growth areas. Medicinal herbs, in particular, could very well become one of them.
The main buyers are the CIS countries, China, Japan, and other Asian countries, where the use of medicinal herbs in medicine is significantly more active than in the West and Russia. This opens up a range of opportunities for increasing exports.
Furthermore, such a broad geography of the potential foreign market, according to experts, demonstrates that Russia has favorable conditions for the further development of this export segment.
At the same time, if we consider the overall potential for medicinal plant exports, it must be acknowledged that it is indeed vast.
The global market for herbal raw materials is estimated at hundreds of thousands of tons annually. The largest importers are China, Portugal, India, and the United States, accounting for more than half of global imports.
However, analysts note that it’s important for Russian suppliers to consider not only market size but also tariff terms.
For example, access for domestic products to European markets is limited by high import duties—up to 50%. Therefore, supplying there is not very profitable for Russian producers.
As a result, the most attractive destinations, based on a combination of factors, are China, Japan, and Pakistan.
To a lesser extent, India and Brazil also feature on this list. Despite these countries being friendly to Russia, logistics leverage, which in this case is quite significant, plays a significant role in deliveries.
According to available data, last year Russia exported approximately 3,700 tons of medicinal plant materials (licorice root, linden blossoms, chamomile, mint, and other herbs) worth almost $6.5 million.
Compared to 2024, shipments increased by 3% in volume terms. The peak volume was recorded in 2021, when exports reached approximately 4,000 tons.
Experts predict that this volume may increase further in the coming years.
The largest importers of Russian products last year were Poland and China, each purchasing approximately 1,000 tons, as well as Belarus (over 650 tons), North Korea (over 500 tons), and Kazakhstan (over 310 tons).
Analysts emphasize that the geography of exports is gradually shifting toward friendly countries, which is generally consistent with the changing structure of Russian exports.
