Most of the moringa trade is leaf. The seed is the quieter half: it is what ben oil is pressed from, what natural water-treatment coagulants are made of, and what a growing number of European and American cold-press mills buy so that they can press fresh, close to their customers.
This guide explains how to judge moringa seed, what yield to expect, and — because the rules differ by use — what each market allows. It reflects how ODOD Group supplies its own moringa seeds and kernels.
Seed or kernel
A moringa seed is a white kernel inside a brown, three-winged papery hull. Whole seed is cheaper per tonne, travels and stores well, and suits mills with their own dehuller. Dehulled kernels are about 70 % of the seed weight, carry 35–40 % oil and press into a paler oil with a cleaner cake — most small and mid-size cold pressers prefer them. Compare offers on a kernel-equivalent, oil-content basis.
Variety and freshness
PKM-1 and PKM-2, bred in Tamil Nadu, are annual types grown commercially for pods and leaf; they give uniform seed. Collected seed from roadside or backyard trees is mixed in size, age and oil content. Freshness matters as much as variety: oil in stored seed slowly hydrolyses, and seed held damp goes mouldy. Ask for the harvest season, moisture (≤ 8 %) and the free fatty acid of oil extracted from the lot — under 2 % for current-crop seed.
Yield arithmetic
- Kernel oil content: 35–40 %.
- Cold-press recovery: roughly 70–80 % of the oil present.
- So 100 kg of kernels → about 26–30 kg of oil and 70 kg of cake.
- From whole seed, first deduct ~30 % hull.
The cake is not waste: it contains the cationic proteins that make crushed moringa seed a natural coagulant for water clarification, and it is used as an organic soil amendment.
Specification checklist
- Variety and harvest season.
- Oil content (Soxhlet) and FFA of the extracted oil.
- Moisture ≤ 8 %; purity ≥ 99 %; foreign matter ≤ 0.5 %; damaged seed ≤ 2 %.
- For kernels: hull content ≤ 3 %.
- Aflatoxin screen; pesticide residues; heavy metals.
- Treatment declared (fumigation only where the importing country requires it).
What each market allows
European Union and Ireland. Novel-food status is assessed part by part. Moringa leaves are accepted; the seeds are not established as a food, so selling seeds or seed products as food or food supplements needs authorisation. Extraction for cosmetic oil, technical and agricultural uses is unaffected. Plant-health law (Regulation 2016/2031) distinguishes seed for sowing from seed for processing; the phytosanitary certificate must match the use.
United Kingdom. The same novel-food logic under the FSA, and UK plant-health import rules by use.
United States. USDA APHIS sets import requirements for seed according to intended use; the regulatory basis for any food or supplement use is the buyer's determination. We state the intended use on our documents and do not make health claims.
Packaging, storage and shipping
25 kg lined PP bags, 50 kg bags or 1,000 kg big bags; about 14–16 tonnes per 20-ft container. Store cool, dry and ventilated, and protect from storage insects. Plan to press within the season: seed is at its best in the months after the February–May harvest.
What drives the price
- The pod harvest and competing demand for seed for planting.
- Seed versus kernel (dehulling labour and yield loss).
- Grading tightness, moisture and current-crop guarantee.
- Testing and phytosanitary treatment required by the destination.
- Lot size and incoterm.
Before your first order
- State the intended use — it determines the documents.
- Choose seed or kernel and compare on oil content.
- Ask for harvest season, moisture, oil content and extracted-oil FFA.
- Confirm plant-health import requirements with your customs agent.
- Contract around the harvest for the freshest lot.
ODOD Group supplies PKM-1 moringa seeds and kernels, with seed cake, from Tamil Nadu plantations to oil pressers, ingredient manufacturers and technical users in the US, UK, Ireland and the EU. Tell us your use and tonnage and we reply within one working day.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between seeds and kernels?
The whole seed has a papery three-winged hull around a white kernel. Kernels are the seed with the hull removed — about 70 % of the seed weight and 35–40 % oil. Pressing kernels gives a paler oil and a cleaner cake; whole seed is cheaper per tonne and stores slightly better.
Can moringa seeds be sold as food or supplements in the EU or UK?
Moringa leaves are accepted as food in the EU and UK, but the seeds are not established as a food there, so novel-food rules apply. We supply seeds and kernels for oil extraction, cosmetic-ingredient, water-treatment and agricultural uses in those markets unless the buyer holds the relevant authorisation.
Can I buy the seeds for planting?
Seed for sowing is regulated differently from seed for processing under plant-health law in the EU, UK and US, and import permits may be needed. Tell us the intended use at enquiry so the correct phytosanitary documents are prepared; we supply PKM-1, a high-yielding annual type.
What oil yield should a presser expect?
Kernels contain 35–40 % oil. A good cold press recovers roughly 70–80 % of that, so expect 26–30 kg of oil per 100 kg of kernels; the cake retains the rest and is used for water treatment or as fertiliser.
How fresh is the seed?
Lots are identified by harvest season. Oil pressed from current-crop seed dried to 8 % moisture has a free fatty acid below 2 %; old or damp seed gives a more acidic oil. We recommend contracting around the February–May harvest.
Do you supply the seed cake?
Yes — de-oiled moringa seed cake is available with kernel orders for use as a natural coagulant in water treatment and as an organic soil amendment.