Seeds ExporterBrachiaria (Signal / Ruzi / Mulato type) Seed exporter — Pakistan origin
Brachiaria seed, Urochloa (syn. Brachiaria) ruziziensis, Brizantha type and Kohenoor Velvet Grass, is exported at 90% purity and 60% germination in 25 kg bags under HS 120929. It is the persistent tropical pasture grass for Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Chad, South Africa, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Brazil and Mexico.
Brachiaria seed is hard-seeded and dormant for 6–9 months after harvest, and lots naturally carry empty florets, which is why the international standard is 90% purity and 60% germination and why seed is often sold coated or scarified. Our lots are rested past dormancy, Sortex-cleaned and tested to ISTA rules with a tetrazolium viability on request.
Quick answer
Specification
Standard export specification for brachiaria (signal / ruzi / mulato type) 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 | Urochloa (Brachiaria) spp. |
| HS code | 120929 |
| Varieties / grades | Ruziziensis, Brizantha type, Kohenoor Velvet Grass |
| Purity | 90% min |
| Germination | 60% min |
| Types | Ruziziensis, Brizantha type, Kohenoor Velvet Grass |
| Moisture | 10% max |
| Inert matter | 8% max (empty florets, chaff) |
| Other crop seed | 0.5% max |
| Weed seed | 0.5% max |
| Quarantine weeds | Nil (screened) |
| Bulk density | 0.25–0.30 kg/litre uncoated |
| Seeds per kg | approx. 200,000–250,000 (ruziziensis); 150,000–180,000 (brizantha type) |
| Colour / appearance | Straw to purple-brown, plump florets, free-flowing |
| Dormancy | Rested 6–9 months post-harvest; acid scarification or coating on request |
| Tetrazolium viability | Reported on request (typically 75–85%) |
| Coating | Uncoated standard; coated (lime / clay) on request |
| Sowing rate | 8–10 kg/ha uncoated; 12–15 kg/ha coated |
| First grazing | 90–120 days |
| Packing | 25 kg |
| MOQ | 1 x 20ft (smaller lots possible) |
| Origin | Pakistan (Sindh / Punjab unless stated) |
Varieties and grades
Ruziziensis (Congo signal grass). A leafy, semi-erect, highly palatable and digestible Brachiaria with the best seed production and the least dormancy of the genus; sown at 8–10 kg/ha for grazing and cut-and-carry on moderately fertile, well-drained soils in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and East Africa. It is less persistent under heavy grazing and drought than brizantha types and is often the first-year grass in a mix.
Brizantha type. Taller, more erect, deep-rooted and drought-tolerant, persistent on acid, low-fertility soils and under heavy grazing; the ranching grass of Brazil, Mexico and the African savannah, 12–20 t DM/ha a year. Seed is more dormant and often supplied coated or scarified.
Kohenoor Velvet Grass. Our own Brachiaria selection multiplied in Sindh: fine, soft (velvety) leaf, quick ground cover, tolerance of 40 °C summers and moderately alkaline soils, sold for irrigated pasture and erosion control in the Gulf, Sudan and Pakistan and as the palatable component of tropical mixes. Trial data is on kohenoorint.com and worldseed.net.
Uncoated seed is standard; coated seed (roughly double the weight per seed) improves flow and ballistic spreading and is available for all three types.
Uses by industry
Who buys brachiaria (signal / ruzi / mulato type) seed from Pakistan and what they do with it.
- Beef and dairy ranching. Brizantha type for permanent grazing on acid, low-fertility soils in Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, Chad and South Africa; 12–20 t DM/ha a year.
- Smallholder dairy and cut-and-carry. Ruziziensis and Velvet Grass for zero-grazing and small plots in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
- Hay. Ruziziensis cut at 6–8 weeks for hay where Panicum is too coarse.
- Erosion control and cover. Stoloniferous cover on slopes, bunds, roadsides and plantation rows in Malaysia and Indonesia.
- Push-pull and integrated pest management. Brachiaria as the trap crop in push-pull maize systems against stemborers and fall armyworm in East Africa.
- Irrigated pasture in arid zones. Velvet Grass under irrigation in the Gulf and Sudan as a soft, palatable grazing grass.
Quality control and testing
Every lot of brachiaria (signal / ruzi / mulato type) 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.
Brachiaria carries the same testing problems as Panicum and more: hard seed and dormancy for 6–9 months, and a high natural proportion of empty florets. We rest every lot past dormancy, run the ISTA 21-day germination with pre-chill and KNO3, and report a tetrazolium viability (typically 75–85%) alongside the 60% germination standard so that buyers can see live seed. Purity is reported with inert matter (empty florets) stated separately, bulk density is measured, and every lot is screened for quarantine grass weeds named on East African, South-East Asian and Latin American permits. Acid-scarified or coated seed is tested after treatment and the treatment stated on the report.
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 brachiaria (signal / ruzi / mulato type) seed is 25 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 10–12 MT (about 400 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 18–20 MT (40ft HC). 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. Germination rises for 6–9 months after harvest as dormancy breaks, then holds at 60% or better for 12–18 months at 10% moisture in sealed lined bags below 25 °C; coated seed should be sown within 12 months. Keep bags sealed against humidity and sow within 18 months of harvest.
| Container | Net cargo | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard | 10–12 MT | about 400 x 25 kg per 20ft; loose on kraft-paper floor |
| 40ft / 40ft HC | 18–20 MT (40ft HC) | Weight-limited on dense seed; volume-limited on light seed |
| Palletised (any size) | ≈ 10% less | ISPM 15 pallets, shrink-wrapped and strapped |
| LCL / air | 2 MT LCL | Higher per-kg rate; used for trial lots |
Documents and import compliance
Every container of brachiaria (signal / ruzi / mulato type) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya | KEPHIS | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Plant import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 12–16 days sea |
| Ethiopia | MoA Ethiopia | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 10–14 days sea |
| Uganda | MAAIF | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 18–24 days |
| Tanzania | TPHPA | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 12–16 days sea |
| Nigeria | NAQS | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 22–28 days sea |
| Chad | DPVC | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 25–35 days |
| South Africa | DALRRD | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 16–20 days sea |
| Malaysia | DOA Malaysia | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 10–14 days sea |
| Indonesia | Barantan | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; SIP import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 12–16 days sea |
| Thailand | DOA Thailand | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 12–16 days sea |
HS classification. Brachiaria seed for sowing is HS 1209.29 (other forage seed), shared with Panicum and Rhodes grass. Kenya (KEPHIS), Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Chad, South Africa, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Brazil and Mexico all require a plant import permit or SPS clearance before loading and may name quarantine weeds on it. Seed for sowing is duty-free in all listed markets. Some Brachiaria species are listed as environmental weeds in Australia and parts of the Pacific, and we do not offer it there.
Season, new crop and availability
Brachiaria seed fields are established in spring and harvested September–November, with a smaller spring harvest. Because dormancy lasts 6–9 months, seed from the autumn harvest is tested and released from the following March–April, and seed from the spring harvest from November; the pro forma states the harvest and test dates and the tetrazolium viability.
East African buyers sow with the long rains (March–April) and order December–January; South-East Asian buyers sow at the start of the wet season (May–June) and order February–March; Brazilian and Mexican buyers sow October–December and order by July. Reserve new-crop volume by August.
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 brachiaria (signal / ruzi / mulato type) 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. Ruziziensis is the lowest-priced type, Brizantha type and Velvet Grass higher; coated and scarified seed cost more per kg but sow more evenly. Lots with a high tetrazolium viability and low inert matter command a premium, and freight per kg is significant because a 20ft carries only 10–12 MT.
- 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
Tropical pasture buyers compare Brachiaria with Panicum and Rhodes grass. Brachiaria persists on acid, low-fertility soils and under heavy grazing; Panicum yields most on fertile soil; Rhodes tolerates salinity and makes the best hay.
| Criterion | Brachiaria (Signal / Ruzi / Mulato type) Seed | <a href="/products/panicum/">Panicum (Guinea / Mombasa Grass) Seed</a> | <a href="/products/rhodes-grass/">Rhodes Grass Seed</a> |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth habit | Stoloniferous / semi-erect | Tall tufted bunch grass | Stoloniferous |
| Purity / germination | 90% / 60% | 95% / 70% | 98% / 80% |
| Dormancy | 6–9 months, hard seed | 4–6 months | Low |
| Sowing rate (uncoated) | 8–10 kg/ha | 6–8 kg/ha | 8–12 kg/ha |
| Soil fertility need | Low to moderate | High | Moderate |
| Acid soil tolerance | Good | Moderate | Moderate |
| Dry matter yield | 12–20 t/ha/yr | 20–30 t/ha/yr | 15–20 t/ha/yr |
| 20ft / 40ft HC load | 10–12 / 18–20 MT | 5–6 / 8–10 MT | 12–14 / 20–22 MT |
Markets served
Kohenoor has shipped brachiaria (signal / ruzi / mulato type) seed to Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Chad, South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Brazil, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh. Demand comes from ranching in Brazil and Mexico, pasture and push-pull programmes in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia, smallholder dairy in Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and erosion-control projects in West Africa. 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 brachiaria (signal / ruzi / mulato type) seed are published on our specialist site kohenoorint.com. Variety-level agronomy (sowing rate, cutting schedule, seed standards, trial data) is on our reference site worldseed.net: brachiaria ruzi. 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
Why is Brachiaria germination only 60% minimum?
Brachiaria seed is hard-seeded, dormant for 6–9 months after harvest and naturally carries empty florets, so 60% germination at 90% purity is the international trade standard for uncoated seed. We rest lots past dormancy before testing and report tetrazolium viability (typically 75–85%) so buyers can see the live-seed figure.
Coated or uncoated Brachiaria seed: which should I buy?
Uncoated is standard and cheapest per live seed; the lab report reflects pure seed. Coated (lime or clay) seed roughly doubles weight per seed, flows better in spreaders, suits aerial and broadcast sowing and is often scarified in the process, so it emerges more evenly; sow at 12–15 kg/ha instead of 8–10.
Does Brachiaria seed need scarification?
Brizantha-type seed often benefits from acid scarification or 6–9 months of after-ripening; ruziziensis is less dormant. We supply seed rested past dormancy, and can acid-scarify or coat on request, with the treatment stated on the report.
What is the difference between ruziziensis and brizantha types?
Ruziziensis is leafier, more palatable and produces more seed but is less persistent under heavy grazing and drought; brizantha types are taller, deeper-rooted, drought-tolerant and persist on acid, infertile soils, which is why they dominate Brazilian and African ranching.
How much Brachiaria seed fits in a container?
10–12 MT of uncoated seed in a 20ft and 18–20 MT in a 40ft high-cube; coated seed packs roughly 50% heavier. LCL lots of 2 MT are available.
What sowing rate and depth do you recommend?
8–10 kg/ha of uncoated seed (12–15 kg/ha coated) broadcast or drilled at 1–2 cm onto a firm seedbed and rolled, when soil is above 20 °C and rain is assured. First grazing at 90–120 days once plants are anchored.
Is Brachiaria suitable for acid or infertile soils?
Yes. Brizantha-type Brachiaria tolerates pH 4.5–5.5 and low phosphorus better than any other sown tropical grass, which is why it is the pasture grass of the Brazilian cerrado and the African savannah. Ruziziensis prefers moderate fertility.
Which countries do you ship Brachiaria to?
Mainly Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Chad, South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Brazil, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh. Each requires a plant import permit or SPS clearance before loading; we do not offer Brachiaria to Australia or the Pacific, where some species are listed as environmental weeds.
When is new-crop Brachiaria seed available?
Seed from the September–November harvest is released from the following March–April after dormancy break and testing; spring-harvest seed from November. The pro forma states harvest and test dates and the tetrazolium viability.
Can Brachiaria be used in push-pull maize systems?
Yes. Brachiaria (usually a brizantha type) is the border trap crop in push-pull systems against stemborers and fall armyworm in East Africa, sown around maize with a Desmodium intercrop. We supply the seed to programmes in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
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