Senna is one of the most traded raw materials in the supplement market. India is the main producer of senna in the world and exports senna leaves and pods worth more then Rs 6 million annually. It is grown on 8,000–10,000 hectares and three-fourths of senna produced in India is exported. Prior to World War II Germany and France used to import large quantities of Indian senna. After the war, the most important markets were the United States and UK. Presently the major importers of Indian senna are Czechoslovakia, France, West Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, UK and the United States. The current world demand is estimated to be 10,000 tonnes of senna leaves and pods per annum. About 700 tonnes are supplied by Sudan, while India exports an average of 450 tonnes per annum. The total yield of senna leaves and pods in India is around 7,150 tonnes.

India is one of the major producers of ispaghula and about 35,000 hectares of land are under ispaghula cultivation with 29,000 tonnes of seeds appearing in the market. Around 90% of seeds and husk worth Rs. 20 crores is exported to the United States, Germany, England and France. During 1991–1992 India exported 14,393 tonnes of ispaghula husk and 3,151 tonnes of seeds valued at Rs. 620.28 million and 65.2 million respectively. The average price (fob) works out to be Rs.43,100 per tonne for husk and Rs.20,690 per tonne for the seeds. The average import price of ispaghula husk and seed at North European ports was US $1,800–2,000 per tonne and US $600 per tonne respectively during 1992. Seeds of P. psyllium grown in France, Spain, Itlay, Belgium and Brazil are similar in appearance to ispaghula, but the former is inferior in quality.