DGFT Sets Export Certificate Procedure for Prepared Culture Media (ITC HS 3821)

Exporters of laboratory culture media have a new, clearer paperwork route for markets that demand it. DGFT Notification No. 44/2026-27, dated 12 October 2026 (File No. EC NC/13/2026-Export Cell), amends the export policy for prepared culture media under ITC(HS) 38210000 with immediate effect.

The headline point for exporters is reassuring: the export status is unchanged — the item remains "Free," and export is allowed freely. What the notification does is add a defined certificate procedure for cases where the importing country requires supporting documents, so Indian exporters can meet destination-market conditions without ambiguity about who issues what.

What Happened

Prepared culture media — the nutrient preparations used to grow and maintain microorganisms (including viruses) and plant, human or animal cells — is used in diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, food testing and research laboratories worldwide. Many importing countries treat it as a biological product and ask for shipment-level clearances or health certificates at entry.

The amended policy condition now specifies two documents an exporter may obtain where the destination requires them:

• Shipment Clearance Certificate: Issued consignment-wise by CAPEXIL (the Chemicals and Allied Products Export Promotion Council). It captures exporter details, plant address, IEC number, plant approval number, the product, quantity, invoice details, and the ports of loading and destination.
• Health Certificate: Provided to the buyer consignment-wise after shipment, issued jointly by CAPEXIL and the Regional Animal Quarantine Officer, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare — where the importing country requires it.

Why / Background

Exports can stay "Free" under India's policy yet still stall at the destination if the buyer's customs or health authority wants a certificate India wasn't clearly set up to issue. By naming CAPEXIL and the Regional Animal Quarantine Officer as the issuing bodies and standardising the certificate contents, DGFT removes a practical friction point and reduces the risk of consignments being held abroad for want of the right paper.

Who's Affected

Manufacturer-exporters and merchant exporters of prepared culture media under HS 3821 — typically serving diagnostic, pharmaceutical, biotech, food-testing and research customers — plus their freight forwarders and CHAs. The procedure is relevant only for shipments to countries that require these certificates; others continue to export freely without them.

Operational Detail

• The export remains "Free"; the certificates are a facilitation for importing-country compliance, not a new Indian restriction.
• The Shipment Clearance Certificate is issued before/at shipment, consignment-wise, by CAPEXIL, and should match invoice and shipping-bill particulars.
• The Health Certificate is issued after shipment, consignment-wise, jointly by CAPEXIL and the Regional Animal Quarantine Officer, for onward provision to the overseas buyer.
• Accuracy across the IEC, plant approval number, product description, quantity and port details is essential, since these flow into the certificate and must reconcile with the shipping bill.

What Exporters Should Do Now

• Check each target market's import requirements for culture media and identify which, if any, certificate the buyer or destination authority needs.
• Engage CAPEXIL early for the Shipment Clearance Certificate so it is ready at shipment rather than chased afterwards.
• Confirm your plant approval number and CAPEXIL membership/registration are current, as these feed the certificate.
• Where a Health Certificate is required, coordinate between CAPEXIL and the Regional Animal Quarantine Officer and build the post-shipment issuance into your delivery commitments to the buyer.

What Forwarders and CHAs Should Do Now

• Ensure the shipping bill particulars (IEC, product, quantity, ports) align exactly with the Shipment Clearance Certificate.
• Advise clients shipping to certificate-requiring markets to sequence CAPEXIL clearance ahead of vessel/flight cut-off.

The Bigger Picture

This is a small but telling example of "export facilitation" rather than liberalisation: the policy keeps goods free to leave India while building the documentary bridge to satisfy foreign regulators. For a niche but high-value life-sciences export, a predictable certificate pathway can be the difference between smooth clearance and a consignment stranded at the destination port.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is prepared culture media still free to export? Yes. The export status under ITC(HS) 38210000 remains "Free." The notification only adds a certificate procedure for importing-country requirements.

Do I always need these certificates? No — only when the importing country requires them. For other markets, you continue to export freely.

Who issues the Shipment Clearance Certificate? CAPEXIL, consignment-wise, with your exporter, plant and consignment details.

Who issues the Health Certificate? It is issued jointly by CAPEXIL and the Regional Animal Quarantine Officer (Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries), consignment-wise, after shipment.

When did this take effect? 12 October 2026, with immediate effect.

Conclusion

Notification 44/2026-27 is good housekeeping for culture-media exporters: freedom to export is preserved, and the certificate route for demanding markets is now explicit. Exporters serving regulated destinations should wire CAPEXIL clearance into their shipment workflow so the paperwork never becomes the bottleneck.

This article is for general guidance only. Verify the exact provisions against DGFT Notification No. 44/2026-27 on the official DGFT portal (dgft.gov.in) and confirm destination-market requirements before acting.