World SeedPakistan seed export calendar
Pakistan has two seed seasons. Winter-sown crops (alfalfa, berseem, Persian clover, ryegrass, fenugreek, cumin, nigella) are harvested April–June and ship as new crop from June. Summer-sown crops (sorghum, pearl millet, sesbania, guar, Rhodes grass, sesame, basil) are harvested September–November and ship from November. The table shows each month for each crop so importers can place orders for the freshest lot ahead of their own sowing window.
Calendar
Key: S sowing in Pakistan · G growing · H harvest · C cleaning and testing · N new-crop shipping · O old-crop shipping (retested lots). Months are for the main producing districts; northern districts run two to three weeks later.
| Crop | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfalfa | O | O | G | H | H | N | N | N | N | S | S | G |
| Berseem clover | G | G | G | H | H | N | N | N | N | S | S | G |
| Persian clover | G | G | G | G | H | N | N | N | N | S | S | G |
| Annual ryegrass | G | G | G | G | H | N | N | N | N | S | S | G |
| Fenugreek | G | G | H | H | N | N | N | N | O | S | S | G |
| Cumin | G | G | H | H | N | N | N | N | O | O | S | G |
| Nigella | G | G | H | H | N | N | N | N | O | S | S | G |
| Rhodes grass | N | N | S | S | G | G | G | G | H | H | N | N |
| Panicum / Brachiaria | N | N | S | N | G | G | G | G | H | H | C | N |
| Johnson grass | N | N | S | S | G | G | G | G | H | H | N | N |
| Sorghum (all types) | N | N | S | S | S | S | S | G | H | H | N | N |
| Pearl millet | N | N | S | S | S | G | G | G | H | H | N | N |
| Sesbania | N | N | O | S | S | S | G | G | G | H | N | N |
| Guar | N | N | O | O | O | S | S | G | G | H | N | N |
| Sesame | N | N | N | O | O | S | S | G | G | H | N | N |
| Basil seed | N | S | S | G | G | G | H | H | H | N | N | N |
| Garden cress | G | H | H | N | N | N | N | N | O | S | S | G |
| Fennel | G | H | H | H | N | N | N | N | O | S | S | G |
| Castor | N | N | N | O | O | O | S | S | G | G | G | H |
Matching Pakistani supply to importer sowing windows
The second table lines up new-crop availability against the main sowing windows abroad. Where the importer sows before new crop is ready, retested old-crop lots are supplied; germination is rechecked within 90 days of shipment.
| Crop | New crop from | Northern-hemisphere sowing | Southern-hemisphere sowing | Order by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfalfa | June | Sep–Nov (Gulf, N. Africa); Mar–Apr (Central Asia) | Mar–May (Argentina, S. Africa) | April for autumn; December for spring |
| Berseem | June | Sep–Nov | Mar–Apr | April |
| Rhodes grass | November | Feb–Apr and Sep–Oct (Gulf); Mar–May (E. Africa long rains) | Oct–Dec | September for spring; old crop for autumn |
| Sorghum / sudan grass | November | Mar–Jul | Oct–Jan | December |
| Pearl millet | November | Mar–Jul | Oct–Jan | December |
| Sesbania | November | Apr–Jul | Oct–Dec | January |
| Guar | November | Apr–Jul | Oct–Jan | January (N); August (S) |
| Ryegrass | June | Sep–Oct | Mar–Apr | April |
| Panicum / Brachiaria | December (tetrazolium); April (germination) | Mar–Jun (E. Africa long rains, S-E Asia) | Oct–Dec (Brazil, Mexico) | February for spring; old crop for autumn |
| Johnson grass | November | Mar–May | — | December |
| Castor | January | Jun–Aug (monsoon); Feb–Mar | Oct–Dec | Any month; freshest Jan–Apr |
| Garden cress, fennel | April / May | Sep–Nov (seed crop); year-round (sprouting cress) | — | Any month; new crop April–May |
| Fenugreek | April | Sep–Nov (spice crop); year-round (sprouting) | — | Any month; new crop April |
| Sesame (edible) | November | — | — | Any month; freshest Nov–Feb |
| Cumin, nigella (spice) | May | — | — | Any month; freshest May–Aug |
Processing and shipping lead times
From harvest to a container gate-in at Karachi takes four to six weeks: drying and pre-cleaning at the farm (one to two weeks), fine cleaning, gravity separation and optical sorting at the plant (one week), ISTA-format testing including a 7–14 day germination test, bagging and phytosanitary inspection by the Department of Plant Protection (three to five days), and trucking to port (one day). Quotes are issued within 24 hours; after order confirmation and payment terms are agreed, loading for a stock lot is normally within 10–14 days and for a new-crop lot within the windows above. Sea transit times to each destination are given in the phytosanitary requirements table; loading weights in the container table.
Frequently asked questions
When is new-crop alfalfa seed available from Pakistan?
From June. The crop is sown in October–November, cut for fodder in winter, allowed to flower in March and combined in May–June. Cleaning and testing take four to six weeks, so the first new-crop containers load in June.
When is new-crop sorghum and pearl millet seed available?
From November. Summer crops are sown March–July and harvested September–November; hybrid seed is tested for germination and hybridity before release.
I sow alfalfa in September. Should I wait for new crop?
New crop from June is available well before a September sowing. Order by April to secure the lot; shipping in June–July allows for 8–12 days transit to the Gulf and customs clearance.
How long from order to loading?
For stock lots, 10–14 days after order confirmation. For new-crop lots, loading follows the harvest windows in the table. A quote is issued within 24 hours of enquiry.
Is old-crop seed acceptable?
Yes, if it has been stored correctly and retested. Lots older than six months are germination-tested again within 90 days of shipment and the new result is written on the report. Most forage seed holds within 2–3 points for a year in a conditioned store.
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