Seeds ExporterSesame Seed exporter — Pakistan origin
Kohenoor International exports Pakistani sesame seed (Sesamum indicum) under HS 120740: natural white, black and mixed grades at 99% minimum purity, Sortex-cleaned, in 25 kg or 50 kg bags or 1,000 kg big bags. Pakistan's sesame crop, harvested October–November in Punjab and Sindh, goes mainly to China, Japan, Korea, Türkiye, Egypt, the EU, the UK, the US and Brazil.
Natural white sesame is sold on oil content (50–52%) and colour uniformity; black sesame for Japanese and Korean food use is graded on lustre and seed size. We test every lot for moisture, FFA, admixture and, for the EU and UK, Salmonella and ethylene-oxide residues at an accredited laboratory before loading.
Quick answer
Specification
Standard export specification for sesame 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 | Sesamum indicum |
| HS code | 120740 |
| Varieties / grades | Natural white, Black, Mixed |
| Purity | 99% min |
| Germination | Not tested — edible / industrial grade |
| Grades | Natural white, black, mixed |
| Oil content | 50–52% (white); 48–50% (black) |
| Moisture | 6% max |
| Admixture / foreign matter | 1% max (0.5% Sortex premium) |
| Immature / damaged seed | 2% max |
| FFA (as oleic) | 2% max |
| Bulk density | approx. 0.60–0.65 kg/litre |
| Colour / appearance | Uniform creamy white or jet black, no mixed colour in graded lots |
| Salmonella (25 g) | Absent (EU / UK lots) |
| Ethylene oxide | Not detected, < 0.05 mg/kg (EU / UK lots) |
| Aflatoxin B1 / total | Within EU limits, tested per lot |
| Pesticide residues | EU MRL screen on request |
| Packing | 25 kg / 50 kg |
| MOQ | 1 x 20ft |
| Origin | Pakistan (Sindh / Punjab unless stated) |
Varieties and grades
Natural white. Creamy-white, unhulled sesame from Punjab and Sindh with 50–52% oil, the crushing and tahini grade bought by China, Türkiye and Egypt and the bakery and hulling grade bought by the EU, the UK, the US and Japan. Sortex sorting takes colour uniformity to the level bakery toppers need; crushers accept the machine-clean 99% grade.
Black. Jet-black, small to medium seed graded on lustre and size for Japanese and Korean cuisine, confectionery and black-sesame paste; 48–50% oil. Colour uniformity is the buying criterion, so every black lot is Sortex-sorted twice.
Mixed. Natural white and brown seed together, sold to crushers where colour is not a factor and priced below white; the highest oil yield per dollar for oil mills.
Hulled (dehulled) white sesame is available on request through a partner huller; it changes the HS description and adds two to three weeks to lead time.
Uses by industry
Who buys sesame seed from Pakistan and what they do with it.
- Oil crushers. Natural white and mixed grades for sesame oil in China, Türkiye, Japan and Korea; priced on oil content.
- Tahini and halva makers. White sesame for tahini, halva and hummus in Türkiye, Egypt, the Gulf and the EU; roasted-colour uniformity and low bitterness matter.
- Bakery and snack. Sortex white for burger-bun and bread topping, sesame bars and crackers in the EU, US, UK and Japan; hulled on request.
- Confectionery and Asian food. Black sesame for Japanese and Korean confectionery, paste, furikake and desserts.
- Hullers and re-packers. Natural white for dehulling lines in the EU and Japan and for retail re-packing.
- Health-food and supplement. Black sesame for lignan (sesamin) extraction and functional foods in Korea and Japan.
Quality control and testing
Sesame 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.
Sesame is a food product, so the release test is a COA: moisture, admixture, immature and damaged seed, oil content by Soxhlet, FFA, and colour on a Sortex reject count. EU and UK lots go to an accredited laboratory for Salmonella (absent in 25 g), ethylene oxide plus 2-chloroethanol (LOQ 0.01 mg/kg), aflatoxin and a pesticide MRL screen, because EU Regulation 2019/1793 lists sesame from Pakistan for increased official controls with a CHED-D and laboratory report at the border. Every lot is de-stoned, air-screened and Sortex-sorted; black sesame twice.
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 sesame 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 26–27 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. At 6% moisture in lined bags sesame keeps its oil quality (FFA below 2%) for 12 months in a cool, dry, dark store; above 25 °C and 65% RH FFA rises and rancidity follows. Big bags for crushers should be used within six months.
| Container | Net cargo | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 20ft standard | 18–20 MT | about 720 x 25 kg per 20ft; loose on kraft-paper floor |
| 40ft / 40ft HC | 26–27 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 sesame 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | GACC | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; GACC registration; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 18–24 days sea |
| Japan | MAFF Plant Protection | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 22–28 days sea |
| South Korea | APQA | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import declaration; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 20–25 days sea |
| Türkiye | Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Kontrol Belgesi; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 14–18 days sea |
| Germany | BVL / EU | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; EU TRACES CHED-PP; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 22–26 days sea |
| Netherlands | NVWA / EU | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; EU TRACES CHED-PP; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 22–26 days sea |
| Italy | MASAF / EU | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; EU TRACES CHED-PP; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 18–22 days sea |
| Spain | MAPA / EU | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; EU TRACES CHED-PP; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 18–22 days sea |
| Poland | PIORiN / EU | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; EU TRACES CHED-PP; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 24–28 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 |
HS classification. Sesame seed, whether or not broken, is HS 1207.40. In the EU it is a food import subject to increased official controls under Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 (Salmonella and pesticide residues, with a CHED-D and analytical report per consignment); the UK applies equivalent controls through IPAFFS. China requires GACC registration of the exporter; Japan applies MHLW residue monitoring; the US importer files FDA prior notice. Duty is zero in the EU (GSP+) and the US and low elsewhere; a certificate of origin is required in every case.
Because sesame is also grown from seed, a small minority of buyers import it as seed for sowing; we do not offer sowing-grade sesame, and every lot is declared as edible oilseed under HS 120740 with a COA rather than a germination report.
Season, new crop and availability
Sesame is sown June–July and harvested October–November. New-crop lots are available from December after drying, de-stoning and Sortex cleaning; EU lots follow in January once the laboratory panel is back. Prior-crop stock is held in cool, dry warehousing until the following season and stated as prior crop on the pro forma.
Chinese and Turkish crushers contract most of the volume in December–February; EU and Japanese buyers spread purchases through the year. Reserve new-crop volume by September for a fixed price.
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 sesame 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 white is the top grade, then machine-clean white, black (priced on lustre and size) and mixed for crushing. EU lots carry the cost of the Salmonella, EtO, aflatoxin and pesticide panel; hulled sesame is priced separately.
- 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
Oil mills and food buyers compare sesame with castor (industrial oil, inedible) and nigella (black seed oil, supplement market). Sesame is the edible, highest-volume oilseed of the three.
| Criterion | Sesame Seed | <a href="/products/castor/">Castor Seed</a> | <a href="/products/nigella/">Nigella (Kalonji) Seed</a> |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil content | 50–52% | 45–50% | 32–38% |
| Edible | Yes | No (industrial oil) | Yes |
| Main use | Oil, tahini, bakery | Castor oil, ricinoleic acid | Spice, cold-pressed oil, supplements |
| Moisture std | 6% max | 8% max | 8% max |
| Key tests | Salmonella, EtO, aflatoxin | Oil content, ricin handling | Oil, thymoquinone |
| Harvest | Oct–Nov | Nov–Jan | Mar–Apr |
| HS | 120740 | 120730 | 120799 |
Markets served
Kohenoor has shipped sesame seed to China, Japan, South Korea, Türkiye, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Poland, United Kingdom, United States, Brazil, Egypt. Demand is led by oil crushers in China and Türkiye, tahini makers in Türkiye, Egypt and the Gulf, bakery and hulling lines in the EU, UK, US and Japan, and black-sesame buyers in Japan and Korea. 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 sesame 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: sesame white, sesame black. 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
Do you test sesame for ethylene oxide and Salmonella?
Yes, for EU and UK lots. Both tests are carried out by an accredited third-party laboratory in Karachi before loading and the reports accompany the shipping documents. EU entry for sesame from Pakistan requires a CHED-D pre-notification in TRACES and the analytical report under Regulation 2019/1793.
Is the white sesame hulled or natural?
Natural (unhulled). Hulled sesame is available on request from a partner huller; it changes the HS description and needs two to three weeks longer lead time.
What oil content should I expect?
50–52% for natural white sesame from Sindh and Punjab; black sesame is slightly lower at 48–50%; mixed grade 49–51%. Oil content is reported on the certificate of analysis for each lot.
Can you supply sesame in bulk bags?
Yes: 25 kg and 50 kg PP bags are standard; 1,000 kg big bags for crushers are available. A 20ft container takes 18–20 MT in either format.
Is Pakistani sesame suitable for tahini?
Yes. Natural white Sortex grade with low bitterness and uniform roast colour is what Turkish and Egyptian tahini makers buy; ask for the tahini specification, which adds a roast-colour check and a lower immature-seed limit.
What is the difference between machine-clean and Sortex sesame?
Machine-clean is de-stoned and air-screened to 99% purity for crushers. Sortex grade is additionally optically sorted to 99.5% with colour uniformity for bakery, hulling and retail, and black sesame is Sortex-sorted twice.
How much sesame fits in a 20ft container?
18–20 MT in 25 kg or 50 kg bags loose-stacked, or 18–20 big bags of 1,000 kg. A 40ft carries 26–27 MT before the weight limit.
When is new-crop sesame available from Pakistan?
From December after the October–November harvest, drying and Sortex cleaning; EU lots from January once the laboratory panel is complete. Prior-crop stock is available June–November from cool storage.
Do you supply black sesame for Japan and Korea?
Yes. Jet-black, lustre-graded seed, Sortex-sorted twice, 48–50% oil, in 25 kg bags, with a COA covering moisture, admixture, aflatoxin and residues. Transit to Yokohama or Busan is 20–28 days.
What documents accompany sesame to the EU?
Phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin (GSP+), certificate of analysis with Salmonella, ethylene oxide, aflatoxin and pesticide results, health certificate where the member state asks, packing list, invoice and bill of lading; the importer files the CHED-D in TRACES before arrival.
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