Export Sesame Seed (Til) from India to China
Process, requirements and buyer demand for exporting Sesame Seed (Til) from India to China.
Exporting Sesame Seed (Til) to China
Get an IEC from DGFT and register with APEDA as an agricultural exporter. Clean and grade the seed and have it lab tested for moisture, oil content, admixture, free fatty acid and, importantly, pesticide residues and Salmonella, which several markets check strictly. Secure a phytosanitary certificate from Plant Quarantine and any sortex or food-safety certificate the buyer needs. Sign a contract that fixes purity percentage, colour, oil content, Incoterms, inspection and a safe payment route such as a letter of credit. Pack in clean food-grade bags, arrange container fumigation if required and file the shipping bill via a customs broker. Verify the latest residue limits and certification rules on the APEDA and DGFT portals before shipping.
China import rules and access
High-level: China requires foreign food and agri facilities and products to be registered with its customs authority (GACC), enforces strict SPS, phytosanitary, and residue rules, and grants market access for specific commodities only after bilateral protocols are signed. Many fresh products need a product-specific protocol before any export is allowed. Labelling must meet Chinese requirements. India and China are not in a bilateral FTA; both are in broader regional frameworks but tariff treatment varies. Confirm access status and registration with your importer and the official Chinese and Indian authorities.
Demand for Sesame Seed (Til) in China
Honest context: China is a very large buyer for select Indian agri commodities, but access is gated by protocols and registration, and approvals can take years per product. It is a serious opportunity only where a signed protocol and facility registration already exist. Do not assume you can ship a product just because demand exists. Strong and recurring demand from East Asian and European food markets for both natural and hulled sesame. Pesticide residue and Salmonella compliance increasingly decide which suppliers win contracts.
Quality and standards
Key parameters are purity, colour (whitish, brown, black or mixed), oil content, moisture, free fatty acid, foreign matter and microbial safety. Whitish hulled and sortex-cleaned seed for food use commands tighter specs than oil-grade seed.
Payment and avoiding scams
Letter of credit and advance are standard for new relationships; confirm LC and any inspection terms with your bank. Warn: China-related trade attracts scam approaches, including fake buyers asking you to travel and pay 'notarization', 'deposit', or 'lawyer' fees, or to sign at a fake office. Never pay upfront fees to unlock a contract and verify the company through official registries.
Import limits, duties and MRLs for China change often. Confirm the current requirements with your importer and the China food/plant authority, and India-side policy on the APEDA portal, before you ship.