Managed sourcing from Bangladesh, for export and for buyers at home
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Single glossy betel leaf on the vine
Large stack of fresh betel leaves at a market
Photo: Suyash Dwivedi
Betel vine with fresh heart shaped leaves
Photo: Tulsi Bhagat
Shellac flakes in three shades on a white surface
Photo: Simon A. Eugster

Representative photos. Your order is sourced to your specification from verified sellers. Photos: “Betel leaf” by Aathavan jaffna, CC BY-SA 3.0; “Betel leaves for selling in the market 01” by Suyash Dwivedi, CC BY-SA 4.0; “Paan (Betel leaves) at Rajbiraj, Saptari, Nepal” by Tulsi Bhagat, CC BY-SA 4.0; “Shellac three colours” by Simon A. Eugster, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Food and agro

Betel leaf exporter in Bangladesh

Looking for a betel leaf exporter in Bangladesh? Send the leaf grade, count or weight, weekly volume and destination airport. We source from verified packers, check leaves, tests and papers before the flight, and ship by air from Dhaka or FOB Chattogram.

  • Verified sellers
  • Checked before it ships
  • Delivered by Roptan

Get betel leaves and plant products sourced

Prefer to deal with suppliers yourself? Post it on the requirement board

Betel leaf products

Pick a product and we source it for you, or send one requirement that covers several.

Single glossy betel leaf on the vine
Betel leavesFresh leaves, flown outGet it sourcedPlant extractsPowder or liquid, standardisedGet it sourced
Shellac flakes in three shades on a white surface
Lac and shellacSeedlac, flakes, dewaxed gradesGet it sourcedNatural gumsTears, kibbled or powderGet it sourcedLive plantsBare root or soil-freeGet it sourcedCut flowersStems graded by lengthGet it sourced

Buying betel leaves and plant products in Bangladesh

Betel leaf, or paan, is the leaf of the vine Piper betle, chewed fresh with areca nut and slaked lime across South Asia and by South Asian communities abroad. The leaf is perishable, so a betel leaf exporter in Bangladesh ships by air within days of harvest. The category also covers lac and shellac, natural gums, plant extracts, nursery plants and cut flowers.

Roptan handles it for you. Send the specification; we match it to verified packers and processors, put their quotes on one basis, book the lab tests and the phytosanitary inspection, check the cartons against the order and hand the shipment to the airline or shipping line. You deal with Roptan only.

Betel leaves and plant products we source

Betel leaves

Fresh leaves sold by count in bundles or by weight in cartons, graded by variety, size, colour and freshness. They wilt within days, so they fly from Dhaka with a phytosanitary certificate and, for many markets, Salmonella and residue tests on each consignment.

Plant extracts

Extracts of roots, leaves, bark or seeds, sold by extract ratio, such as 10:1, or standardised to a marker compound. Specify botanical name, plant part and solvent, with a certificate of analysis for heavy metals, microbes and residual solvents.

Lac and shellac

Lac is a resin secreted by the lac insect on host trees. Stick lac is cleaned into seedlac, then melted and filtered into shellac flakes, also sold dewaxed or bleached, for wood finishes, food glazes and tablet coatings. Specify grade, colour and wax content.

Natural gums

Plant gums and resins that thicken, bind or stabilise food, pharmaceutical and industrial products, sold as lumps, granules or powder. Specify the botanical source, moisture, viscosity at a stated concentration, ash and acid insoluble matter, and a food additive specification for food use.

Live plants

Ornamental, indoor and fruit plants, seedlings and cuttings. Many markets refuse soil, so plants travel bare root or in soil-free media such as coco peat. Specify species by botanical name, size and packing, and check CITES status first.

Cut flowers

Roses, gladiolus, tuberose and marigold, many grown around Jashore, cut at the right bud stage and kept cool until the flight. Specify stem length, stems per bunch and bud stage, and ask how the packer holds temperature, since vase life depends on the cold chain.

What to tell a betel leaf exporter in Bangladesh

Leaf grade
Leaf type, size range, colour, maturity and the share of torn or yellowing leaves you accept. Agree a photo standard, because graders judge size and colour differently.
Count or weight
Leaves per bundle and bundles per carton, or net kilograms per carton, which one you pay by, and a tolerance, since leaves lose weight in transit.
Packing and the cold chain
Ventilated cartons with a liner that keeps leaves moist but not wet, packed in a cool room and trucked straight to the cargo terminal; Dhaka heat wilts leaves fast.
Extract, gum and shellac grades
Botanical name, plant part, solvent, ratio or marker percentage, moisture and viscosity for extracts and gums; seedlac, flakes, dewaxed or bleached, with colour and wax content, for shellac.
Plant and flower papers
Botanical names on the invoice, CITES permits for listed species, and a phytosanitary certificate that matches the species, growing medium and count packed.
Shipping pattern and terms
Cartons per shipment and shipments per week, who books the flight, and the Incoterm on every quote. Do not pack until cargo space is confirmed.

Certificates and tests for leaves, plants and resins

Phytosanitary certificate
Issued by the Plant Quarantine Wing of the DAE after inspecting the consignment. Book the inspection before packing, not on the day of the flight.
ISO 6579-1 Salmonella test
The detection method for Salmonella in the food chain. Betel leaf consignments have been rejected at borders for Salmonella, so ask for the result on your shipment from an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited lab.
HACCP, ISO 22000 or GLOBALG.A.P.
Food safety and farm assurance for the packing house or processing plant, with a scope that covers the product and the site on the quote.
CITES permits
Required for listed species, including orchids, and issued in Bangladesh through the Forest Department. Plants shipped without one can be seized.
Shellac as food additive E904
Shellac used as a food glaze is additive E904 and needs a food-grade specification and a certificate of analysis giving colour, wax content and hot alcohol insoluble matter.

What moves the price of betel leaves and plant products

  • Season: leaf supply, size and quality swing between the monsoon and the dry winter, and prices follow.
  • Air freight from Dhaka, charged on the greater of actual and volume weight, often a large share of landed cost.
  • Grade and sorting: larger, unblemished leaves and longer stems cost more because fewer pass.
  • Tests and certificates per consignment: phytosanitary inspection, Salmonella, residues and extract assays.
  • For dry goods: purity, marker content, dewaxing or bleaching, and quantity per lot.

Lead times and delivery

Typical ranges: a first shipment takes one to two weeks to set up tests, labels and air space; after that, fresh leaves and flowers fly within a few days of packing, subject to cargo space and the phytosanitary inspection. Extracts, gums and shellac from stock usually ship in two to four weeks. Monsoon rain, Eid holidays and cargo backlogs add time. Roptan confirms the dates in the quote.

Inside Bangladesh we deliver leaves and flowers to your packing house, hotel or shop in Dhaka, Sylhet or Chattogram in cool, ventilated vehicles, and dry goods by covered truck or courier, with the packing list, any lab reports and a VAT invoice (Mushak 6.3). Shortage or damage at handover is recorded and taken up with the seller.

Buying betel leaves and plant products for export

Fresh leaves, plants and flowers fly from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka, quoted FCA at the airport or CPT to your airport; dry goods ship FOB Chattogram (Chittagong). Documents: commercial invoice, packing list, air waybill or bill of lading, certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, Salmonella and residue reports, CITES permits where listed, and a certificate of analysis for extracts and shellac. Fresh goods are commonly paid in advance or against documents; larger dry cargo by letter of credit.

What we check for this order

  • ERC and market approvalsThe exporter's ERC, current and in the name on the quote, plus any registration or permit your market requires for fresh plant products.
  • Pack house and cool handlingThe sorting and packing area, its washing water and how leaves are kept cool before the flight, seen in person before the first consignment.
  • Lab reports per consignmentSalmonella and residues on leaves; assays and contaminants on extracts, gums and shellac, from an accredited lab on your lot.
  • Phytosanitary and CITES papersInspection booked and permits in hand before packing, because a missing certificate grounds a perishable load.

Questions buyers ask

How are fresh betel leaves shipped?

By air, because the leaf wilts within days and a sea voyage takes weeks. Cartons are packed in a cool room, trucked to the Dhaka cargo terminal and flown within days of picking, so have your broker ready to clear them. Dry goods such as shellac and gums go by sea, which costs far less.

Which tests do importers ask for on betel leaves?

Most ask for Salmonella, tested to ISO 6579-1 with not detected in 25 g as the usual criterion, and pesticide residues against their own limits; some add E. coli. We have the tests done by an accredited lab on the shipment itself, and the lot marking on the cartons matches the report.

Should I buy fresh leaves FOB or FCA?

FCA. FOB and CFR are sea terms under Incoterms 2020, so air cargo is quoted FCA Dhaka airport, or CPT or CIP to your airport when the seller books the flight. For dry goods by sea, FOB Chattogram is normal. Compare quotes on the same term, or freight distorts the price.

Do live plants need a CITES permit?

Only listed species, but the list includes orchids. Give us the botanical name of every species at enquiry; we check the status, and where a permit is needed it is issued through the Bangladesh Forest Department before shipping, alongside the phytosanitary certificate.

What grade of shellac should I specify?

It depends on the use. Food glazes and tablet coatings need dewaxed, food-grade shellac with a certificate of analysis; wood finishes often use blonde or orange flakes; insulating varnish needs low impurities. State colour, wax content and hot alcohol insoluble matter, and ask for a sample tested by a named method.

How soon will I hear back about betel leaves and plant products?

Within 48 hours of a complete requirement, with a price and a delivery date. A requirement is complete when it has the quantity, where it is needed and by when.

Who do I deal with?

With Roptan, when Roptan manages the order: we buy from the verified seller and deliver to you. With the supplier directly, when you post on the requirement board and choose a quote yourself.

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