Where Our Ginseng Is Grown: CITES Permit

Last updated: October 15, 2026

Every root of American ginseng on our shelves was grown in Canada, on Ontario farms registered with the Ontario Ginseng Growers Association (OGGA). Carmen, who runs Fosetter, can say that with paperwork behind it, because Fosetter holds its own CITES export permit, and that permit only covers Canadian-grown ginseng. This post explains what the permit is, what it takes to keep it, and why it matters if you are taking ginseng home.

Grown somewhere else is still grown

Carmen is careful about how she talks about ginseng from other places. "You can't say American ginseng is fake," she told us. "It's all grown. The place of origin is just different." Ginseng of the same species is farmed in several countries. What a buyer needs to know is where a particular root was grown, and that is what the paperwork is for.

"We have a CITES export permit," she says. "We can only sell American ginseng produced here in Canada."

What is a CITES export permit?

American ginseng is listed under CITES, the international convention on trade in endangered species. The Government of Canada says that exporting cultivated ginseng from Canada requires a Canadian CITES export permit. There is no exemption for ginseng bought by tourists, and a permit is required to bring any amount home (Government of Canada, American ginseng).

The rule covers whole or sliced roots and parts of roots, fresh or dried. Permits are not required for derivatives such as powders, pills, extracts, tonics, teas and confectionery.

What it takes to keep the permit

"When we get the CITES export permit, first we have to guarantee that our goods come from qualified farms under OGGA," Carmen says. That matches the federal rules for Ontario-grown ginseng, which say all growers must be OGGA members, with their names checked against the OGGA membership list, and that applicants must show proof of how they acquired the ginseng (Government of Canada, Export permit for Ontario-grown American ginseng).

"And there also has to be a certain volume," she adds. "If the volume is small, you can't renew it."

The permit is valid for six months, so the work comes around twice a year. "We apply every six months," Carmen says. "Each time we send in the purchase records from our suppliers and the suppliers' OGGA backing." The checks continue between renewals too. "CITES sends people to the store to inspect, without notice."

"Being able to do this isn't simple," she says. "In Chinatown, I may be the one who gets this permit directly. The others, I don't know whether they have their own export permit."

You can read more about the growers' association in What is OGGA.

Why it matters when you travel

The sign at our front door promises, in Chinese, a free CITES export permit so you can carry your American ginseng across the border safely. Carmen explains what happens without one. "If you don't have it, customs over there will just confiscate it."

With the permit, she says, a traveller can usually take ten pounds. "Ten pounds is quite a lot." Ten pounds is about 4.5 kilograms, the same limit the government's sticker instructions give for each package. Rules at the other end can change, so check with us before you fly. Our page on travelling with ginseng has more.

Quick answers

Where is Fosetter's American ginseng grown? In Canada, on Ontario farms that belong to OGGA.

Do I need a permit to take ginseng roots out of Canada? Yes. The Government of Canada says a CITES export permit is needed for any amount of roots.

How often is the permit renewed? Every six months.

Does the permit cover ginseng tea or capsules? CITES permits are not required for manufactured products like teas, pills and extracts.

Shop our NATIVE ULTRA Canadian ginseng or visit us at 78 Rue De La Gauchetière Ouest in Montreal's Chinatown.

Where Our American Ginseng Is Grown, and the Permit Behind It