What is Melon (Egusi)? Why Buy It?
Melon (Egusi), scientifically known as Citrullus lanatus var. colocynthis, is a crop primarily cultivated for its nutrient-rich seeds rather than its flesh. Native to West Africa, Egusi is a staple food ingredient in many traditional African cuisines. The seeds are packed with protein, healthy fats, and essential micronutrients such as magnesium, zinc, and vitamin E, making them an excellent source of nutrition.
Egusi seeds are highly valued for their culinary versatility. They are ground into a fine powder and used as a thickening agent in soups and stews, particularly in West African dishes like Egusi soup. Apart from their role in traditional meals, Egusi seeds are used in oil extraction and as a base for snacks and confectionery products.
The demand for Melon (Egusi) is consistently high due to its role in food security, health benefits, and economic importance. In regions where animal protein is scarce or expensive, Egusi serves as a vital plant-based protein alternative. Additionally, with the global shift towards natural and organic food sources, the international market for Egusi is expanding beyond Africa into Europe, North America, and Asia.
Applications/Uses of Melon (Egusi)
Melon (Egusi) has diverse applications across various industries, making it a highly sought-after crop. Some of its primary uses include:
Food Industry
Traditional Dishes:
Egusi seeds are a core ingredient in several African cuisines, particularly in soups and stews such as Nigerian Egusi soup and Ghanaian Agushie stew.
Baking and Snacks:
Ground Egusi is used in baking to produce nutritious snacks, bread, and cookies.
Egusi Paste:
The seeds can be blended into a paste used in preparing sauces and dips.
Protein Supplement:
Due to its high protein content, Egusi is incorporated into protein-rich foods and dietary supplements.
Oil Production:
Egusi seeds contain high levels of oil, which is extracted and used for cooking, cosmetics, and medicinal applications.
Animal Feed Industry
Livestock Feed:
Egusi seed residue after oil extraction serves as a protein-rich feed for livestock and poultry.
Fish Farming:
The high protein content of Egusi cake makes it suitable for fish feed formulations.
Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Industry
Skincare Products:
The oil extracted from Egusi seeds is used in beauty products such as creams, lotions, and hair treatments due to its moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
Medicinal Uses:
Egusi seeds contain compounds that exhibit anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, making them useful in herbal medicine.
Industrial Applications
Biofuel Production:
Like many oil-rich seeds, Egusi seeds are being explored as a raw material for biofuel production.
Soap and Detergent Manufacturing:
The extracted oil is used in making soaps and other cleansing agents.
Top Producing/Exporting Countries of Melon (Egusi)
Melon (Egusi) production is concentrated in regions with suitable climatic conditions, particularly in Africa. The leading producers and exporters include:
Nigeria:
As the largest producer of Egusi, Nigeria dominates the global market. The crop is cultivated mainly in the Middle Belt and Northern regions, including states like Benue, Niger, and Kaduna.
Ghana:
Ghana is a key producer and exporter of Egusi, supplying both local markets and international buyers, particularly in Europe and the U.S.
Ivory Coast:
The country has a growing Egusi farming sector, contributing significantly to West African trade.
Cameroon:
Egusi cultivation is widespread in Cameroon, where it is a vital part of the local diet and a major agricultural commodity.
Togo and Benin:
These countries also contribute to the production of Egusi, exporting to neighboring nations and international markets.
Outside Africa, small-scale production of Egusi is emerging in parts of Asia and South America, where the seeds are gaining recognition as a nutritious food source.
Top Importing Countries of Melon (Egusi)
As the demand for Egusi expands globally, several countries have become key importers of the crop. These include:
United States:
With a large African diaspora, the U.S. imports significant quantities of Egusi for African grocery stores and restaurants.
United Kingdom:
The UK’s demand for Egusi is driven by West African communities, making it a popular import in ethnic food markets.
Germany:
Germany imports Egusi primarily for its diverse African immigrant population and increasing interest in plant-based protein sources.
Canada:
Similar to the U.S. and the UK, Canada imports Egusi to cater to its African diaspora and health-conscious consumers.
France:
Due to its strong historical ties with West African nations, France has a steady demand for Egusi.
China:
China is increasingly importing Egusi for both culinary and industrial uses, particularly in the health and wellness sector.
Netherlands:
The Netherlands serves as a key distribution hub for Egusi in Europe, with shipments arriving from Africa and re-exported to other EU countries.
International Price of Melon (Egusi) Per MT
The unit price ($ per MT) of Melon (Egusi) 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, Melon (Egusi) costs between $2000 and $20,000 Per MT in the international market.
How To Safely Source for Your Melon (Egusi) 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 Melon (Egusi) 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 Melon (Egusi) exporters in Neogric is rated among the best in the exporting business in Nigeria. The company is not limited to the exportation of Melon (Egusi) alone but can export other agricultural produce ranging from perishables to dry seeds.
How To Pay For Your Melon (Egusi) Produce
You can pay for Melon (Egusi) 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 Melon (Egusi)
We invite you to place your order for high-quality Melon (Egusi) with us at Neogric. We are a trusted global commodity sourcing and trade solution provider with deep expertise in the Melon (Egusi) 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 Melon (Egusi) 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 Melon (Egusi) From Neogric?
Choosing Neogric as your Melon (Egusi) supplier offers several advantages:
- Quality Assurance: We maintain strict quality control standards, ensuring our Melon (Egusi) 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 Melon (Egusi) Trade Specifications
- Origin: Nigeria
- Product Name: Melon (Egusi)
- 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 Melon (Egusi) Order With Neogric
Contact us today to place your order for high-quality Melon (Egusi). Our team is ready to assist you with all your procurement needs.
- Tel: +2348147860157
- Email: neo@neogric.com
- WhatsApp: Chat With Us