Seeds ExporterJohnson Grass (Sorghum halepense) Seed exporter — Pakistan origin
Johnson grass seed (Sorghum halepense), a perennial forage type, is exported by Kohenoor International at 95% purity and 75% germination in 25 kg bags under HS 120929. It is bought as a low-input perennial hay and grazing grass by farms and government fodder programmes in Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Egypt, Afghanistan and Central Asia, where it is a traditional fodder (known as baru or halep grass) that stands for three to five years from one sowing.
Two facts govern this product. Johnson grass is a declared noxious weed in the United States, Australia, Canada and several other countries, and seed cannot be imported there under any circumstances; we supply only to markets where it is an accepted forage. And like all sorghums it can accumulate prussic acid when young, drought-stressed or frosted, so grazing and cutting must be managed. Agronomy is on hybridsorghum.com.
Quick answer
Specification
Standard export specification for johnson grass (sorghum halepense) 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 | Sorghum halepense |
| HS code | 120929 |
| Varieties / grades | Perennial forage type |
| Purity | 95% min |
| Germination | 75% min |
| Type | Perennial forage type, open-pollinated |
| Moisture | 11% max |
| Inert matter | 3% max |
| Other crop seed | 1% max (S. bicolor declared) |
| Weed seed | 0.5% max |
| Quarantine weeds | Nil (screened); note: S. halepense is itself regulated in some countries |
| Thousand-seed weight | 4–5 g (approx. 200,000–250,000 seeds/kg) |
| Colour / appearance | Reddish-brown to black, glossy, glumes partly retained |
| Dormancy | Moderate; rested 3–4 months post-harvest before test |
| Prussic acid | Yes: graze / cut only above 45–60 cm; caution after drought or frost |
| Persistence | 3–5 years from one sowing (rhizomatous) |
| Sowing rate | 10–12 kg/ha |
| Cuts per year | 4–5 under irrigation |
| Packing | 25 kg |
| MOQ | 1 x 20ft (smaller lots possible) |
| Origin | Pakistan (Sindh / Punjab unless stated) |
Varieties and grades
Perennial forage type. A single open-pollinated Johnson grass selected in Sindh for leafiness, regrowth and seed yield rather than the weedy roadside type: 1.5–2.5 m tall, first cut 60–75 days after a March–May sowing, then 4–5 cuts a year under irrigation for three to five years, 40–60 t/ha green weight a year at 8–12% crude protein. Farms in Iraq, Iran, Sudan and Egypt choose it because it needs one sowing, tolerates heat, salinity to about EC 6 and irregular irrigation, regrows from rhizomes after grazing, drought or fire, and makes acceptable hay; Central Asian buyers use it for saline, marginal land where alfalfa fails.
It is supplied untreated, with the botanical name Sorghum halepense on every document. We do not blend it with Sudan grass or forage sorghum, and we screen every lot for S. bicolor admixture, which is declared as other crop seed. It is not offered to any country where S. halepense is a regulated weed.
Uses by industry
Who buys johnson grass (sorghum halepense) seed from Pakistan and what they do with it.
- Perennial hay farms. Cut 4–5 times a year for baled hay in Iraq, Iran and Egypt; one sowing lasts three to five years.
- Managed grazing. Rotational grazing of cattle, sheep and camels in Sudan, Afghanistan and Central Asia once plants exceed 45–60 cm.
- Marginal and saline land. Fodder on land too saline or poorly irrigated for alfalfa (EC to about 6), in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iraq.
- Government fodder programmes. 50 kg tender bags with pre-shipment inspection for distribution to smallholders in Iraq and Sudan.
- Silage and green chop. Cut at 60–75 days and ensiled or wilted before feeding; not fed fresh when young or stressed.
- Not supplied. Any country where Sorghum halepense is a declared noxious weed, including the United States, Australia and Canada, and no seed for turf or amenity use.
Quality control and testing
Every lot of johnson grass (sorghum halepense) 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.
For Johnson grass the laboratory runs the ISTA 14-day sorghum germination with pre-chill after resting the lot 3–4 months past harvest dormancy, screens every lot for S. bicolor admixture (declared as other crop seed) and for quarantine weeds named on Iraqi, Iranian and Central Asian permits, and confirms species on seed and glume morphology. Because the species is itself regulated in some countries, we check the destination against our restricted list before a pro forma is issued and state Sorghum halepense plainly on the phytosanitary certificate, invoice and packing list.
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 johnson grass (sorghum halepense) 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 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. Johnson grass seed at 11% moisture in sealed lined bags keeps 75% germination for 18–24 months below 25 °C; dormancy declines over the first year, so year-old seed often germinates better than fresh. Keep away from grain stores and fumigate on arrival in humid climates.
| 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 | 2 MT LCL | Higher per-kg rate; used for trial lots |
Documents and import compliance
Every container of johnson grass (sorghum halepense) 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 |
| Iran | PPO Iran | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import licence; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 3–5 days sea / road via Taftan |
| Sudan | Plant Protection Directorate | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 10–14 days sea |
| Egypt | CAPQ | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 12–16 days sea |
| Afghanistan | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 2–5 days road | |
| Uzbekistan | Agroinspection | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import quarantine permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 12–20 days road/rail |
| Tajikistan | State Plant Quarantine Service | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 10–15 days road |
| Turkmenistan | MoA Turkmenistan | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 12–18 days |
HS classification. Johnson grass seed for sowing is HS 1209.29 (other forage seed); some administrations enter it under 1007.10 with other sorghum seed. It is a declared noxious weed and prohibited import in the United States (Federal Noxious Weed Act and state lists), Australia, Canada and several other countries, and is listed as an invasive species in parts of Europe; we do not offer it to those markets and check every destination before quoting. Iraq requires pre-shipment inspection; Iran an import licence; Egypt an import permit; Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan a quarantine import permit, all of which must name Sorghum halepense explicitly. Seed for sowing is duty-free in these markets.
Who can and cannot import Johnson grass seed. Accepted as a forage seed with a permit naming Sorghum halepense: Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Egypt, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, and most Gulf states on request. Prohibited or effectively prohibited: the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and most EU member states, where it is a regulated weed. If your permit does not name the species, do not order; a permit for "sorghum seed" is not sufficient and the container will be refused.
Season, new crop and availability
Seed fields are sown in spring and harvested September–November; because fresh seed carries some dormancy, lots are rested 3–4 months and new crop ships from November with the harvest and test dates on the pro forma. Iraqi, Iranian and Egyptian buyers sow March–May and load December–February; Central Asian buyers take road or rail delivery in March–April; Sudan sows with the rains and loads April–May.
Prior-crop seed is available May–October, re-tested, and often germinates better than new crop because dormancy has passed. 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 johnson grass (sorghum halepense) 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. A single forage type is offered; price differences come from crop year, purity (inert matter and S. bicolor admixture) and whether the lot is sold in 50 kg tender bags with pre-shipment inspection. Johnson grass is among the lowest-priced perennial forage seeds per hectare because of its 10–12 kg/ha sowing rate and multi-year stand.
- 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 considering Johnson grass are usually choosing between it, forage sorghum or Sudan grass (annual, higher quality, re-sown each year) and pearl millet (annual, no prussic acid). Johnson grass wins on persistence and low input; the annuals win on forage quality and freedom from import restrictions.
| Criterion | Johnson Grass (Sorghum halepense) Seed | <a href="/products/sorghum/">Sorghum & Sudan Grass Seed</a> | <a href="/products/pearl-millet/">Hybrid Pearl Millet (Baymisaal)</a> |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Perennial, rhizomatous | Annual (F1 hybrid or OP) | Annual F1 hybrid |
| Stand life | 3–5 years | One season | One season |
| Cuts per year | 4–5 | 3–4 | 3 in 90 days |
| Prussic acid risk | Yes, especially after drought | Yes, wait 45–50 days | None |
| Forage quality | Fair (8–12% CP) | Good (BMR best) | Good |
| Sowing rate | 10–12 kg/ha | 10–15 kg/ha | 8–10 kg/ha |
| Import restrictions | USA, Australia, Canada, most EU prohibit | Few | Few |
Markets served
Kohenoor has shipped johnson grass (sorghum halepense) seed to Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Egypt, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan. Demand comes from hay and grazing farms and government fodder programmes in Iraq, Iran, Sudan and Egypt, and from Central Asian and Afghan farms with saline or marginal land that need a perennial fodder from one sowing. 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 johnson grass (sorghum halepense) seed are published on our specialist site hybridsorghum.com. Variety-level agronomy (sowing rate, cutting schedule, seed standards, trial data) is on our reference site worldseed.net: johnson grass. 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
Can I import Johnson grass seed into the United States or Australia?
No. Sorghum halepense is a federal noxious weed in the United States and a declared weed in Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and seed cannot be imported. We refuse orders for those destinations and check every permit before quoting.
Which countries accept Johnson grass as a forage seed?
Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Egypt, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, and most Gulf states on request, provided the import permit names Sorghum halepense explicitly. A permit for 'sorghum seed' alone is not sufficient.
Is Johnson grass safe to graze?
With management. Like all sorghums it can accumulate prussic acid when young, drought-stressed, frosted or regrowing after cutting. Graze or cut only once plants exceed 45–60 cm, avoid grazing stressed regrowth, and wilt or ensile before feeding; hay is safe once dry.
How long does a Johnson grass stand last?
Three to five years from one sowing under irrigation, regrowing from rhizomes after each cut, grazing, drought or fire. Stands thin after five years and are usually ploughed and re-sown or rotated to a different crop.
Why is Johnson grass germination 75% rather than 85%?
Fresh Johnson grass seed carries moderate dormancy and retains part of its glumes, so 75% on a 14-day ISTA test after a 3–4 month rest is the commercial standard. Germination often rises in the first year of storage as dormancy passes.
What sowing rate do you recommend?
10–12 kg/ha drilled at 1–2 cm in rows 30–45 cm apart into soil above 18 °C in March–May, or 12–15 kg/ha broadcast. At 200,000–250,000 seeds per kg that gives about 200–300 seeds per square metre.
Is your Johnson grass seed mixed with Sudan grass or forage sorghum?
No. Every lot is screened for Sorghum bicolor admixture, which is declared as other crop seed (1% max), and the species is confirmed on seed and glume morphology. The phytosanitary certificate reads Sorghum halepense.
How much Johnson grass seed fits in a 20ft container?
18–20 MT in 25 kg bags (720–800 bags) loose-stacked; 16–18 MT palletised. A 40ft carries 26 MT. LCL lots of 2 MT are available for trial programmes.
When is new-crop Johnson grass seed available?
From November after the September–November harvest and a 3–4 month rest to pass dormancy. Iraqi, Iranian and Egyptian buyers load December–February for spring sowing; prior-crop seed is available May–October and often germinates better.
Can Johnson grass grow on saline land?
Yes, to about EC 6 dS/m, and it tolerates irregular irrigation and heat, which is why farms in Iraq, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan sow it where alfalfa fails. Yield falls with salinity but the stand persists.
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