Seeds ExporterCumin Seed exporter — Pakistan origin
Cumin seed (Cuminum cyminum) from Balochistan and Sindh is exported by Kohenoor International at 99% purity in machine-clean and Sortex grades, HS 090931, in 25 kg or 50 kg bags. Harvest is March–April and the crop ships to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the US, the UK and Brazil.
Pakistani cumin is a bold, brown seed with 2.5–4% volatile oil. Sortex grade removes stems, stones and discoloured seed to the 99.5% level required by grinders and retail packers; steam sterilisation is available for buyers with microbial specifications.
Quick answer
Specification
Standard export specification for cumin 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 | Cuminum cyminum |
| HS code | 090931 |
| Varieties / grades | Machine clean, Sortex |
| Purity | 99% min |
| Germination | Not tested — edible / industrial grade |
| Grades | Machine clean (99%), Sortex (99.5%) |
| Moisture | 9% max |
| Volatile oil | 2.5–4% |
| Admixture / foreign matter | 1% / 0.5% max |
| Immature / light seed | 2% max |
| Total ash | 9.5% max |
| Acid-insoluble ash | 1.5% max |
| Colour / appearance | Uniform greyish-brown, bold, no green or black seed |
| Bulk density | approx. 0.45 kg/litre |
| Salmonella (25 g) | Absent (on request) |
| Aflatoxin B1 / total | Tested per lot for EU / US |
| Steam sterilisation | Available via partner |
| Packing | 25 kg / 50 kg |
| MOQ | 1 x 20ft |
| Origin | Pakistan (Sindh / Punjab unless stated) |
Varieties and grades
Machine clean (99%). Sieved, de-stoned and air-cleaned cumin for industrial spice blends, curry powder and extraction, where a small percentage of stems or light seed does not matter. It is the volume grade for Gulf, Egyptian and Brazilian blenders.
Sortex (99.5%). Optically sorted to remove stones, stems, discoloured and immature seed, giving the uniform greyish-brown appearance that retail packers and premium grinders in the US and UK need. Volatile oil is slightly higher because light seed is removed. Both grades can be steam-sterilised through a partner facility for buyers with a total plate count or Salmonella specification.
All lots are Cuminum cyminum from Balochistan and Sindh; we do not supply black cumin (Bunium persicum) under this listing, and the botanical name appears on every document.
Uses by industry
Who buys cumin seed from Pakistan and what they do with it.
- Spice grinders and blenders. Ground cumin, curry powder, garam masala, taco and chilli seasonings in the US, UK, Gulf and Brazil.
- Retail packers. Whole Sortex cumin for retail jars and pouches; appearance and uniformity are the buying criteria.
- Food manufacturers. Whole and ground cumin for snacks, sauces, ready meals and processed meat.
- Pickling and traditional food. Whole cumin for pickles, breads and rice dishes across the Middle East and South Asia.
- Essential oil distillers. Machine-clean cumin for cumin oil (cuminaldehyde) distillation.
- Food service. Whole and ground cumin for restaurant supply.
Quality control and testing
Cumin Seed is an edible or industrial product, so the release test is a certificate of analysis rather than a germination test. Our laboratory checks moisture, admixture and foreign matter, colour and size uniformity, bulk density and, where the buyer specifies it, oil content; an accredited third-party laboratory in Karachi runs microbiology (Salmonella spp., E. coli, total plate count, yeast and mould), aflatoxin B1 and total, pesticide-residue screens and, for EU and UK lots, ethylene oxide. Every lot passes Buhler Sortex optical sorting after air-screen cleaning and de-stoning, which is what takes admixture below 1% and removes discoloured seed, stems and stones.
Sampling follows the same rule as seed: at least 10% of bags, composite sample, 1 kg sealed reference retained for 12 months. The COA carries the lot number printed on the bags, and an MSDS is issued for the shipment. HACCP procedures cover the cleaning line, storage and bagging.
Cumin is released on a COA covering moisture, admixture, immature seed, volatile oil by steam distillation, total and acid-insoluble ash and colour; EU, UK and US lots go to an accredited laboratory for aflatoxin B1 and total, a pesticide MRL screen and, on request, Salmonella and ethylene oxide, because cumin is on the EU list of spices subject to increased official controls. Seed is de-stoned, air-screened, Sortex-sorted and metal-detected before bagging under HACCP; steam sterilisation is arranged at a partner facility.
How to verify on arrival. Take a composite sample from at least 10 bags, seal it, and send it to your usual food laboratory within 14 days. Moisture and admixture should be checked first because they are the parameters most likely to drift in transit; microbiology and residues are compared against the COA method and detection limit. If a result differs beyond method uncertainty, send the report and bag labels within 30 days and we re-test the retained reference sample at the same accredited laboratory.
Packing, loading and shipping
Standard packing for cumin 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 15–16 MT (about 600 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 24–25 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. Cumin keeps 24 months at 9% moisture in sealed lined bags in a cool, dark store; volatile oil falls by 10–15% a year at tropical ambient temperatures, so grinders should use stock within 12 months. Keep away from strong-smelling goods.
| Container | Net cargo | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard | 15–16 MT | about 600 x 25 kg per 20ft; loose on kraft-paper floor |
| 40ft / 40ft HC | 24–25 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 cumin 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 certificate of analysis and MSDS, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | MOCCAE | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; ISTA test report; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 7–10 days sea from Karachi |
| Saudi Arabia | MEWA / SFDA | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; SABER registration where applicable; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 8–12 days sea |
| Egypt | CAPQ | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 12–16 days sea |
| United States | USDA APHIS | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; APHIS import permit where required; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 30–40 days sea |
| United Kingdom | APHA / DEFRA | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; IPAFFS pre-notification; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 22–26 days sea |
| Brazil | MAPA Brazil | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 35–45 days sea |
HS classification. Cumin seed, neither crushed nor ground, is HS 0909.31; crushed or ground cumin is 0909.32. EU and UK imports enter as food with a COA and CHED-D, and cumin from certain origins is on the EU increased-official-controls list for pesticides, so the analytical report accompanies the consignment; the US importer files FDA prior notice; Egypt requires an import permit; Brazil an import authorisation. Duty is zero in the EU (GSP+) and the US and low in the Gulf.
Season, new crop and availability
Harvest March–April in Balochistan and Sindh; new-crop cumin ships from May after drying, cleaning and Sortex sorting. Stock is held in cool, dry storage through the year and prior-crop is stated as such with its current volatile-oil value.
Gulf and Egyptian traders contract most volume May–July; US and UK grinders buy through the year and often fix a season's volume in May. Reserve new-crop Sortex grade by February.
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 cumin 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. Sortex grade is priced above machine-clean for the optical-sorting pass and higher volatile oil; steam sterilisation, aflatoxin, pesticide and Salmonella tests are itemised. Cumin prices move with the combined Indian, Turkish, Syrian and Pakistani crop, so pre-harvest bookings carry a larger discount than for most lines.
- 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
Spice importers compare cumin with fennel and fenugreek from the same origin; cumin is the highest-value and most price-volatile of the three.
| Criterion | Cumin Seed | <a href="/products/fennel/">Fennel Seed</a> | <a href="/products/fenugreek/">Fenugreek Seed</a> |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flavour role | Warm, earthy, savoury base | Sweet, anise-like | Bitter, maple-like |
| Harvest | Mar–Apr | Mar–Apr | Mar–Apr |
| Purity grades | 99% / 99.5% Sortex | 99% / bold green / Sortex | 99% / bold |
| Moisture std | 9% max | 9% max | 10% max |
| Volatile oil | 2.5–4% | 1.5–3% | Trace |
| 20ft / 40ft HC load | 15–16 / 24–25 MT | 12–14 / 20–22 MT | 18–20 / 26–27 MT |
| HS | 090931 | 090961 | 091099 |
Markets served
Kohenoor has shipped cumin seed to United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United States, United Kingdom, Brazil. Demand is led by spice grinders and retail packers in the US and UK, blenders and traders in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and seasoning manufacturers in Brazil. 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 cumin seed are published on our specialist site herbnseed.com. Variety-level agronomy (sowing rate, cutting schedule, seed standards, trial data) is on our reference site worldseed.net: cumin. 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 machine-clean and Sortex cumin?
Machine-clean is sieved and air-cleaned to 99% purity. Sortex grade is additionally passed over optical sorters to remove stones, stems and discoloured seed, reaching 99.5% and the uniform appearance retail packers need.
How much cumin fits in a 20ft container?
About 15–16 MT in 25 kg bags; cumin is lighter than round seed. A 40ft high-cube takes 24–25 MT.
Do you provide aflatoxin and pesticide tests for cumin?
Yes, per lot for EU, UK and US buyers, from an accredited laboratory in Karachi. Results go on the certificate of analysis before loading, and the EU importer files them with the CHED-D.
Can you supply cumin to the United States?
Yes. Cumin enters the US as a spice under FDA rules; the importer files prior notice and we supply the certificate of analysis, phytosanitary certificate and origin certificate. Steam-sterilised lots are available for buyers with a Salmonella specification.
What volatile oil content does Pakistani cumin have?
2.5–4% by steam distillation, with Sortex grade at the upper end because light seed is removed. The value is reported on the COA and falls slowly in storage, so grinders should use stock within 12 months.
Is your cumin steam-sterilised?
On request, through a partner facility, for buyers who need reduced total plate count or Salmonella absence. It adds about 10 days to lead time and is quoted separately; volatile oil drops slightly after sterilisation.
When is new-crop cumin available?
From May after the March–April harvest, drying and cleaning. Prior-crop stock is held in cool, dry storage and sold with its current volatile-oil value; Sortex new crop is reserved by February.
Which documents does Egypt require for cumin?
An import permit issued to the importer, phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin, COA, packing list, invoice and bill of lading; a fumigation certificate is often requested and we arrange it in the sealed container.
Is this cumin or black cumin?
Cuminum cyminum, the brown cumin used in spice blends. Black cumin (Bunium persicum) and nigella (kalonji) are different plants; nigella has its own product page.
Can I order less than a container of cumin?
Yes, 2 MT by LCL at a higher per-kg rate, or as part of a mixed spice container with fennel, fenugreek or nigella (2 MT minimum per product).
Get today's FOB rate
Tell us the product, quantity and destination port. The export desk replies within 24 hours with price, MOQ, documents and transit time.
export@kohenoorint.com · +92 310 4929292 · Reply within 24 hours