Seeds ExporterPanicum (Guinea / Mombasa Grass) Seed exporter — Pakistan origin
Panicum (guinea grass) seed, Megathyrsus maximus (syn. Panicum maximum), Mombasa and Tanzania types plus Kohenoor Protein Grass, is exported at 95% purity and 70% germination in 25 kg bags under HS 120929. It is the high-yield tropical grass for dairy cut-and-carry in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, and for grazing in Brazil, Mexico and Sudan.
Panicum seed is fluffy, light and naturally dormant for several months after harvest, which is why the trade standard is 70% germination and why a container fills by volume at 5–6 MT (20ft) or 8–10 MT (40ft HC). Our lots are de-fluffed, Sortex-cleaned and rested past dormancy before testing.
Quick answer
Specification
Standard export specification for panicum (guinea / mombasa grass) 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 | Megathyrsus maximus (Panicum maximum) |
| HS code | 120929 |
| Varieties / grades | Mombasa type, Tanzania type, Kohenoor Protein Grass |
| Purity | 95% min |
| Germination | 70% min |
| Types | Mombasa type, Tanzania type, Kohenoor Protein Grass |
| Moisture | 10% max |
| Inert matter | 5% max (empty florets, chaff) |
| Other crop seed | 0.5% max |
| Weed seed | 0.5% max |
| Quarantine weeds | Nil (screened) |
| Bulk density | 0.15–0.20 kg/litre (de-fluffed, uncoated) |
| Seeds per kg | approx. 1,000,000–1,200,000 |
| Colour / appearance | Straw to greenish-grey, small, de-fluffed, free-flowing |
| Dormancy | Rested 4–6 months post-harvest before test; tetrazolium viability on request |
| Coating | Uncoated standard; coated on request |
| Sowing rate | 6–8 kg/ha uncoated |
| Cuts per year (irrigated) | 6–8 |
| Packing | 25 kg |
| MOQ | 1 x 20ft (smaller lots possible) |
| Origin | Pakistan (Sindh / Punjab unless stated) |
Varieties and grades
Mombasa type. A tall (2–3 m), broad-leaved, very high-yielding guinea grass for cut-and-carry and silage: 25–30 t dry matter per hectare a year under irrigation, 10–14% crude protein at 30–35 day cuts, and good shade tolerance under coconut and oil palm. Dairy farmers in East Africa and South-East Asia choose it for maximum green bulk per hectare; it needs fertile soil, 1,000 mm rain or irrigation and cutting before it becomes stemmy.
Tanzania type. Slightly shorter (1.5–2 m), finer-leaved, leafier and more tolerant of grazing and moderate fertility; the type for rotational grazing in Brazil, Mexico and Sudan and for hay where Mombasa is too coarse. Yields 20–25 t DM/ha.
Kohenoor Protein Grass. Our own selection from Panicum germplasm multiplied in Sindh for the Gulf and Sudan: earlier regrowth, better persistence under 42 °C heat and slightly higher leaf protein, sold for irrigated cut-and-carry on dairy and camel farms. Trial data is on kohenoorint.com and worldseed.net.
All types are supplied uncoated as standard so that the lab report reflects pure seed; coated seed roughly doubles the weight per seed and is available for broadcast or aerial sowing.
Uses by industry
Who buys panicum (guinea / mombasa grass) seed from Pakistan and what they do with it.
- Dairy cut-and-carry. Mombasa and Protein Grass cut every 30–35 days for zero-grazing dairy in Kenya, Uganda, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines; the highest green yield per hectare of any tropical grass we supply.
- Grazing and ranching. Tanzania type for rotational grazing of beef and dairy cattle in Brazil, Mexico, Sudan and South Africa.
- Silage. Mombasa ensiled at 30–35 days as the bulk feed for feedlots and dry-season reserves.
- Plantation understorey. Shade-tolerant pasture under coconut, oil palm and fruit trees in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
- Irrigated forage in arid zones. Protein Grass under pivot or flood irrigation in the Gulf and Sudan as a heat-tolerant complement to Rhodes grass.
- Erosion control. Tufted cover on bunds and slopes; less spreading than Brachiaria.
Quality control and testing
Every lot of panicum (guinea / mombasa grass) 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.
Panicum is the most difficult seed in our catalogue to test honestly: fresh seed is dormant for 4–6 months, so we rest every lot past dormancy before the ISTA 28-day germination test (with pre-chill and KNO3 as the rules allow) and report a tetrazolium viability on request so that buyers can see the difference between dormant and dead seed. Purity is reported with inert matter (empty florets) stated separately, bulk density is measured because it governs seeder settings and container loads, and every lot is screened for quarantine grass weeds named on East African, South-East Asian and Latin American permits.
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 panicum (guinea / mombasa grass) 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 5–6 MT (about 200 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 8–10 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. Panicum seed germination rises for 4–6 months after harvest as dormancy breaks, then holds at 70% or better for 12–18 months at 10% moisture in sealed lined bags below 25 °C. Keep bags sealed: fluffy seed draws moisture fast, and germination can fall 10–15 points in a humid season.
| Container | Net cargo | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard | 5–6 MT | about 200 x 25 kg per 20ft; loose on kraft-paper floor |
| 40ft / 40ft HC | 8–10 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 panicum (guinea / mombasa grass) 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 |
| Sudan | Plant Protection Directorate | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 10–14 days sea |
| 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 |
HS classification. Panicum seed for sowing is HS 1209.29 (other forage seed), shared with Rhodes grass and Brachiaria. Kenya (KEPHIS), Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brazil and Mexico all require a plant import permit or SPS clearance before loading and may name quarantine weeds on it; Sudan and South Africa require a permit as well. Seed for sowing is duty-free in all listed markets. Guinea grass is listed as an environmental weed in parts of Australia and the Pacific, and we do not offer it there.
Season, new crop and availability
Panicum is a warm-season crop: seed fields are established in spring and the main seed harvest is September–November, with a smaller April–May harvest. Because of post-harvest dormancy, new-crop seed is tested and released from November for the previous spring harvest and from March–April for the autumn harvest; the pro forma states the harvest and test dates.
East African buyers sow with the long rains (March–April) and order November–December; 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 panicum (guinea / mombasa grass) 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. Mombasa and Tanzania types are priced close together; Protein Grass and coated seed cost more. Freight per kg is the largest variable because a 20ft carries only 5–6 MT; a 40ft high-cube nearly halves freight per kg. Lots with a tetrazolium viability well above the 70% germination standard command a premium.
- 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 Panicum with Brachiaria and Rhodes grass. Panicum gives the highest yield on fertile, well-drained soil; Brachiaria persists on acid, low-fertility soils; Rhodes tolerates salinity and makes the best hay.
| Criterion | Panicum (Guinea / Mombasa Grass) Seed | <a href="/products/brachiaria/">Brachiaria (Signal / Ruzi / Mulato type) Seed</a> | <a href="/products/rhodes-grass/">Rhodes Grass Seed</a> |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth habit | Tall tufted bunch grass | Stoloniferous / semi-erect | Stoloniferous |
| Purity / germination | 95% / 70% | 90% / 60% | 98% / 80% |
| Dormancy | 4–6 months post-harvest | 6–9 months, may need scarification | Low |
| Sowing rate (uncoated) | 6–8 kg/ha | 8–10 kg/ha | 8–12 kg/ha |
| Soil fertility need | High | Low to moderate | Moderate |
| Salinity tolerance | Low | Low | Good (EC 8–10) |
| Dry matter yield | 20–30 t/ha/yr | 12–20 t/ha/yr | 15–20 t/ha/yr |
| 20ft / 40ft HC load | 5–6 / 8–10 MT | 10–12 / 18–20 MT | 12–14 / 20–22 MT |
Markets served
Kohenoor has shipped panicum (guinea / mombasa grass) seed to Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Brazil, Mexico. Demand comes from zero-grazing dairy programmes in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Tanzania, smallholder dairy in Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, ranching in Brazil and Mexico, and irrigated forage farms in Sudan and the Gulf. 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 panicum (guinea / mombasa grass) 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: panicum mombasa. 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
Does Panicum seed need scarification?
No mechanical scarification, but fresh seed is dormant for 4–6 months after harvest. We rest every lot past dormancy before testing, so seed arrives ready to sow; sowing seed younger than four months from harvest gives patchy emergence, which is why the harvest and test dates are on the pro forma.
Why is Panicum germination only 70%?
Guinea grass seed naturally carries empty florets and residual dormancy; 70% on a 28-day ISTA test after dormancy break is the international trade standard for uncoated Mombasa and Tanzania seed. We report tetrazolium viability on request to show live seed above the germination figure.
How much Panicum seed fits in a container?
Only 5–6 MT in a 20ft and 8–10 MT in a 40ft high-cube, because de-fluffed uncoated seed has a bulk density of 0.15–0.20 kg/litre. Freight per kg is therefore high and a 40ft HC is recommended; LCL lots of 2 MT are available.
What is the difference between Mombasa and Tanzania types?
Mombasa is taller (2–3 m), broader-leaved and higher-yielding, best for cut-and-carry and silage on fertile soil. Tanzania is shorter, leafier and more grazing-tolerant, the choice for rotational grazing and hay in Brazil, Mexico and Sudan.
What sowing rate do you recommend for Panicum?
6–8 kg/ha of uncoated seed broadcast or drilled at 0.5–1 cm onto a fine, firm seedbed and rolled, when soil is above 20 °C and rain or irrigation is assured; coated seed at 10–12 kg/ha. Do not bury deeper than 1 cm.
Is Panicum suitable for the Gulf?
Kohenoor Protein Grass, our Panicum selection, is grown under irrigation on dairy and camel farms in the Gulf and Sudan as a heat-tolerant cut-and-carry grass; standard Mombasa needs more water and fertility than most Gulf farms provide. Rhodes grass remains the better choice on saline soils.
Do you supply coated Panicum seed?
On request. Coating roughly doubles the weight per seed, improves flow in seeders and suits aerial or broadcast sowing; the lab report states purity and germination on the uncoated seed and the coating percentage separately.
Which countries do you ship Panicum to?
Mainly Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Brazil, Mexico. Each requires a plant import permit or SPS clearance before loading, and several name quarantine grass weeds that we screen for.
When is new-crop Panicum seed available?
The main harvest is September–November and seed is released from November after dormancy break and testing; a smaller April–May harvest is released from March–April of the following year. East African buyers order November–December for long-rains sowing; South-East Asian buyers February–March.
How should Panicum seed be stored on arrival?
Sealed lined bags in a dry store below 25 °C; fluffy seed draws moisture fast and germination can fall 10–15 points in a humid season once bags are opened. Sow within 12 months of the test date.
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