India leads the shellac market globally, as more than half the production comes from the country. The country produces vegetable saps and extracts, guar gums, plant and plant portions, fixed vegetable oil, shellac and lac-based products and other vegetable materials.
About 90% of the world’s guar gum comes from India. The major states producing guar gum are Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
The shellac market was valued at US$ 165.4 million in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 168.6 million in 2025. It is projected to grow to US$ 196 million by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.9% during the forecast period from 2025 to 2033.
India has been registering steady growth in the export of shellac and lac-based products over the last five years. It is the largest exporter of guar gum, sesame seeds, and shellac, and the second largest exporter of medicinal plants in the world. Large volumes of shellac and forest products are produced by India that are internationally acknowledged for their superior quality. Additionally, shellac and forest products contribute significantly to the lives of millions of rural and forest-dependent poor people. According to the latest study conducted by the Ministry of Environment & Forests, “Some 50 million tribal people depend on NTFPs for meeting their subsistence consumption and income needs.” Vegetable saps & extracts constituted majority of exports in value terms with a 37.39% share as of FY24. This was followed by guar gum and plant & plant portions.