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Data table

Container loading capacity by seed type

A 20-ft container carries 18–20 MT of dense seed such as alfalfa, sesame or guar but only 10–12 MT of light, fluffy Rhodes grass, because the box fills by volume before it reaches its weight limit. This table gives the realistic loading for each seed type in the encyclopedia, in tonnes and in bag counts, so that orders can be sized to whole containers.

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Stacked 50 kg alfalfa seed bags filling a 20-ft container at Karachi
Exporting since 1957ISO 9001 · HACCPISTA seed lab70+ countries servedFOB / CIF Karachi

Loading table

Figures assume palletless floor loading of woven PP bags with a kraft liner, 20-ft dry (33 m³ usable, 21.6 MT payload on most lines but 18–20 MT accepted by road in Pakistan) and 40-ft high-cube (76 m³, 26 MT payload). Bulk density is for cleaned seed as bagged. Actual weights are set by the carrier's payload limit and road weight limits at destination.

Seed typeBulk density (kg/m³)Bag size20-ft: MT20-ft: bags40-ft HC: MT40-ft HC: bagsLimiting factor
Alfalfa (KN92, Taiztar)760–80025 / 50 kg18–20720–800 × 25 kg or 360–400 × 50 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight
Berseem / Persian clover760–79025 / 50 kg18–20720–800 × 25 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight
Rhodes grass (uncoated)180–25025 kg10–12400–480 × 25 kg20–24800–960 × 25 kgVolume
Rhodes grass (coated)550–65025 kg18–20720–800 × 25 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight
Panicum (uncoated)250–35025 kg12–14480–560 × 25 kg22–26880–1,040 × 25 kgVolume
Brachiaria (uncoated)350–45025 kg13–15520–600 × 25 kg22–26880–1,040 × 25 kgVolume
Johnson grass480–54025 kg16–18640–720 × 25 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight / volume
Sorghum (grain, BMR, sweet)720–78025 kg18–20720–800 × 25 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight
Sudan grass500–56025 kg16–18640–720 × 25 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight / volume
Pearl millet (hybrid)700–76025 kg18–20720–800 × 25 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight
Sesbania680–74025 / 50 kg18–20720–800 × 25 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight
Guar700–76025 kg18–20720–800 × 25 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight
Annual ryegrass320–38025 kg12–14480–560 × 25 kg22–26880–1,040 × 25 kgVolume
Sesame600–64025 / 50 kg18–20720–800 × 25 kg or 360–400 × 50 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight
Fenugreek700–75025 / 50 kg18–20720–800 × 25 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight
Nigella520–58025 kg16–18640–720 × 25 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight / volume
Cumin380–45025 / 50 kg13–15520–600 × 25 kg22–26880–1,040 × 25 kgVolume
Basil seed560–62025 kg17–19680–760 × 25 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight
Garden cress640–70025 kg18–20720–800 × 25 kg24–26960–1,040 × 25 kgWeight
Fennel350–45025 / 50 kg13–15520–600 × 25 kg22–26880–1,040 × 25 kgVolume
Castor540–60050 kg18–20360–400 × 50 kg24–26480–520 × 50 kgWeight

Stowage notes

  • Pakistan road weight limits and most carriers' 20-ft payloads mean 18–20 MT is the practical maximum from Karachi even where the box is rated higher; ask before planning 21 MT.
  • Bags are stowed in an interlocking brick pattern, doors-end bags laid flat, with a kraft or plastic liner on floor and walls and 8–10 kg of desiccant per 20-ft for legumes and oilseeds; see the moisture and storage guide.
  • Palletised loading (Euro pallets, 1.2 × 0.8 m) reduces a 20-ft to about 16–17 MT of dense seed and a 40-ft HC to 22–24 MT; specify if the destination warehouse requires pallets.
  • Mixed containers are common: e.g. 10 MT alfalfa + 6 MT Rhodes grass fills a 20-ft by volume and weight together.
  • Big bags (1,000 kg FIBC) are available for salt and can be used for sorghum and sesame where the buyer has forklift unloading; 18–20 × 1 MT bags per 20-ft.
  • Hybrid sorghum and millet seed treated with fungicide is shipped in 25 kg bags only, clearly marked as treated and not for food or feed.

Worked examples

OrderContainerLoadedNotes
800 ha alfalfa at 22 kg/ha = 17.6 MT1 × 20-ft704 × 25 kg = 17.6 MTFits; 2 lots of 8.8 MT with separate ISTA reports
1,000 ha Rhodes grass at 10 kg/ha = 10 MT1 × 20-ft400 × 25 kg = 10 MTFills by volume; do not add more
Rhodes 10 MT + alfalfa 8 MT1 × 20-ft400 + 320 bags = 18 MTVolume ~31 m³; fits
Sorghum 24 MT1 × 40-ft HC960 × 25 kgWithin 26 MT payload
Cumin 14 MT1 × 20-ft560 × 25 kgVolume-limited; 40-ft for larger lots
Container being sealed after seed loading

The export calendar shows when each seed type is available for loading; the HS code table lists the customs headings; the conversion tables turn tonnes into bushels and bags into hectares sown.

Frequently asked questions

How many tonnes of alfalfa seed fit in a 20-ft container?

18–20 MT, that is 720–800 bags of 25 kg or 360–400 bags of 50 kg. The limit is weight, not volume; alfalfa at 780 kg/m³ occupies about 25 m³ of the 33 m³ available.

Why does Rhodes grass load at only 10–12 MT?

Uncoated Rhodes grass seed is a light, fluffy spikelet with a bulk density of 180–250 kg/m³. The container fills by volume at 10–12 MT. Coated seed is three times denser and loads at 18–20 MT, but half of that weight is coating.

Can I load 21 MT in a 20-ft container?

Some carriers rate 20-ft boxes at 21.6 MT or more, but Pakistani road limits and most shipping lines from Karachi restrict seed loads to 18–20 MT. Check with the forwarder; a 40-ft HC is the safer option for larger volumes.

How many hectares does one container sow?

A 20-ft container of alfalfa (18–20 MT at 22 kg/ha) sows 800–900 ha; of Rhodes grass (10–12 MT at 10 kg/ha) 1,000–1,200 ha; of sorghum (18–20 MT at 22 kg/ha multi-cut) 800–900 ha; of pearl millet (18–20 MT at 9 kg/ha) about 2,000 ha.

Do you palletise seed?

On request. Palletising reduces the load to about 16–17 MT per 20-ft and 22–24 MT per 40-ft HC because of pallet weight and lost volume. Most Gulf and African buyers take floor-loaded bags.

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