Organic & Natural Health Association, Indian Export Council Partner to Strengthen Botanical Ingredient Supply Chain

Organic & Natural Health Association and SHEFEXIL, an export promotion council sponsored by India's Ministry of Commerce & Industry, have entered a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening scientific collaboration and supply chain transparency between the United States and India for natural health products, nutraceuticals, botanicals, and functional ingredients.

For manufacturers sourcing botanical raw materials, the agreement formalizes a relationship between two organizations positioned to influence how ingredient traceability, quality documentation, and regulatory dialogue develop between the 2 nations going forward.

"Our partnership with the Organic & Natural Health Association creates a stronger bridge between India and the United States for science, innovation, and responsible commerce," commented Debjani Roy, PhD, SHEFEXIL’s executive director. "Together, we are building a trusted global ecosystem through scientific collaboration, regulatory dialogue, and industry engagement that benefits both consumers and the natural health sector."

Why Does the US-India Botanical Supply Chain Matter to Supplement Manufacturers?

India remains one of the largest global suppliers of botanical raw materials and standardized extracts used in US dietary supplement manufacturing, exporting roughly $858 million in ayurvedic and herbal products annually to more than 100 countries, with the United States representing its largest single export market at close to $218 million.²

Ingredients including ashwagandha, turmeric, brahmi, and psyllium husk are among the most commonly sourced botanicals moving through that supply chain into US finished products.¹

That volume of trade has also come with recurring quality concerns: heavy metal contamination, pesticide residue, and ingredient adulteration, including a widely discussed 2026 dispute over ashwagandha leaf material being substituted for root material in some supply chains, remain persistent risk points that manufacturers are expected to screen for independently regardless of a supplier's certifications.³

What Will the Partnership Actually Involve?

According to the announcement, planned activities include executive exchanges, regulatory roundtables, scientific forums, trade missions, buyer and seller introductions, educational programming, manufacturing and research facility visits, academic exchanges, and working groups addressing emerging issues facing the global natural health industry.

Anand Swaroop, founder and president of Cepham and a member of Organic & Natural Health, will serve as lead facilitator for the partnership through the association's working group. "India has long sought deeper engagement with the US natural products industry, but until now there has not been a formal relationship between SHEFEXIL and a US trade association representing manufacturers, brands, researchers, and other industry stakeholders," Swaroop said.

The organizations plan to mark the partnership at the Bharat Nutraverse Expo in New Delhi this September, with a first joint US conference scheduled for January 2027.

What Should Manufacturers Expect From This Kind of Trade Association Partnership?

Agreements of this type typically function as frameworks for ongoing dialogue and relationship-building rather than binding commitments that immediately change sourcing requirements or documentation standards.

Mark Thurston, president of AIDP and newly elected president of Organic & Natural Health, framed the initiative around long-term infrastructure rather than near-term change. "A trusted global supply chain depends on scientific collaboration, transparency and meaningful relationships," Thurston said. "This initiative creates new opportunities to strengthen those foundations alongside our colleagues in India for the benefit of industry and consumers."

References

1. Organic & Natural Health Association. Organic & Natural Health Association and India's SHEFEXIL establish strategic partnership to strengthen US-India supply chain. GlobeNewswire. July 16, 2026. Accessed July 14, 2026. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/07/14/3327065/0/en/organic-natural-health-association-and-india-s-shefexil-establish-strategic-partnership-to-strengthen-u-s-india-supply-chain.html

2. XIMPEX. How to export Ayurvedic and herbal products from India. Published February 2026. Published February 23, 2026. Accessed July 16, 2026. https://ximpex.in/guides/how-to-export-ayurvedic-herbal-products-from-india/

3. Lampe F. The US botanicals market: back on track as a range of health goals take center stage. Green Money. May 29, 2026. July 16, 2026. https://greenmoney.com/the-us-botanicals-market-back-on-track-as-a-range-of-health-goals-take-center-stage/