Frequently Asked Questions

We export Nigerian sesame in four offerings: natural white (whitish) food-grade sesame from the Benue–Nasarawa belt; brown and mixed-colour sesame for oil crushing from the northern states; Sortex colour-sorted premium white sesame at 99.5% purity or better; and hulled (dehulled) white sesame processed to order. All are machine-cleaned, dried to export moisture, laboratory-tested and graded by the Federal Produce Inspection Service.

Typical contract specifications for Nigerian sesame are purity 98–99.5% (99.5%+ for Sortex grade), admixture 0.5–2% max, moisture 6–8% max, oil content 48–52% min and free fatty acid 2% max, with aflatoxin, Salmonella and pesticide-residue limits set to the destination market. We agree the exact figures in writing per contract and confirm them by laboratory analysis before shipment. [Confirm the specification you can guarantee for each grade.]

Our standard minimum is one full 20' container, approximately 19–20 tonnes of sesame in 50 kg bags. [Confirm your MOQ — e.g. 1 × 20' FCL / 19 MT] Smaller sample lots are available by courier for evaluation.

Sesame has no futures market; prices are set by origin supply, destination demand (China, Japan, Turkey and India drive the market), grade, purity and season. Nigerian prices are usually quoted in USD per metric tonne FOB Lagos, or CFR/CIF your port, for a stated grade and specification. We do not publish a list price because it changes week to week; request a quotation and you will receive a written offer within two business days.

Sesame is dense, so containers reach weight limits before they fill. A 20' container typically carries 19–20 tonnes in 50 kg PP bags (380–400 bags), or 21–22 tonnes loose in a flexi-liner. 40' containers are rarely used because road and port weight limits restrict them to roughly the same payload. Exact bag count and tonnage are confirmed on the pro-forma invoice.

Sesame is planted with the rains between May and July and harvested from around October to December. New-crop exports begin in November and run strongly through to March or April; stocks are available from exporters' warehouses year-round but become tighter and more expensive from May until the new crop arrives.

Yes. Sesame from Nigeria is subject to increased official controls for Salmonella at EU borders, and Japan, Korea and the Gulf apply strict aflatoxin and residue limits. We arrange testing by an accredited laboratory for every shipment to the parameters your market requires and can arrange steam sterilisation or other treatment at destination through our partners where needed. Certificates accompany the shipping documents.

Yes. We dispatch representative samples (typically 500 g – 1 kg) by courier so that you can check purity, colour, moisture and run your own laboratory tests. [State your sample policy — e.g. samples free, courier at buyer's cost, credited on first order]

Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate (Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service), fumigation certificate, FPIS quality / grading certificate, laboratory certificate of analysis, weight certificate and, where requested, a third-party inspection certificate and health certificate. Document sets for letters of credit are prepared to the credit's terms.

Typical terms for new buyers are an irrevocable letter of credit at sight or a deposit with balance against shipping documents. Terms are confirmed on the pro-forma invoice. [Confirm your standard payment terms — e.g. 30% advance, 70% against copy of B/L; or 100% LC at sight]

During the season, orders of one to several containers typically ship within [e.g. 2–3 weeks] of contract confirmation and deposit/LC, subject to vessel schedules. Sortex and hulled grades require additional processing time. A firm shipment window is stated at quotation.

Both. FOB Lagos is our standard basis. We also quote CFR or CIF to major destinations in Asia, Europe, Turkey and the Middle East through our freight-forwarding partners. FCA and EXW are available for buyers who prefer their own forwarder to take control at origin.

Yes. Buyers are welcome to appoint SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, Cotecna or another agency to sample, analyse, weigh and supervise container stuffing. We coordinate scheduling and access. Inspection fees are normally for the buyer's account unless otherwise agreed.

Nigerian sesame is shipped mainly to China, Japan, Turkey, India, Vietnam and South Korea in Asia; to the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Greece and other EU markets; and to Israel, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. If your destination is not listed, contact us — we will confirm feasibility and documentation requirements.

We do not claim certifications we cannot evidence. [State any certifications you actually hold — e.g. organic (EU/NOP), HACCP, ISO 22000, kosher, halal — with certificate numbers, or remove this FAQ.]