Why Italian Importers Choose Pakistani Fenugreek Seed
Italian nutraceutical companies are among the most demanding buyers in Europe: they need consistent saponin and galactomannan content, full residue and heavy-metal reports, and lots that pass the Ministry of Health notification for food supplements. Importers in Milan, Bologna, Verona, Genoa and Naples work with Kohenoor International because:
- Extraction-grade consistency — Bold golden seed from a single harvest region, batched by lot so that extractors get repeatable saponin and galactomannan yields from container to container.
- EU-MRL and ETO reports on every lot — Tested against Regulation (EC) 396/2005 and for ethylene oxide before loading; reports e-mailed in advance so your quality control releases the lot on arrival at the PCF (posto di controllo frontaliero).
- Not on the increased-control list — Pakistani single-spice fenugreek is not listed under Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, so consignments face standard rather than intensified sampling at Genoa or La Spezia.
- Bold grade for spice and seasoning blends — Even-grinding seed for curry, chutney and salumi-seasoning producers, and clean whole seed for ethnic retail.
- Feed-grade in big bags — Regular grade at feed pricing for the Po Valley’s premix, calf-milk-replacer and equine-supplement manufacturers.
- Italian-language documents — Invoices, packing lists and certificates supplied with Italian translations for your spedizioniere doganale and the Agenzia delle Dogane declaration.
The Italian Fenugreek Market: Nutraceuticals, Spices and Feed
Italy imports several hundred tonnes of fenugreek seed a year and is, with Germany, the EU’s leading buyer. The largest single demand is nutraceutical: Italy has Europe’s biggest food-supplement market, and fieno greco is a mainstream ingredient in lactation, appetite, testosterone-support and glycaemic products sold in pharmacies and parafarmacie. Extractors and contract manufacturers in Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany buy whole seed for standardised extracts (typically 50% saponins) and for galactomannan fibre. These buyers want residue, heavy-metal and microbiology reports on every lot and increasingly organic certification.
Spice demand is growing with immigration and with the mainstreaming of Indian food: Milan, Rome, Brescia and Bologna have large Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and Pakistani communities buying methi for daily cooking, and Italian spice packers now list fenugreek in curry and chutney blends. The Po Valley feed industry uses fenugreek as a palatant in calf milk replacers, piglet feed and horse supplements. India is the dominant origin, followed by Turkey and Egypt; after the 2021-2023 ethylene-oxide alerts on Indian spices, Italian importers are qualifying Pakistan as a documented second origin at the same price level.
Who Buys Pakistani Fenugreek in Italy
Nutraceutical Extractors & Contract Manufacturers
Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna
Saponin / galactomannan consistency
Producers of fenugreek extract, capsules and fibre for the supplement market.
Recommended: Bold grade, tested lots, 5-20 MT
Spice Packers & Seasoning Makers
Milan, Bologna, Turin
Even grind, bold seed
Curry, chutney and meat-seasoning producers for retail and salumifici.
Recommended: Bold grade, 25 kg paper bags
Ethnic Wholesalers
Milan, Rome, Brescia, Naples
Retail-ready packs
Distributors to Indian, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan grocers needing methi.
Recommended: Bold grade, private label
Herbal Tea & Erboristeria Brands
Tuscany, Piedmont, Veneto
Clean whole seed, organic option
Herbalist chains and tea blenders selling fieno greco for tisane.
Recommended: Bold grade, 500 kg–5 MT
Feed Premix & Equine Supplement Makers
Po Valley (Cremona, Mantua, Reggio Emilia)
Feed-grade price, aroma
Premix and milk-replacer manufacturers using fenugreek as a palatant.
Recommended: Regular grade, 1 MT big bags
Flavour Houses
Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna
Sotolon aroma, high saponin
Flavour producers making maple-type, caramel and liquorice-type notes.
Recommended: Regular grade, big bags
Riepilogo in italiano: semi di fieno greco dal Pakistan per gli importatori italiani
Kohenoor International (dal 1957) esporta semi di fieno greco selezionati otticamente (Trigonella foenum-graecum, codice NC 0910 99) verso importatori di spezie, aziende nutraceutiche e mangimifici in Italia. Purezza 99,5%, umidità ≤10%, ogni lotto analizzato per residui di pesticidi (LMR UE), ossido di etilene e aflatossine, con certificato di analisi e certificato fitosanitario. Spedizione FOB Karachi o CIF Genova / La Spezia / Napoli in 20-26 giorni, ordine minimo 1 tonnellata, prezzi container da 18 tonnellate. Richiedi un preventivo e un campione gratuito via WhatsApp +92-310-4929292 o export@kohenoorint.com.
Fenugreek Seeds Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|
| Botanical Name | Trigonella foenum-graecum L. |
| Common Names | Fenugreek, Methi, Hulba, Bockshornklee, Fenugrec, Alholva |
| Grade | Bold (golden-yellow) and Regular; whole seed, food/grinding/tea/extraction grade |
| Purity | 99.5% minimum, sortex-cleaned and de-stoned |
| Moisture | ≤10% |
| Admixture | ≤0.5% |
| Pesticide Residues | Tested per lot against EU Regulation (EC) 396/2005 MRLs; report supplied |
| Ethylene Oxide | Tested per lot (ETO + 2-chloroethanol); report supplied |
| Aflatoxin (B1 / total) | Lab-tested per lot; Certificate of Analysis with every shipment |
| Microbiology | Salmonella absent in 25 g; steam-sterilised lots available on request |
| Harvest | March–May (new crop available from May) |
| Shelf Life | 24 months in cool, dry storage |
| Origin | Sindh & Punjab, Pakistan |
| HS Code | 0910.99 |
| Packaging | 25/50 kg PP or multi-wall paper bags; 1 MT big bags; private label available |
| MOQ | 1 Metric Ton (500 kg trial lots and free samples available) |
| Incoterms | FOB Karachi / CFR / CIF |
| Documents | Phytosanitary Certificate + Certificate of Analysis + Certificate of Origin with every shipment |
Shipping & Logistics: Karachi to Italy
We load at Karachi Port (KICT / SAPT) with direct Mediterranean services and hub connections via Jebel Ali or Colombo to the Italian gateways:
| Destination Port | Typical Transit Time | Serves |
|---|
| Genoa | 20-25 days | Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna; PCF border post |
| La Spezia | 20-25 days | Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna nutraceutical cluster |
| Naples | 21-26 days | Campania and southern Italy |
| Venice / Trieste | 23-28 days | Veneto, Friuli and Austria via rail |
Documentation for the Ministry of Health PCF, Agenzia delle Dogane and EU Border Control
Fenugreek enters Italy as a food of non-animal origin under Regulation (EU) 2017/625, checked by the USMAF-SASN border control post and declared by your customs agent in AIDA. Every Kohenoor consignment to Italy includes:
- Phytosanitary Certificate — issued by Pakistan’s Department of Plant Protection for entry into the EU
- Certificate of Analysis — pesticide residues (EU MRL), ethylene oxide, aflatoxin, heavy metals, moisture, purity and microbiology per lot
- Certificate of Origin — Chamber of Commerce certificate; statement of origin where GSP+ preferences apply
- Commercial Invoice & Packing List — with NC code 0910 99, weights, lot numbers and seal numbers, Italian translation supplied
- Bill of Lading & Insurance — original B/L or telex release and marine insurance certificate for CIF shipments
How Importers in Italy Order From Us
- Step 1 — Enquiry & Quote: Send your target specification, volume, and destination port via our order page or WhatsApp. We respond with a firm FOB Karachi / CFR / CIF quotation within 24 hours, valid for a stated period against current crop pricing.
- Step 2 — Sample Approval: We courier a representative sample to your facility or laboratory in Italy so you can verify the lot against the Certificate of Analysis before committing.
- Step 3 — Contract & Payment: We issue a proforma invoice covering quantity, specification, packing, Incoterms, and payment terms (T/T or irrevocable LC at sight). Processing and container booking begin on confirmation.
- Step 4 — Shipment & Documents: Container stuffed, sealed, and loaded at Karachi; the complete document set is couriered or released per agreed terms before arrival at your port in Italy.
Why Kohenoor International
Italian supplement brands must notify products to the Ministry of Health and cannot afford an ingredient lot that fails residue testing. Kohenoor International tests before loading, ships with complete documentation and already supplies fenugreek, fennel and sesame to importers in Germany, the UK and the Netherlands.
- Exporting Since 1957 — Nearly seven decades of continuous agricultural export experience from Hyderabad, Sindh, across three generations of the business.
- 70+ Countries Served — Our seeds, herbs, spices, and Himalayan salt ship to buyers in more than 70 countries across five continents.
- ISO 9001:2015 + HACCP Certified — Documented quality management and food-safety controls across sourcing, processing, and packing.
- 60+ Product Portfolio — Alfalfa, Rhodes grass, berseem, sesame, fennel, fenugreek, Himalayan salt, and dozens more — consolidate several products into one container from one audited supplier.
- Industry Memberships — Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), and the International Seed Federation (ISF).
- Full Traceability & Testing — Every lot is lab-tested and shipped with a Certificate of Analysis; samples are couriered before you commit.
