What is Bitter Kola? Why Buy It?

Bitter Kola (Garcinia kola) is a tropical flowering plant native to West and Central Africa. It is primarily cultivated for its seeds, which have been used for centuries in traditional medicine, food, and cultural practices. The seeds of bitter kola are known for their distinct bitter taste and medicinal properties, making them highly valuable in both local and international markets.

Bitter kola is widely recognized for its numerous health benefits. It contains powerful antioxidants, flavonoids, and alkaloids that contribute to its antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties. Many believe it aids digestion, boosts the immune system, and enhances lung function. Additionally, bitter kola is commonly used as an energy booster and a natural remedy for respiratory issues.

The growing demand for natural and herbal remedies has significantly increased the global market for bitter kola. It is sought after in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, and cosmetics. With an increasing preference for plant-based solutions and traditional medicines, bitter kola has become a valuable commodity for trade and export.

 

Applications/Uses of Bitter Kola

Bitter Kola have extensive applications in multiple industries, including the food sector, pharmaceutical industry, and cosmetics.

Bitter kola has a wide range of applications across multiple industries, thanks to its medicinal and functional properties.

Traditional and Herbal Medicine

• Bitter kola is used in African traditional medicine to treat various ailments, including coughs, infections, and digestive issues.
• It is known for its ability to enhance lung function and is used as a natural remedy for respiratory conditions like asthma and bronchitis.
• The seed extract is believed to have aphrodisiac properties, making it a common ingredient in traditional libido-enhancing treatments.

Food and Beverages

• Bitter kola seeds are consumed raw as a snack due to their stimulating and energy-boosting effects.
• It is often used in the preparation of herbal teas and traditional African beverages.
• Some alcoholic beverage manufacturers incorporate bitter kola extract to enhance flavor and medicinal benefits.

Pharmaceutical Industry

• Bitter kola is used in the production of natural supplements and health products.
• Research indicates that bitter kola has potential antiviral properties, making it a promising ingredient for developing new pharmaceutical products.
• The high concentration of antioxidants in bitter kola contributes to its role in immune-boosting formulations.

Cosmetics and Skincare

• Bitter kola extract is used in skincare products for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
• It helps in treating skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and rashes.
• The seeds’ natural properties make them useful in anti-aging and skin-rejuvenation formulations.

Agriculture and Animal Feed

• Some farmers use bitter kola as a natural pesticide to protect crops from pests and diseases.
• It is also incorporated into animal feed to enhance livestock health and immunity.

 

Top Producing/Exporting Countries of Bitter Kola

Bitter kola is predominantly grown in tropical regions of West and Central Africa. The following countries are the top producers and exporters of bitter kola:

Nigeria

• Nigeria is the largest producer and exporter of bitter kola globally.
• The crop is cultivated mainly in states like Ondo, Ogun, Edo, and Cross River.
• Nigerian bitter kola is highly valued for its quality and medicinal properties, making it a top export to Europe, Asia, and the United States.

Ghana

• Ghana is another significant producer of bitter kola in West Africa.
• The country exports large quantities to international markets, particularly to Europe and North America.

Cameroon

• Cameroon has extensive bitter kola plantations and exports a considerable amount to regional and international markets.
• The country’s favorable climate and soil conditions contribute to the high-quality production of bitter kola.

Ivory Coast

• Bitter kola is cultivated in small quantities but plays a vital role in local and regional trade.
• Ivory Coast exports bitter kola to neighboring West African countries and beyond.

Sierra Leone

• The crop is grown mainly by small-scale farmers and is an essential part of the local economy.
• Sierra Leone exports bitter kola to international markets, particularly in Europe and the Middle East.

 

Top Importing Countries of Bitter Kola

Several countries import bitter kola due to its medicinal and economic value. The leading importing nations include:

United States

The U.S. is one of the largest consumers of bitter kola, primarily for its use in herbal medicine and dietary supplements. Many African communities in the U.S. import bitter kola for cultural and traditional purposes.

United Kingdom

The UK has a significant demand for bitter kola, especially among African and Caribbean communities. Bitter kola is sold in ethnic grocery stores and herbal medicine shops.

China

China has a growing interest in bitter kola due to its medicinal properties and use in traditional Chinese medicine. The country’s demand for herbal remedies has contributed to increased imports from African countries.

Germany

Germany imports bitter kola for use in natural health products and pharmaceuticals. The country’s strict regulations on herbal medicine ensure that imported bitter kola meets high-quality standards.

India

India is a growing market for bitter kola, particularly in the Ayurvedic medicine industry. The demand is driven by the increasing popularity of herbal and natural health remedies.

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The UAE imports bitter kola for use in herbal medicine, food supplements, and cosmetics. Dubai serves as a major distribution hub for bitter kola exports to other Middle Eastern countries.

 

International Price of Bitter Kola Per Metric Ton

The unit price ($ per MT) of Bitter Kola in the international market depends on a host of different factors including:

• The grade of the produce (usually the more the processing, the higher the price)
• The price of the raw material
• Age of the seeds (this can affect the price)
• Production levels in producing countries
• Economic conditions and the exchange rates between the currencies of the producing and importing countries.
• The quantity ordered (the greater the quantity, the cheaper you can get it per ton)
• Harvest season (it is more costly when it is out of harvest season).
• Weather conditions (some commodities are sensitive to weather conditions).
• Freight & haulage cost
• Percentage of markup
• Import duties, trade tariffs and trade agreements between countries
• Distance from the country of origin
• Technology/Infrastructure available in country of origin
• Relationship between the buyer and seller

 

That said, as at March 2025, Bitter Kola costs between $6000 and $10000 Per Metric Ton (1,000 kilograms) in the international market (i.e. $6/kg to $10/kg).

 

How To Safely Source for Your Bitter Kola Produce

If you find the right export company, buying directly from them can make the purchase process easy and stress-free, when compared with doing the sourcing on your own. That said, there are few things to note when dealing with an export company in Nigeria or Africa. The specific requirements for Nigeria are listed below, but they mostly apply to other African countries:

• The exporting company must be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to make sure the company is registered and permitted to carry out business
• The export company must also be registered with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
• The company must possess a domiciliary account to accept international

 

The company should get all necessary export-related documentation done before the shipment leaves the port of origin. Some of the documents are:

• Certificate of origin
• Bill of lading
• Inspection Certificate (SGS, Cotecna, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, etc)
• Phytosanitary certificate
• Fumigation certificate

 

Where To Find Reliable Exporters

An important question that still needs to be answered is how to find Bitter Kola exporters in Nigeria. You can use any of the methods listed below:

• Attend trade fairs
• Use search engines like Google, Yahoo,
• Search for agents on Linkedln
• Sign up on trade platforms (e.g. Alibaba, Tradeford, Go4WorldBusiness)
• Neogric – Neogric is one of the reliable Bitter Kola exporters in Neogric is rated among the best in the exporting business in Nigeria. The company is not limited to the exportation of Bitter Kola alone but can export other agricultural produce ranging from perishables to dry seeds.

 

How To Pay For Your Bitter Kola Produce

You can pay for Bitter Kola using different methods, but three of the popular ways of paying for your agric produce are:

• Bank (T/T) Payment
• Advance Payment
• Letter of Credit (LC)

 

Bank Payment (T/T)

Bank payment is also known as T/T, “Telegraphic Transfer” or “Telex Transfer” In other words, it is an international wire of funds from the buyer’s bank to the seller’s bank.

A T/T is technically not the same as a wire transfer, which is often done through the SWIFT network. However, when a seller or supplier asks for a T/T payment, a wire transfer is what they are really asking for.

The wire transfer based on the SWIFT system is the most common payment method in international trade. Typically, it takes 1-5 working days to clear, and generally costs between 25 and 50 USD, depending on your agreement with the commercial department in your bank.

 

Advance Payment

There are sellers that will demand anywhere from 30% to 50% advance payment, and for good reason. If both parties have done deals in the past, sellers can ask for a percentage of the sales (about 30%) before they ship the produce and they can request for the remaining amount after a scanned copy of the Bill of Lading has been sent to the buyer.

It is the safest option for exporters and it also guarantees that they will have some funds to help with sourcing. It is popular among manufacturers on B2B marketplaces like Alibaba and also with commodity traders.

However, advance payment carries considerable risk for the importer (buyer) because the exporter (seller) might not be under as much pressure to ensure quality checks compared with a stricter form of payment. Some might even disappear entirely.

Having said that, advance payment is very useful and is widely used. For instance, the seller might need to secure the commodity in the face of increased competition. It can also be used when the exporter needs some money for sourcing the produce or for processing raw materials.

The most important thing is for both importer and exporter to build mutual trust by having a track record of successful deals with each other or other known companies.

 

Letter of Credit

Letter of Credit is an agreement generated by the bank of the buyer, guaranteeing payment once certain conditions are met. It is one of the safest types of payment available to both buyer and seller.

Some of the types of Letter of credit are:

• Commercial Letter of Credit,
• Sight Letter of Credit
• Transferrable or Non-Transferable Letter of Credit
• Standby Letter of Credit (SBLC)
• Usance or Deferred Payment Letter of Credit
• Revocable or Irrevocable Letter of Credit
• Confirmed or Unconfirmed Letter of Credit
• Revolving Letter of Credit
• Green Clause Letter of Credit
• Red Clause Letter of Credit

 

L/Cs are not totally safe (for either buyer or seller) too. For instance, sellers can ship substandard products or those that are different from the ones agreed upon. In this case, the seller gets paid and the buyer receives goods he cannot use.

And speaking of the dangers of L/Cs for the exporter, the conditions in the Letter of credit might be practically impossible to fulfil; if an exporter agrees to such, he might be unable to receive payment. A report stated that of the letters of credit received in the UK, 50% are unworkable while 70% are rejected by the banks for payment.

 

Shipping & Delivery Terms

When shipping your products, it is important to take note of a few factors:

 

Order Quantity

For smaller shipments, airfreight is often the preferred option but as the order volume increases, sea freight could become significantly cheaper. Usually when the order is close to a full container load (20 ft), sea freight is used. Although the Covid-19 pandemic caused an increase in cost of delivery of products, prices have stabilised.

 

Cost of Delivery

When the order is of a large volume, sea freight often turns out cheaper than air freight. In fact, air freight could be up to 6 times more costly than sea freight if the volume is large enough.

 

Time of Delivery

Sometimes, time will be more important to the buyer than the cost of delivering the product. In this case, air freight will be the logical option (as stated above, the cost will be more). But if you have more time as a buyer, you should strongly consider using sea freight.

 

Incoterms

Incoterms refer to generally accepted shipping and payments terms. For example, buyers that have representatives in the source country or that can negotiate with the freight company can use the Free of Board (FOB) terms, since it gives them more control and can save them some money.

However, if the shipment is small or the buyer doesn’t have an extensive network to effectively handle payment for freight, insurance and port charges, he will be better off choosing the Cost-Insurance-Freight (CIF) payment option.

 

Neogric: Top Exporters and Suppliers of Bitter Kola

We invite you to place your order for high-quality Bitter Kola with us at Neogric. We are a trusted global commodity sourcing and trade solution provider with deep expertise in the Bitter Kola industry. Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, our wide range of products and technology powered, end-to-end supply chain make the export of quality Bitter Kola easy, quick and safe. Whichever region of the world you are, be it Europe, Asia, USA, Canada, Other North/Central American countries, Africa, South America or Oceania, you can reliably order your agricultural produce and we will ensure it is successfully delivered to you, on time.

Why Buy Bitter Kola From Neogric?

Choosing Neogric as your Bitter Kola supplier offers several advantages:

• Quality Assurance: We maintain strict quality control standards, ensuring our Bitter Kola and other products are of the highest quality.
• Wide Product Range: We offer a diverse selection of products, catering to various
• Reliable Supply Chain: Our efficient technology-powered end-to-end supply chain ensures timely delivery of your orders.
• Expertise and Support: Our team of experts provides valuable insights and support, making your purchasing process smooth and hassle-free.

 

Our Bitter Kola Trade Specifications

• Origin: Nigeria
• Product Name: Bitter Kola
• Physical Specification: Based On Buyer’s Specification
• Quantity: Based On Buyer’s Specification
• MOQ: 10 Metric Tonnes
• Trade Process: Ex Works/FOB/CIF
• Admixture/Impurities: Based On Buyer’s Specification
• Inspection: SGS/Cotecna/Intertek/Bureau Veritas
• Packaging: Based On Buyer’s Specification
• Payment Method: TT (Bank Transfer) or L/C
• Shipping Time: 15 to 25 Days After Confirmation of TT or L/C
• Loading Port: Lagos (Nigeria), Abidjan (Cote D’ivoire) or Tema (Ghana)

 

Expected Shipping Documents

• Bill of Lading
• Certificate of Origin
• SGS Inspection Certificate
• Phytosanitary Certificate
• Fumigation Certificate
• Commercial Invoice
• Packing List

 

Place Your Bitter Kola Order With Neogric

Contact us today to place your order for high-quality Bitter Kola. Our team is ready to assist you with all your procurement needs.

• Tel: +2348147860157
• Email: neo@neogric.com
• WhatsApp:
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