How to Buy African Sesame Seeds for the UK

Shortlist Nigeria and Chad for sesame seeds going into Great Britain. The UK reported imports from both in 2025. Nigerian food sesame has a defined Salmonella border control route. A Chadian quote may offer a different route, but you still need to qualify the cleaning plant and see a test tied to the lot you’ll receive. Start with the end use. A seed going into ready-to-eat tahini calls for different supplier evidence from an ingredient headed for a validated heat treatment.

The port steps here are for Great Britain. Confirm the separate rules for Northern Ireland before you accept any route through it or agree onward delivery. Our UK compliance overview explains the wider import and sourcing context.

Where should you ask for a quote?

The quantities are UK-wide UN Comtrade figures for HS 120740. They cover seed and don’t establish which origins can supply your particular grade. Ask whether the seller controls the cleaning and packing facility. If it’s a trader, ask for the site name and audit documents before comparing its offer with one from a processor.

What paperwork changes with the origin?

Start with the product and country rows in assimilated Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 of 22 October 2019. The England, Wales and Scotland schedules that took effect on 1 January 2026 prescribe the same identity and physical check frequencies for the three listings below. The GB restriction list reviewed on 10 November 2026 did not show a sesame entry for Chad. Check the current version for your intended point of entry before loading.

The listed lines cover 1207 40 and two prepared seed codes, 2008 19 19 49 and 2008 19 99 49. If you buy tahini or another preparation, ask your broker to classify the actual product and look for its own listing. For listed consignments, CHED-D is the Common Health Entry Document for food and feed of non-animal origin. Submit it before arrival via IPAFFS, the GB import notification system. Keep the consignment identifiers consistent across your invoice, packing list and any official documents.

If a supplier routes bags through another country without processing them, keep the original origin visible and check the rules for triangular trade. Keep any preferential origin claim separate. Nigeria, Chad and Uganda have access to the UK Developing Countries Trading Scheme under its terms. Confirm whether your tariff line gets a preference and what proof applies before using that price in your comparison.

Send the broker and port health team the origin, exact code, pack format, arrival point and draft documents early. Agree who updates the notification if the vessel or consignment details change. Check what the warehouse can receive before border and commercial release. Include the cost of a hold or document correction in your comparison, especially if the seed is allocated to a production date. For an Annex II load, ask the exporter when the competent authority can issue the consignment certificate and who checks the linked result before departure.

Can the processor support your intended use?

Describe the way the seed will be used. A bakery may want intact white seed with consistent colour and low foreign matter. A tahini maker may want a hulled grade with a specific flavour and processing behaviour. State the variety or colour range, hulled or natural form, limits for foreign matter and moisture, bag size and agreed acceptance tests. Confirm which facility does each processing step.

Does the test cover every bag in the order?

Check whether your offer is one production lot or several. Ask for a bag-mark schedule, the lot weights, the date the sample was collected and the location of the stock while the sample was tested. If the seller tops up the order, ask how they hold or identify the original lot and arrange representative evidence for the additional stock. An official Annex II certificate and result need to cover the nominated consignment.