Alfalfa
Alfalfa is a deep rooted perennial legume grown for animal feed and cut several times a season. It is the highest protein forage in common trade, and it is fed to dairy cattle, beef cattle in finishing rations, horses, sheep, goats, rabbits and camels. Once cut it is field cured into hay, pressed into bales, chopped and cubed, ground and pelleted, or dehydrated into a high protein meal. Dairy operations in feed deficit regions buy it internationally because it delivers protein and effective fibre in a single ingredient, which lets a nutritionist balance a ration without adding a separate protein concentrate. It also fixes nitrogen and is grown in rotation for that reason.
Listed alfalfa markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Alfalfa is contracted on a laboratory certificate. The buyer names the crude protein, the fibre fractions and the moisture on a stated dry matter basis, and the lot is settled against a certified analysis of a core sample rather than against a visual description.
Nutritive value measurement
13 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Dry matterPercentage by mass | The basis for every other number on the certificate. Determined by oven drying or Karl Fischer under ISO 6496. |
| MoisturePercentage by mass, maximum | Governs storage stability and heating risk in a stack or a container. It is the term that decides whether a lot can safely sit on the water. |
| Crude proteinPercentage of dry matter | Nitrogen by combustion or Kjeldahl under ISO 5983, multiplied by the conventional factor. The dominant value driver in alfalfa. |
| Acid detergent fibrePercentage of dry matter | Determined under ISO 13906. It tracks the less digestible cell wall fraction and it rises as the crop matures. |
| Neutral detergent fibrePercentage of dry matter | Amylase treated, determined under ISO 16472. It sets intake potential, because it is the fraction that fills the rumen. |
| Neutral detergent fibre digestibilityPercentage of neutral detergent fibre, at a stated incubation hour | Measured in vitro at a named time point, usually 30 or 48 hours. Two lots with the same fibre content can differ sharply here. |
| Acid detergent ligninPercentage of dry matter | The indigestible fraction of the cell wall, determined under ISO 13906. |
| Total digestible nutrientsPercentage of dry matter, calculated | Derived from the measured fibre fractions by a named published equation. The equation is stated on the contract because more than one is in use. |
| Crude ashPercentage of dry matter | Determined under ISO 5984. An elevated ash figure usually means soil contamination picked up at raking. |
| Acid detergent insoluble crude proteinPercentage of crude protein | Protein bound to fibre by heating. It quantifies heat damage in a stack. |
| Relative forage qualityIndex, calculated | A published index derived from the measured fibre fractions and their digestibility. It is a calculation from laboratory numbers, not a tasting or an appearance judgement, and the contract names the equation used. |
| Leaf retentionPercentage by mass of leaf in the sample | Separated by hand and weighed. The leaf carries the protein and it is what is lost to raking and handling. |
| ColourDeclared | Recorded because it indicates curing and storage history. It is descriptive and it does not replace the analysis. |
Physical form and bale specification
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Bale formatDeclared, with the nominal dimensions | Small square, large square, round or double compressed, with the press named. |
| Bale densityKilograms per cubic metre | Determined on the bale. It decides how much dry matter fits into a container and it is priced accordingly. |
| Bale weightKilograms per bale, with the tolerance | Weighed at the press and confirmed on the weighbridge. |
| Product formDeclared | Long hay, chopped, cubed, ground, pelleted or dehydrated meal. |
| Particle lengthMillimetres, where chopped or cubed | Governs effective fibre in the ration and it is contracted where the buyer is feeding a total mixed ration. |
| Durability and finesPercentage, for pellets and cubes | Determined by tumbling and sieving. It measures how much of the pellet survives handling. |
| Cut numberDeclared | First, second, third or later cut. Later cuts are typically finer and leafier and the ratio of leaf to stem changes with the cut. |
Cleanliness, contamination and feed safety
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Foreign materialPercentage by mass, maximum | Soil, stone, wire, twine, plastic and any material that is not the named crop, separated by hand from a drawn sample and weighed. |
| Weed contentPercentage by mass, and declared by species where restricted | Undesirable plant material in the lot. Some destination markets prohibit named noxious species outright and the contract names them. |
| Mould and spoilagePercentage by mass, maximum | Visibly mouldy, heat damaged or spoiled material, weighed after separation. It is the defect that most often causes rejection at discharge. |
| MycotoxinsMicrograms per kilogram, maximum, by named toxin | Aflatoxin, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisin and ochratoxin A, determined by chromatography where the destination or the buyer specifies a limit. |
| Heat damage and caramelisationDeclared, with the acid detergent insoluble protein measurement | Heating in the stack binds protein and makes it unavailable to the animal. It is measured, not judged by smell. |
| Insects and live pestsZero tolerance where specified | Inspected before stuffing. A live find at discharge is a rejection, not a discount. |
| Blister beetleZero tolerance where specified | Contracted on lots destined for horse feed, where the toxin is lethal. Inspected in the field and at pressing. |
| Noxious weed seedDeclared, by species | Named destinations prohibit specific species and require a seed free declaration on the certificate. |
Delivery, packing and certification
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| PackingDeclared, with the bale or package format and the wrap | Field bales, double compressed bales, pressed and re-pressed bales, wrapped bales, bulk or pelleted, with the wrapping material named. |
| Container or vessel stowDeclared, with the loading method | Container stuffed weight, breakbulk stow or bulk vessel, with the target payload written into the contract. |
| Phytosanitary certificateCertificate, issued by the national plant protection organisation | Required by most destinations for plant origin feed. The certificate names the treatment applied and the pest freedom declared. |
| Fumigation or heat treatmentDeclared, with the certificate | Methyl bromide, phosphine, heat treatment or irradiation, named where the destination requires it. |
| Weight and sampling basisDeclared | Landed weight or shipped weight, with the survey house and the sampling protocol named in the contract. |
| CertificationCertificate, with the scheme and the certificate number | GMP+, organic, non genetically modified, or a private buyer feed safety standard, named on the contract when it is contracted. |
| Crop year and cutDeclared | The harvest year, and the cut number where the crop is taken more than once in a season. |
| Genetic modification statusDeclared | Conventional or genetically modified herbicide tolerant alfalfa, declared because named destinations restrict it and test for it. |
| Double compressionDeclared | Whether the bale has been re-pressed for container loading, which changes both the density and the handling at discharge. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Pacific Northwest, California, Arizona, the Intermountain West and the Great Plains | Origin and destination |
| Spain | Aragon, Catalonia, Navarre and Castile and Leon | Origin and destination |
| Canada | Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Ontario | Origin and destination |
| Australia | New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia | Origin and destination |
| Italy | the Po valley, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto | Origin and destination |
| France | Champagne, Burgundy, Normandy and the southwest | Origin and destination |
| Argentina | Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Santa Fe and La Pampa | Origin and destination |
| South Africa | the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Free State | Origin and destination |
| Sudan | the Nile valley and Gezira | Origin and destination |
| Egypt | the Nile delta and the reclaimed desert schemes | Origin and destination |
| Ukraine | the central and southern oblasts | Origin and destination |
| Kazakhstan | the northern grain belt and the southern irrigated zone | Origin and destination |
| Turkey | Konya, Anatolia and the Aegean | Origin and destination |
| Romania | the Danube plain and Transylvania | Origin and destination |
| Poland | the central and eastern voivodeships | Origin and destination |
| Germany | Lower Saxony, Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia | Destination |
| Netherlands | Rotterdam, Vlissingen and the intensive dairy provinces | Destination |
| Ireland | the southern and midland dairy counties | Destination |
| United Kingdom | England, Wales and Scotland | Destination |
| Portugal | Alentejo, Ribatejo and the Azores | Destination |
| China | Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shandong, Ningxia and the coastal feed ports | Destination |
| Japan | Hokkaido, Tohoku and the Kanto and Kansai feed terminals | Destination |
| South Korea | Gyeonggi, Chungcheong and the Busan and Incheon feed terminals | Destination |
| Taiwan | the western dairy belt and Kaohsiung | Destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Riyadh, Al Kharj, Qassim and the Jeddah and Dammam feed terminals | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain | Destination |
| Qatar | Doha and the Al Khor dairy zone | Destination |
| Kuwait | Kuwait City and the Sulaibiya farms | Destination |
| Oman | the Batinah coast and Salalah | Destination |
| Jordan | Amman and the Jordan valley | Destination |
| Israel | the coastal plain and the Negev | Destination |
| Vietnam | the Mekong delta, the central highlands and the northern dairy provinces | Destination |
| Indonesia | Java, Sumatra and the Lampung feed corridor | Destination |
| India | Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka | Origin and destination |
| Pakistan | Punjab and Sindh | Origin and destination |
| Mexico | Chihuahua, Sonora, La Laguna and Jalisco | Origin and destination |
| Chile | the central valley and Los Lagos | Destination |
| Brazil | Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo, Parana and Rio Grande do Sul | Origin and destination |
| Thailand | the central plain and the northeast | Destination |
| Morocco | the Gharb, Doukkala and Souss | Destination |
| Singapore | the trading and structuring desks that finance the feed trade | Trading and finance |
| Switzerland | the agricultural commodity trading houses in Geneva and Zug | Trading and finance |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the crop is cut, cured or ensiled at origin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is curing, pressing, testing, phytosanitary clearance and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Oct, arrival Jan to DecMultiple cuts across a long season, with pressing and shipping running through the year from stored inventory. |
| Spain | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Sep, arrival Jan to DecFour to six cuts on the irrigated Ebro schemes, dehydrated and sun cured lines shipping year round. |
| Canada | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jun to Sep, arrival Jan to DecA shorter season with two to three cuts, shipped from stored inventory through the winter. |
| Australia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Mar, arrival Jan to DecA southern hemisphere season that fills the northern gap. |
| Argentina | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Mar, arrival Jan to DecPampas production, largely pelleted and cubed for export. |
| Sudan | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Apr, arrival Jan to DecIrrigated Nile valley production serving the Gulf dairy trade on short freight. |
| South Africa | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Apr, arrival Jan to DecKaroo and Cape irrigated production, supplying the regional and Indian Ocean trade. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for alfalfa. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading1214.10 Lucerne (alfalfa) meal and pellets
1214.90 Lucerne (alfalfa) hay and other forage products - PackingDouble compressed bales loaded into containers, or 1 t big bales for bulk trades. Moisture at bale is the clause that decides both mould claims and freight economics.
- Container loading20ft: 22 t to 26 t double compressed. 40ft high cube around 26 t. Uncompressed forage is volume limited long before weight and rarely pays the freight.
- Contract and arbitrationSale on analysis for crude protein, relative feed value, moisture and foreign material with a certificate at load port. GAFTA feed contracts where the trade is bulk, arbitration under GAFTA rules or at the contract seat.
- Destination limitsPhytosanitary certification under Regulation 2016/2031 with weed seed and soil free declarations, fumigation or heat treatment for several destinations, EU feed hygiene under Regulation 183/2005 with undesirable substance limits under Directive 2002/32, and GMO controls where the crop has genetically modified varieties.
Common questions
What grades of alfalfa does SIP Global trade?
We quote 37 published grades of alfalfa, including Dry matter - Percentage by mass, Moisture - Percentage by mass, maximum, Crude protein - Percentage of dry matter, Acid detergent fibre - Percentage of dry matter, Neutral detergent fibre - Percentage of dry matter and Neutral detergent fibre digestibility - Percentage of neutral detergent fibre, at a stated incubation hour. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is alfalfa graded?
Alfalfa is contracted on a laboratory certificate. The buyer names the crude protein, the fibre fractions and the moisture on a stated dry matter basis, and the lot is settled against a certified analysis of a core sample rather than against a visual description. Grading runs on 4 systems: Nutritive value measurement, Physical form and bale specification, Cleanliness, contamination and feed safety and Delivery, packing and certification.
Where does SIP Global trade alfalfa?
We trade alfalfa in United States, Spain, Canada, Australia, Italy, France, Argentina and South Africa and 34 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is alfalfa harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are United States: harvest apr to oct, arrival jan to dec; Spain: harvest apr to sep, arrival jan to dec; Canada: harvest jun to sep, arrival jan to dec; Australia: harvest oct to mar, arrival jan to dec; Argentina: harvest oct to mar, arrival jan to dec. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for alfalfa?
Alfalfa is normally classified under HS 1214.10 (lucerne (alfalfa) meal and pellets) and HS 1214.90 (lucerne (alfalfa) hay and other forage products). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for alfalfa?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed alfalfa market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
- IPPCInternational Plant Protection Convention phytosanitary measures
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.