Teff
Teff is the grain of Eragrostis tef, a grass domesticated in the Ethiopian highlands and still the staple cereal of Ethiopia and Eritrea. The seed is the smallest cultivated cereal grain in the world, well under a millimetre, which means it is always milled and eaten whole, bran and germ included. It carries no gluten. Teff is fermented into injera, the sourdough flatbread of the region, and outside it the grain is milled into flour for gluten free baking, cooked as a porridge, and used in cereals, bars and infant food. The straw is valued as livestock fodder and as a binder in mud construction.
Listed teff markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Teff is graded by seed colour, by the cleanliness of a grain too small to hand sort, and by the analytical figures a miller or a gluten free baker contracts against.
Colour type
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| White teffMagna and related white seeded varieties | The premium type, milled for the palest injera and for bakery flour. |
| Ivory or mixedIntermediate seed colour | Sold where a blend is acceptable. |
| Red teffRed seeded varieties | Higher iron by tradition of the crop, darker flour, strong regional demand. |
| Brown teffBrown seeded varieties | Widely grown, used for everyday injera. |
| Instrumental colourCIELAB coordinates on a stated instrument | The objective term where a buyer needs the shade fixed rather than described. |
| VarietyNamed released variety, declared | Contracted where a miller needs consistent fermentation behaviour. |
Physical purity and condition
12 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sand and gritMaximum percentage by mass | The characteristic defect, because the grain is smaller than most soil particles it is threshed alongside. Determined by acid insoluble ash and by flotation. |
| Washing and dryingDeclared: unwashed, washed and dried, or steam treated | Determines the residual grit figure and the microbiological load. |
| PurityMinimum percentage by mass of sound seed of the named species | Determined by hand separation of a weighed sample after sieving. |
| Other seedsMaximum count or percentage by mass | Seeds of any other cultivated or wild species, separated and weighed. |
| Foreign and extraneous matterMaximum percentage by mass | Stones, soil, chaff, stalk, husk fragments and any non seed material. |
| Broken and damaged seedMaximum percentage by mass | Split, cracked, shrivelled, heat damaged, sprouted and insect bored seed, separated and weighed. |
| Sieve analysisRetained and passing stated apertures | Test sieves to ISO 5223. Sets the size band and separates fines. |
| Thousand seed massGrams per 1000 seeds | Determined by ISO 520. The compact measure of seed size and fill. |
| Bulk densityKilograms per hectolitre | A filled standard measure, weighed. Drives stowage and container fill. |
| ColourCIELAB coordinates on a stated instrument, or against a sealed sample | Colour type is a contract term where the crop trades in more than one colour. |
| Live and dead insectsAbsence, or count per stated sample mass | Determined by sieving and inspection. |
| Mould and odourAbsence of visible mould and of any foreign odour | Assessed on a drawn sample. |
Analytical requirements
13 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Acid insoluble ashMaximum percentage by mass | The objective measure of residual soil. The single most important cleanliness figure for this crop. |
| Iron and calciumMilligrams per kilogram | Teff is contracted on mineral content in some markets. Determined by ICP after digestion. |
| Resistant starchPercentage by mass | Determined where the lot is sold on a nutritional claim. |
| MoistureMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by ISO 712. The controlling figure for storage life and shipping mass. |
| ProteinPercentage by mass, dry basis | Determined by ISO 20483, Kjeldahl, with the conversion factor stated. |
| Total ashMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by incineration at a stated temperature. |
| Crude fatPercentage by mass, dry basis | Determined by solvent extraction. |
| Crude fibrePercentage by mass, dry basis | Determined by acid and alkali digestion. |
| MycotoxinsMicrograms per kilogram | Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, tested against destination market limits. |
| Heavy metalsMilligrams per kilogram | Cadmium, lead and arsenic, tested against destination market limits. |
| Pesticide residuesMilligrams per kilogram | Tested against destination market maximum residue limits. |
| Microbiological limitsColony forming units per gram, and absence of Salmonella in a stated mass | Contracted to destination market limits. |
| GlutenMilligrams per kilogram, by ELISA | Tested where the lot is sold as gluten free, because cross contact happens in shared handling, not in the crop. |
Milling form
5 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Whole grainCleaned seed, unmilled | Ships and stores better than flour. |
| Wholegrain flourPercentage passing a stated mesh | Bran and germ retained. The standard injera and gluten free baking form. |
| Fine flourPercentage passing a finer stated mesh | Used in bakery blends. |
| Water absorptionGrams of water per gram of flour | Measured on a stated method. Governs recipe conversion. |
| Falling numberSeconds, by the standard method | Indicates sprout damage and enzyme activity in the milled lot. |
Production and certification claims
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| OrganicCertificate under the destination market scheme | EU, NOP, JAS or an equivalence arrangement. Named on the contract with the certifier and certificate number. |
| Non GMODeclaration, with PCR testing where required | Tested where the destination market or the buyer requires evidence rather than declaration. |
| Fairtrade or equivalentCertificate and transaction certificate | Named scheme, with the transaction certificate issued for the specific lot. |
| Identity preservedDocumented chain of custody | Segregation from field to container, evidenced at every transfer. |
| Kosher and HalalCertificate from the named authority | Certificate travels with the lot. |
| TreatmentDeclared | Fumigant, heat treatment or steam pasteurisation, with the agent and the schedule declared, because destination markets differ on what they permit. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ethiopia | Africa | Origin |
| Eritrea | Africa | Origin |
| United States | North America | Origin and destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Spain | Europe | Origin and destination |
| India | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| South Africa | Africa | Origin and destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Origin and destination |
| Israel | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Canada | North America | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Destination |
| Germany | Europe | Destination |
| France | Europe | Destination |
| Belgium | Europe | Destination |
| Italy | Europe | Destination |
| Sweden | Europe | Destination |
| Norway | Europe | Destination |
| Switzerland | Europe | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | Destination |
| Kenya | Africa | Destination |
| Djibouti | Africa | Destination |
| Sudan | Africa | Destination |
| Japan | East Asia | Destination |
| South Korea | East Asia | Destination |
| Brazil | South America | Destination |
| Mexico | North America | Destination |
| New Zealand | Oceania | Destination |
| Ireland | Europe | Destination |
| Denmark | Europe | Destination |
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 taken at origin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is processing, grading and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethiopia | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Jan, arrival Jan to AprAmhara, Oromia and Tigray highlands. Meher harvest from November. Export is subject to national policy and moves in and out. | ||||||
| Eritrea | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Jan, arrival Jan to MarHighland zones, same seasonal pattern as the Ethiopian crop. | |||||||
| United States | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Sep to Oct, arrival Oct to DecIdaho, Kansas and the Pacific northwest. The main non African commercial origin. | ||||||||
| Netherlands | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Sep, arrival Sep to NovContract grown for the European gluten free trade. | ||||||||
| Spain | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Sep, arrival Sep to NovContract grown, European supply. | ||||||||
| India | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Harvest Oct to Nov, arrival Dec to FebEmerging contract acreage. | |||||||
| South Africa | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to May, arrival Jun to AugSouthern hemisphere window. | |||||||
| Australia | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to May, arrival May to JulSouthern hemisphere window, small acreage. |
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 teff. 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 heading1008.29 Millet, other than seed, the heading most destinations apply to teff
1008.90 Other cereals, applied to teff in some tariffs - PackingPP woven or jute bags of 25 kg to 50 kg, 1 t big bags, or bulk in a container liner. Moisture at load is the operative clause on every grain and seed contract.
- Container loading20ft: 21 t to 26 t bagged or bulk lined. 40ft is volume limited around 26 t. Bulk vessel parcels price against the same specification with an independent superintendent at load.
- Contract and arbitrationGAFTA contracts, GAFTA 119 for containerised and the GAFTA 100 series for bulk, with GAFTA Arbitration Rules No. 125 in London and sampling and analysis under GAFTA 124.
- Destination limitsEU pesticide MRLs under Regulation 396/2005, mycotoxin limits under Regulation 2023/915, phytosanitary certification under Regulation 2016/2031 and GMO controls where the crop has genetically modified varieties. US FDA FSMA and, where applicable, USDA AMS grading.
Common questions
What grades of teff does SIP Global trade?
We quote 42 published grades of teff, including White teff - Magna and related white seeded varieties, Ivory or mixed - Intermediate seed colour, Red teff - Red seeded varieties, Brown teff - Brown seeded varieties, Instrumental colour - CIELAB coordinates on a stated instrument and Variety - Named released variety, declared. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is teff graded?
Teff is graded by seed colour, by the cleanliness of a grain too small to hand sort, and by the analytical figures a miller or a gluten free baker contracts against. Grading runs on 5 systems: Colour type, Physical purity and condition, Analytical requirements, Milling form and Production and certification claims.
Where does SIP Global trade teff?
We trade teff in Ethiopia, Eritrea, United States, Netherlands, Spain, India, South Africa and Australia and 22 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is teff harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Ethiopia: harvest nov to jan, arrival jan to apr; Eritrea: harvest nov to jan, arrival jan to mar; United States: harvest sep to oct, arrival oct to dec; Netherlands: harvest aug to sep, arrival sep to nov; Spain: harvest aug to sep, arrival sep to nov. 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 teff?
Teff is normally classified under HS 1008.29 (millet, other than seed, the heading most destinations apply to teff) and HS 1008.90 (other cereals, applied to teff in some tariffs). 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 teff?
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 teff 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
- Codex AlimentariusFAO and WHO food standards
- 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.