Seeds ExporterBerseem Clover Seed exporter — Pakistan origin
Berseem (Egyptian) clover seed of the multi-cut Mescavi type is exported by Kohenoor International at 99% purity and 85% germination, HS 120922, in 25 kg or 50 kg bags. Pakistan is the largest berseem seed producer outside Egypt and our lots supply Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Iran, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Albania every autumn.
Berseem is the cheapest high-protein winter forage available to dairy and buffalo farms in the region: 5–6 cuts from November to May, 60–80 tonnes of green fodder per hectare, and a nitrogen credit for the following summer crop. Seed is multiplied by contract growers in Punjab and Sindh and Sortex-cleaned so that small weed seed and dodder are removed before the lab test.
Quick answer
Specification
Standard export specification for berseem clover seed, as it appears on the pro forma invoice and the lot report. Custom specifications (higher purity, treated seed, different pack, private label) are quoted on request.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Trifolium alexandrinum |
| HS code | 120922 |
| Varieties / grades | Mescavi type |
| Purity | 99% min |
| Germination | 85% min |
| Type | Multi-cut Mescavi |
| Moisture | 10% max |
| Inert matter | 1% max |
| Other crop seed | 0.5% max |
| Weed seed | 0.5% max |
| Dodder (Cuscuta spp.) | Nil in 500 g |
| Thousand-seed weight | 2.5–2.8 g (approx. 380,000–400,000 seeds/kg) |
| Colour / appearance | Yellow to reddish-brown, bright, uniform |
| Hard seed | 10% max |
| Cuts per season | 5–6 |
| Sowing rate | 25–30 kg/ha |
| Packing | 25 kg / 50 kg |
| MOQ | 1 x 20ft |
| Origin | Pakistan (Sindh / Punjab unless stated) |
Varieties and grades
Mescavi type (multi-cut). The tall, branching, late-maturing berseem that regrows after each cut and gives 5–6 cuts through the winter. It is the type specified in tenders from Iraq, Jordan, Libya and Tunisia and the one Pakistani dairy farms have selected for over decades. Sown in October–November at 25–30 kg/ha it gives a first cut at 50–60 days and further cuts every 25–30 days until May, with 60–80 t/ha of green fodder at 16–20% crude protein. Buyers choose it for winter green chop, for mixed sowing with ryegrass or oats, and as green manure before rice and cotton.
We do not offer single-cut Fahl berseem or the diploid Saidi types; the export lot is Mescavi-type multi-cut only, and the variety name on the phytosanitary certificate reads Trifolium alexandrinum, multi-cut. Seed is untreated; Rhizobium inoculant can be supplied for fields with no clover history.
Uses by industry
Who buys berseem clover seed from Pakistan and what they do with it.
- Dairy and buffalo farms. Winter green chop cut every 25–30 days from November to May; the cheapest protein forage per hectare in Iraq, Egypt and Pakistan.
- Sheep and goat pasture. Rotational grazing or cut-and-carry in Jordan, Libya and Tunisia; berseem tolerates trampling better than Persian clover.
- Green manure and rice rotation. Incorporated before rice or cotton for 60–90 kg N/ha; used in Egypt's Nile Delta and Bangladesh rotations.
- Government forage programmes. 50 kg bags for smallholder distribution under tenders in Iraq, Sudan and Afghanistan, with SGS pre-shipment inspection.
- Mixed winter sowings. Sown with annual ryegrass or oats at 15 kg/ha berseem to balance protein and energy in the ration.
Quality control and testing
Every lot of berseem clover seed offered for export is tested in Kohenoor's own laboratory in Hyderabad to the ISTA International Rules: a submitted sample of at least 1 kg drawn with a stick trier from a minimum of 10% of bags, purity analysis by species on a working sample (pure seed, other crop seed, weed seed and inert matter by weight), germination on 4 x 100 seeds in a controlled chamber for the prescribed period, moisture by the oven method and a thousand-seed weight. Forage legumes and small-seeded grasses also get a separate 500 g count for dodder (Cuscuta spp.) and other quarantine weed seed, which is the item most import permits ask about. Results go on an ISTA-format report with the lot number that appears on the bag labels, packing list and phytosanitary certificate.
Before the lab sees the lot it has been through air-screen cleaning, a gravity table and Buhler Sortex optical sorting, which removes off-colour, immature and weed seed that sieving cannot. A lot that misses the specification is re-sorted or dropped from export; it is never blended up. Prior-crop lots are re-tested before dispatch and no container leaves on a report older than 90 days.
Berseem seed is close in size and colour to several weed clovers and to melilotus, so the purity analysis is done by a trained analyst under magnification rather than by weight alone, and the lab runs the 500 g dodder count that Iraq, Jordan and Egypt permits ask about. Hard-seed percentage is reported because a fresh lot can carry 10–15% hard seed that counts as viable but emerges late.
How to verify on arrival. Draw a composite sample from at least 10 bags with a trier, seal and label it with the lot number, and test within 14 days at your NPPO or any ISTA-accredited station. Compare against the report using the ISTA tolerance tables (about 6 percentage points between two 400-seed germination tests at the 85% level, 0.5–1.0 points for purity at 99%). If a result falls outside tolerance, send the report and the sealed bag labels within 30 days; we re-test the 1 kg reference sample we keep from every lot for 12 months and settle any confirmed difference by price adjustment or replacement.
Packing, loading and shipping
Standard packing for berseem clover seed is 25 kg / 50 kg, in woven polypropylene bags with an inner polyethylene liner. Each pack is printed or labelled with product, variety or grade, lot number, net weight, origin (Pakistan), exporter and any text the importing country's labelling rules require, and closed with a sewn tear-off tag. Private-label printing is available with artwork two weeks before loading.
A 20ft container carries about 18–20 MT (about 720 x 25 kg per 20ft) loose-stacked on a kraft-paper floor in a brick pattern with a cardboard door wall; a 40ft carries about 26 MT. Palletised loads on ISPM 15 heat-treated pallets take roughly 10% less and are used for Europe, East Asia, North America and Australia where the container is unloaded by forklift. Desiccant bags are added for humid destinations on request. Every stuffing is photographed from empty box to applied seal and the photos go to the buyer the same day with the packing list. Full figures for every product are in the container loading guide.
Storage and shelf life. Berseem seed at 10% moisture keeps 85% germination for two years in a dry store below 25 °C; hard-seed content rises slowly in storage and is reported on the re-test. Ship and store in lined bags away from heat.
| Container | Net cargo | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard | 18–20 MT | about 720 x 25 kg per 20ft; loose on kraft-paper floor |
| 40ft / 40ft HC | 26 MT | Weight-limited on dense seed; volume-limited on light seed |
| Palletised (any size) | ≈ 10% less | ISPM 15 pallets, shrink-wrapped and strapped |
| LCL / air | 5 MT LCL | Higher per-kg rate; used for trial lots |
Documents and import compliance
Every container of berseem clover seed leaves with the phytosanitary certificate from the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) Karachi carrying the importer's additional-declaration wording, a certificate of origin from the Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce, the ISTA-format purity and germination report, commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading, plus a fumigation certificate and pre-shipment inspection report where the destination requires them. The table lists what the main destinations for this product ask for; the documents guide explains each certificate and the import guide shows the sequence.
| Country | Authority | Documents required | Transit from Karachi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iraq | Ministry of Agriculture | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Pre-shipment inspection; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 10–14 days sea |
| Jordan | MoA Jordan | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 12–16 days sea |
| Egypt | CAPQ | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 12–16 days sea |
| Libya | NCAPQ | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 16–20 days sea |
| Tunisia | DGPCQPA | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import authorisation; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 16–20 days sea |
| Morocco | ONSSA | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import authorisation; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 18–22 days sea |
| Algeria | DPVCT | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import licence; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 18–22 days sea |
| Iran | PPO Iran | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import licence; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 3–5 days sea / road via Taftan |
| Afghanistan | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 2–5 days road | |
| Bangladesh | Plant Quarantine Wing | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 8–12 days sea |
HS classification. Clover seed for sowing is HS 1209.22 (Trifolium spp.), the same sub-heading as Persian clover. Iraq requires pre-shipment inspection and Egypt an import permit before the phytosanitary certificate is issued; Tunisia and Morocco require an import authorisation. Seed for sowing is duty-free in these markets and in the EU and Albania; a certificate of origin is still required for customs.
Season, new crop and availability
The seed crop is sown in October, cut for forage until March, then left for seed. Harvest is April–June and cleaned new-crop seed ships from June, in time for the autumn sowing window in importing countries. Orders placed by July or August load before the September–October peak, when vessel space to Aqaba, Umm Qasr, Alexandria and the North African ports tightens.
Between December and May we ship re-tested prior-crop seed for late sowings and for Bangladesh and Nepal, where berseem is sown through December. Reserve new-crop volume by March for a fixed price and first allocation.
The availability calendar shows every product month by month, and prior-crop lots are always described as such on the pro forma.
Price factors and how to get today's rate
Kohenoor does not publish a price for berseem clover seed because a price is only meaningful for a specific lot, grade, pack, quantity and date. A firm FOB Karachi or CIF quote in USD per kg or per MT comes back within 24 hours of an enquiry and is held for 7–14 days. What moves the number, in order of size:
- Crop year and timing. Pre-harvest bookings are fixed and usually lowest; spot prices rise in a short crop or when prior-crop stock runs down before new crop. Difference between the two can be 15–20%.
- Grade and purity. The 99% / 85% multi-cut grade is the only export grade; price differences between offers come mostly from crop year, hard-seed content and whether the lot has been Sortex-cleaned to nil dodder rather than sieved to a dodder count.
- Packing. 25 kg loose bags are the base; 50 kg is slightly cheaper per kg; 10 kg, cartons, private label and palletising add 2–8%.
- Quantity. Each additional container in one contract is priced 2–5% lower; LCL lots cost 20–40% more per kg because inspection, documents and handling are the same for 2 MT as for 20 MT.
- Incoterm. FOB Karachi is the base; CIF adds freight and insurance at the current line rate for your port; road delivery to Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia is priced per truck.
- Tests and treatment. Third-party COA, residue or aflatoxin panels, SGS inspection, fumigation and seed treatment are itemised at cost.
Samples. 200 g to 1 kg from the offered lot is free against courier charges (typically USD 40–90) and goes out with the current report. Larger trial lots are invoiced at the container rate. The full logic, MOQ table and sample policy are on seed prices and MOQ.
How this compares
Buyers choosing a winter legume compare berseem with Persian clover (shaftal) and with alfalfa. Berseem gives the most cuts and green weight in mild winters; Persian clover tolerates cold plateaus; alfalfa is the perennial that costs more per season but stands for three to five years.
| Criterion | Berseem Clover Seed | <a href="/products/persian-clover/">Persian Clover Seed</a> | <a href="/products/alfalfa/">Alfalfa (Lucerne) Seed</a> |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Annual winter legume | Annual winter legume | Perennial legume |
| Cuts per season | 5–6 (Nov–May) | 3–4 | 8–10 per year |
| Frost tolerance | Light frost only | To about −8 °C | Non-dormant, light frost |
| Sowing rate | 25–30 kg/ha | 8–10 kg/ha | 25–30 kg/ha |
| Seeds per kg | ≈ 400,000 | ≈ 1,300,000 | ≈ 460,000 |
| Green yield | 60–80 t/ha | 40–50 t/ha | 80–100 t/ha per year |
| Best fit | Iraq, Egypt, N. Africa, South Asia | Iran, Afghanistan, Türkiye plateaus | Gulf, Sudan, irrigated year-round |
Markets served
Kohenoor has shipped berseem clover seed to Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Iran, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Albania. Demand comes from dairy and buffalo farms and government fodder tenders in Iraq, Egypt, Jordan and Libya, from Maghreb sheep farmers, and from the rice-rotation belt of Bangladesh and Nepal. Each destination has its own permit and phytosanitary wording; the country pages under markets summarise them and we prepare the certificate to match before DPP inspection.
Specialist site and further reading
Detailed agronomy, variety trials and technical downloads for berseem clover seed are published on our specialist site cloverseeds.org. Variety-level agronomy (sowing rate, cutting schedule, seed standards, trial data) is on our reference site worldseed.net: berseem clover. For pricing, MOQ and shipping use the quote form on this page; the lab and sorting line are described on the quality page, and all 28 lines are listed under products.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between berseem and Persian clover?
Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) is taller, gives more cuts and tolerates heat better; it is the main winter fodder in Egypt, Pakistan and Iraq. Persian clover (T. resupinatum, shaftal) is shorter, more cold-tolerant and suits colder plateaus such as Iran, Afghanistan and eastern Türkiye, and sows at a third of the rate.
When should I order berseem seed to sow in October?
Place the order by July or August. New crop is cleaned from June; production, testing and booking take 3–4 weeks, and sea transit to Aqaba or Umm Qasr is 10–16 days. September orders are possible but subject to vessel space.
Do you supply single-cut (Fahl) berseem?
No. Our export lot is the multi-cut Mescavi type, which is what buyers in Iraq, Jordan and North Africa specify. Fahl is a one-cut Egyptian type used mainly for green manure and is not in our programme.
Is berseem seed inoculated?
No. Seed is supplied clean and untreated. Rhizobium inoculant can be applied at sowing if the field has not carried clover before; most fields in the region already carry the strain, and inoculant can be supplied separately on request.
How much berseem seed fits in a 20ft container?
18–20 MT loose-stacked in 25 kg bags (720–800 bags) or in 50 kg bags (360–400 bags); about 16–18 MT palletised. A 40ft carries 26 MT before the weight limit.
Is Pakistani berseem seed free of dodder?
Yes: every lot is Sortex-sorted and then checked on a 500 g sample in the laboratory, and the ISTA-format report states nil dodder. The phytosanitary certificate carries a Cuscuta additional declaration where the permit asks for it.
What sowing rate and method do you recommend?
25–30 kg/ha broadcast into standing water or drilled 1–2 cm deep into a fine, moist seedbed in October–November when soil temperature is below 25 °C. In Bangladesh and Nepal sowing continues through December.
Can berseem be mixed with ryegrass?
Yes. A common Middle East winter mix is 15 kg/ha berseem with 20 kg/ha annual ryegrass; ryegrass gives energy and early bulk, berseem gives protein and later cuts. Both can ship in one container as separate lots.
How long does berseem seed store?
Two years or more at 10% moisture in a dry store below 25 °C with germination staying at or above 85%. Hard-seed percentage rises slightly with age and is reported on each re-test before dispatch.
Which documents does Iraq require for berseem seed?
Phytosanitary certificate with the Ministry of Agriculture's wording, certificate of origin, pre-shipment inspection report (SGS, BV or Cotecna at loading), ISTA-format test report, invoice, packing list and bill of lading. Fumigation is usually requested; we arrange it in the sealed container.
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