Customers and even some traders mix up sabja and chia. Are they the same and does it change my market?
2 Answers
They are different plants and different markets. Sabja is the seed of sweet basil, it is black, swells fast in water, and is the traditional seed used in falooda, sherbet and rooh afza type drinks across India and the Middle East. Chia is from a different plant, the seeds are grey to brown with spots, and it is marketed mainly as a modern western superfood. Because the markets differ, you should sell sabja into the drink, falooda and traditional health trade where it is well known, and not assume it will fetch the chia superfood price. Mixing or mislabelling the two can get your lot rejected by a serious buyer. Know which one you are growing and sell it into the right channel.
Learned this the hard way when a buyer rejected my sabja because the previous seller had passed it off as chia and spoiled trust. Be clear about what you grow.