Seeds ExporterSesbania Seed exporter — Pakistan origin
Sesbania (dhaincha) seed is exported by Kohenoor International at 98% purity and 90% germination, HS 120999, in 25 kg and 50 kg bags. Pakistan produces sesbania seed at scale for the rice belt of Sindh, and the same lots go to Egypt, Sudan, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India and East Africa for green manure, soil reclamation and fodder.
Sesbania fixes 80–120 kg N/ha in 45–60 days and grows on saline and waterlogged soils where no other legume survives. See sesbaniaseed.com for agronomy.
Quick answer
Specification
Standard export specification for sesbania 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 | Sesbania sesban / S. aculeata |
| HS code | 120999 |
| Varieties / grades | Dhaincha |
| Purity | 98% min |
| Germination | 90% min |
| Species | S. aculeata (S. bispinosa, dhaincha) / S. sesban, confirmed per lot |
| Moisture | 10% max |
| Inert matter | 1% max |
| Other crop seed | 0.5% max |
| Weed seed | 0.5% max |
| Dodder | Nil |
| Thousand-seed weight | 14–17 g (approx. 60,000–70,000 seeds/kg) |
| Colour / appearance | Olive-green to brown, smooth, uniform |
| Hard seed | 20% max fresh lot |
| Sowing rate | 30–40 kg/ha green manure; 15–20 kg/ha fodder rows |
| Days to incorporation | 45–60 |
| Salinity tolerance | High, to EC 10 dS/m |
| Packing | 25 kg / 50 kg |
| MOQ | 1 x 20ft |
| Origin | Pakistan (Sindh / Punjab unless stated) |
Varieties and grades
Dhaincha, Sesbania aculeata (syn. S. bispinosa). The annual green-manure type: 2–3 m in 50 days, tolerant of standing water and salinity, incorporated before rice or cotton for 80–120 kg N/ha. This is the seed that Egypt, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Taiwan and Korea buy for paddy rotation programmes and that Sudan, Iraq and Kenya use to reclaim saline and sodic land. Buyers choose it for speed and for its tolerance of waterlogging, which no other green-manure legume matches.
Sesbania sesban. The short-lived perennial shrub type for fodder, agroforestry and windbreaks: 22–25% crude protein leaf, coppiced for goat and cattle browse in Kenya, Ethiopia and Nigeria, and planted on bunds in Egypt. Slightly larger seed and slower first growth than dhaincha.
State the use on the enquiry and we confirm the species on the pro forma and the phytosanitary certificate; mixed lots are not shipped.
Uses by industry
Who buys sesbania seed from Pakistan and what they do with it.
- Rice and cotton growers. Green manure sown after wheat and ploughed in at 45–60 days before rice transplanting in Egypt, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Taiwan; 80–120 kg N/ha and improved soil structure.
- Land reclamation projects. Saline, sodic and waterlogged soils in Sudan, Iraq, Kenya and coastal Egypt; root channels and organic matter lower surface salinity within two seasons.
- Livestock and dairy. S. sesban browse and cut-and-carry fodder for goats and cattle in East Africa and Nigeria; 22–25% crude protein leaf.
- Agroforestry and firewood. Windbreaks, bund planting and fuelwood in Egypt, India and the Sahel.
- Fibre and paper. Dhaincha stem fibre for pulp trials in Bangladesh and India.
- Organic and regenerative farms. Nitrogen source for certified-organic vegetable rotations in Korea and Taiwan.
Quality control and testing
Every lot of sesbania 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.
The laboratory confirms species by seed morphology on every lot (dhaincha and S. sesban are visually distinct but are sometimes sold mixed by open-market traders), reports hard seed separately because a fresh lot can carry up to 20%, and screens for the seed-borne bruchid that affects stored sesbania; lots are fumigated before bagging where any infestation is found.
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 sesbania 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. Sesbania is hard-seeded and keeps germination above 85% for two years in dry storage at 10% moisture. Seed older than 18 months becomes harder; an overnight soak before sowing restores field emergence. Store away from pulses 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 | 26–27 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 sesbania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egypt | CAPQ | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 12–16 days sea |
| Sudan | Plant Protection Directorate | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 10–14 days sea |
| Taiwan | BAPHIQ | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 18–22 days sea |
| South Korea | APQA | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import declaration; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 20–25 days sea |
| Vietnam | PPD Vietnam | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 14–18 days sea |
| Bangladesh | Plant Quarantine Wing | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 8–12 days sea |
| 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 |
| South Africa | DALRRD | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 16–20 days sea |
| Nigeria | NAQS | Phytosanitary certificate; Certificate of origin; Import permit; commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading | 22–28 days sea |
HS classification. Sesbania seed is HS 1209.99 (other seeds for sowing). Taiwan (BAPHIQ) and Korea (APQA) clear it on the phytosanitary certificate; Vietnam, Bangladesh, Kenya and Ethiopia require an import permit first; India requires a PQ Order import permit. Sesbania is on weed watch lists in parts of Australia and the southern United States and we do not offer it to those markets. Duty-free as seed for sowing in the listed destinations.
Because sesbania is used both for sowing and, in some countries, as an organic-fertiliser input, the importer should declare it as seed for sowing under HS 120999 so that the phytosanitary certificate matches the customs entry; declaring it as fertiliser triggers a different document set.
Season, new crop and availability
Sesbania for seed is sown March–July and harvested September–November; new-crop seed ships from November. Stock is available year-round because hard-seeded sesbania keeps germination well above 85% for two years in dry storage.
Egypt and Vietnam sow after the winter cereal in March–April and order December–January; Taiwan and Korea sow in May–June under paddy rotation and take LCL lots in March–April; Sudan and Kenya sow with the rains. 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 sesbania 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. Dhaincha for green manure is the base grade; S. sesban and lots with a hard-seed count below 10% are priced higher. Species-confirmed, Sortex-cleaned lots cost more than open-market seed but arrive without bruchid damage or mixed species.
- 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 looking for a summer nitrogen source or a reclamation crop compare sesbania with berseem (winter legume), guar (drought legume with a cash crop) and Rhodes grass (saline pasture).
| Criterion | Sesbania Seed | <a href="/products/berseem-clover/">Berseem Clover Seed</a> | <a href="/products/guar/">Guar Seed</a> |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Summer, Mar–Jul sowing | Winter, Oct–Nov sowing | Summer, Jun–Jul sowing |
| Nitrogen fixed | 80–120 kg/ha in 50 days | 60–90 kg/ha over season | 40–60 kg/ha |
| Waterlogging tolerance | High | Moderate | Low |
| Salinity tolerance | High (EC 10) | Moderate | Moderate |
| Cash crop value | None (fodder, fibre) | Fodder | Guar gum seed |
| Sowing rate | 30–40 kg/ha | 25–30 kg/ha | 15–20 kg/ha |
| Germination std | 90% | 85% | 85% |
Markets served
Kohenoor has shipped sesbania seed to Egypt, Sudan, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, Nigeria, Chad, India. Demand comes from paddy-rotation programmes in Egypt, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Taiwan and Korea, saline-land reclamation in Sudan, Iraq and Kenya, and fodder and agroforestry buyers in East and 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 sesbania seed are published on our specialist site sesbaniaseed.com. Variety-level agronomy (sowing rate, cutting schedule, seed standards, trial data) is on our reference site worldseed.net: sesbania dhaincha. 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
Which sesbania species do you supply?
Sesbania aculeata (S. bispinosa, dhaincha) for green manure and reclamation, and S. sesban for fodder and agroforestry. Specify the use and we confirm the species on the pro forma and the phytosanitary certificate; lots are never mixed.
Does sesbania seed need scarification?
Fresh seed germinates at 90% without treatment. Seed older than 18 months becomes harder; soaking in water overnight before sowing restores field emergence. We do not scarify mechanically because it reduces storage life.
What is the MOQ for sesbania seed?
One 20ft container, 18–20 MT. Smaller LCL quantities of 5 MT are possible for Taiwan, Korea and Vietnam at a higher per-kg rate; use the quote form and state the quantity.
Is sesbania seed regulated as a weed anywhere?
Sesbania is on watch lists in parts of Australia and the southern United States. We do not offer it to those markets. All other listed destinations accept it with a standard phytosanitary certificate and, where required, an import permit.
How much nitrogen does dhaincha fix?
80–120 kg N/ha when incorporated at 45–60 days, based on biomass of 15–25 t/ha green weight. Rice yields after a dhaincha green manure are typically 10–20% higher than after fallow in Sindh and Nile Delta trials.
Can sesbania grow on saline or waterlogged land?
Yes. Dhaincha tolerates EC up to about 10 dS/m and standing water, which is why it is the first crop on reclaimed saline and sodic land in Sudan, Iraq and coastal Egypt. Two seasons of sesbania lower surface salinity enough for berseem or Rhodes grass.
What sowing rate do you recommend?
30–40 kg/ha broadcast for green manure, 15–20 kg/ha in rows for fodder or seed, 2–3 cm deep into moist soil above 20 °C. At 60,000–70,000 seeds per kg that gives 200–280 seeds per square metre for green manure.
How much sesbania seed fits in a 20ft container?
18–20 MT in 25 kg or 50 kg bags loose-stacked, 16–18 MT palletised; a 40ft carries 26–27 MT. Taiwan and Korea usually take 5 MT LCL.
Does Taiwan or Korea need an import permit for sesbania?
No permit for cleaned seed: Taiwan (BAPHIQ) and Korea (APQA) clear on the phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin and, for Korea, an import declaration. Vietnam, Bangladesh, Kenya, Ethiopia and India require a permit issued to the importer before loading.
When is new-crop sesbania seed available?
From November after the September–November harvest. Because the seed is hard-seeded and stores for two years, prior-crop stock is available year-round and re-tested before dispatch.
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