Cumin Purity Grades: Singapore vs Europe
The 99% Singapore and 99.5% Europe purity grades for Indian cumin, plus the EU pesticide border check that governs it.
- EU pesticide border check, Indian cumin
- 30%
- Reg. (EU) 2019/1793 — temporary increase of official controls
Purity-grade table
Indian cumin is graded principally on purity, the percentage of clean seed after removal of foreign matter, chaff and admixture. Two purity grades dominate export contracts.
| Grade | Purity | Typical market |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore quality | 99% | General export |
| Europe quality | 99.5% | EU and quality-led buyers |
Where the price is set
- Unjha in Gujarat is Asia largest seed-spice market and moves roughly 70% of India cumin. Its morning trade effectively sets the global cumin price.
- Europe quality (99.5%) is the tighter grade because EU buyers combine a purity requirement with strict residue and contaminant testing.
EU compliance flags
Indian cumin sits at a 30% pesticide-residue border check under Reg. (EU) 2019/1793, raised in January 2025. Cumin also falls under the pyrrolizidine alkaloid limit of 400 micrograms per kilogram, because PA-bearing weed seeds can be co-harvested with the crop. A cumin contract into the EU should carry a pesticide-residue panel and a PA result.
Frequently asked
What is the difference between Singapore and Europe cumin quality?
Singapore quality is 99% purity; Europe quality is the tighter 99.5% purity grade, usually paired with stricter residue and contaminant testing for EU buyers.
Why is Indian cumin checked at the EU border?
Indian cumin carries a 30% pesticide-residue check under Reg. (EU) 2019/1793 (raised January 2025) and must also meet the 400 micrograms per kilogram pyrrolizidine alkaloid limit.
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Start a sourcing enquiry →What this page does not tell you
- Volatile oil by grade
- Cumin volatile-oil percentage by grade is not in our verified set and is not tabulated.
- Machine-clean tiers
- Sub-grades above 99.5% (double-machine-clean, sortex tiers) are trade practice and lack a verified numeric standard.
Reviewed 16 July 2026.
Sources
- Spices Board of India — Export statistics· Tier 1, retrieved 2026-07-16
- Reg. (EU) 2019/1793 — temporary increase of official controls· Tier 1, retrieved 2026-07-16
- Reg. (EU) 2023/915 — maximum levels for certain contaminants· Tier 1, retrieved 2026-07-16