Buyer guide
Seed lot RFQ buyer guide: what to specify before suppliers quote
A seed or planting-stock request gets comparable offers when it states six things: species and variety (or traits), lot size, quality documentation, phytosanitary and import conditions confirmed with your national authority, delivery season, and destination. Missing any of them usually means offers that cannot be compared or a shipment held at the border.
1. Species and variety
Give the scientific and common name, then a named variety or the traits you need (maturity, day length, disease tolerance, market type). Say whether alternatives are acceptable. Variety registration rules differ by country, so check whether the destination keeps a national variety list.
2. Lot size
Derive quantity from planted area, target population, seeds per kg and expected germination and emergence. State the acceptable range and packing size. One lot number per shipment simplifies inspection.
3. Germination and quality documentation
Ask for a lot-specific test report showing germination, purity, moisture and test date. ISTA certificates are widely used in international trade; state the minimum values and the maximum report age you accept.
4. Phytosanitary and import requirements
Contact your country's national plant protection organization for the import permit and the declarations, treatments or tests required for the species and origin. SeedMatchGroup does not determine whether a product is admissible; buyers confirm requirements with the authority and share the permit conditions with suppliers.
5. Delivery season
Work back from the sowing or planting date: permit lead time, production or allocation, testing, transit and clearance. State the latest acceptable arrival date and storage conditions on arrival.
6. Destination and importer
Name the port of entry, final site, importer of record and Incoterm. Planting stock (cuttings, seedlings, budwood) is a separate scope from seed and usually carries stricter health conditions.
7. Market context (verified 18 Oct 2026)
World Bank WITS / UN Comtrade 2024 figures for HS 120991 (vegetable seeds for sowing, imports from the world) include the Netherlands ≈ USD 591m, Mexico ≈ USD 478m, the United States ≈ USD 421m, Spain ≈ USD 373m, Italy ≈ USD 301m, France ≈ USD 280m, China ≈ USD 245m, Canada ≈ USD 203m, Brazil ≈ USD 121m and Turkey ≈ USD 111m. HS 120991 covers vegetable seeds only — it is not total seed trade — and the EU aggregate overlaps member-state entries. Import value shows where trade already flows; it does not mean a specific crop or variety is permitted or that the demand is addressable. Confirm admissibility with the destination authority before committing volume.
8. Rules that govern international seed movement
Three frameworks shape most cross-border seed trade. ISPM 38 (International Plant Protection Convention) covers pest-risk analysis, inspection, sampling, testing and phytosanitary certification for seed movement. The OECD Seed Schemes provide certification and labels for seed produced and processed for international trade under agreed rules. For the EU, marketing and third-country equivalence requirements vary by seed type and origin — there is no general EU approval, so check the official rules for your crop and origin. For the United States, check USDA APHIS. For other markets, contact the official NPPO and seed-certification authority. These are starting points for procurement support, not legal clearance; rules change and uncertain points should be reviewed by a specialist before shipment.
Submitting the request
SeedMatchGroup reviews project requests from USD 250,000 in total value. Buyers use the service free of charge; qualified suppliers pay. Supplier identities stay confidential until a reviewed introduction.
Sources and authorities
- World Bank WITS / UN Comtrade 2024 — HS 120991 vegetable seed imports (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- IPPC — ISPM 38: International movement of seeds
- OECD Seed Schemes — certification for international trade
- European Commission — EU marketing requirements for plant reproductive material
- European Commission — equivalence requirements for non-EU countries
- USDA APHIS — plant health import information
- IPPC — official contact points of national plant protection organizations
- ISTA — International Rules for Seed Testing
Requirements change. Confirm current conditions with the authority before ordering; this page is not legal or regulatory advice.