Rhodes grass hay from Pakistan: the specs to put in your contract

Most Rhodes grass listings from Pakistan say the same thing: "Crude protein 12%, moisture 10%, Grade A+". That line tells you almost nothing. It doesn't say on what basis the protein was measured, which cut it came from, or who tested it. Two lots with the same listing can feed very differently.

This is what we'd tell a buyer in the Gulf or East Africa to put in the contract before the first container leaves Karachi.

Why are Gulf buyers sourcing Rhodes grass from Pakistan?

Because the Gulf can't grow enough of it and Pakistan can. Saudi Arabia's ban on growing green fodder took effect in November 2018 to save water (Argaam), and the implementing rules list Rhodes grass among the banned crops (MEWA mechanism).

On our side, Rhodes grass acreage in Pakistan grew more than 60% in three to four years, to roughly 120,000 acres, according to Arab News in February 2026. The same report says the UAE is the main buyer, and that Saudi Arabia still buys more of its Rhodes grass from Sudan. So the supply is there. Consistency is the question, and that's what the spec is for.

What should a Rhodes grass hay spec include?

Seven lines, each with a number and a test method. Here's the list, then what each one means.

How much crude protein should Rhodes grass hay have?

There's no single right number. It depends on what you're feeding and what your nutritionist needs. What matters is that the number is real and comparable.

For reference, Feedipedia (run by INRAE, CIRAD, AFZ and FAO) averages 193 samples of Rhodes grass hay at 10.1% crude protein on a dry-matter basis, with a range from 4.4% to 16.6% (Feedipedia). That spread is the whole point. "Rhodes grass" covers everything from good leafy hay to stemmy roughage.

Two things move the number:

• Maturity at cutting. Feedipedia notes crude protein drops to 9 to 10% after 10 weeks of regrowth and can go below 8% after 15 weeks (Feedipedia, citing Milford et al. 1968). A Pakistani trial on three varieties found crude protein ranging from above 12% down to under 5% depending on growth stage, lowest at maturity (Arshad et al.). Ask which cut and when it was harvested.
• The basis it's reported on. "As fed" includes the water in the hay. "Dry matter" doesn't. They're not the same number.

As fed vs dry matter: a worked example

Say a lab reports 12% crude protein on a dry-matter basis, and the hay is 90% dry matter (10% moisture). On an as-fed basis that's 12 x 0.90 = 10.8%.

Now flip it. A listing says 12% "as fed" on hay at 88% dry matter. On a dry-matter basis that's 12 / 0.88 = 13.6%. Same headline number, different hay. Always ask which one it is, and compare offers on the same basis.

What moisture level is acceptable?

Set a maximum in the contract and test it before the container is stuffed, not after it lands. Feedipedia's samples average 86.4% dry matter, which is about 13.6% moisture, ranging from 76.2% to 92.8% dry matter. That's a wide range for something that's going to sit in a sealed box at sea.

The Pakistani supplier listings we checked quote anywhere from 9% to 14% maximum moisture. Fine. Just make sure the number is a limit you can reject against, not a marketing line.

What do ADF, NDF and ash tell you?

NDF is total fibre. ADF is the hard-to-digest part of it. The higher they are, the less your animals get out of each kilo and the less they eat. Feedipedia's Rhodes grass hay averages are 75.7% NDF and 41.2% ADF, dry-matter basis. Ask the lab to report both. "Fibre: good" is not a spec.

Ash averages 9.7% in the same data. When ash runs high, it's usually soil picked up at baling. That's also an import problem: for the UAE, consignments are expected to be free of pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material (Australian Government MICoR, UAE stockfeed).

Single or double-pressed, and how much fits in a container?

Double-pressed bales are compressed a second time so more hay fits in each container. Ours are sun-cured and double-pressed. But tonnes per container depend on the press, the bale size and the hay itself, so don't rely on a number from a listing. Ask the supplier to state bale weight and tonnes per container in writing, and check it against the packing list and weighbridge slip.

Orders start at one container: a 20'GP or 40'HC depending on the product.

Which documents come with a Rhodes grass shipment?

From us, every shipment comes with a commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, and an analysis certificate when lab testing is part of the order.

The phytosanitary certificate is issued by Pakistan's plant protection authority. That was the Department of Plant Protection, which was merged into the new National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA) in July 2025 (Dawn).

At the other end, requirements depend on your country. For the UAE, Australia's export database lists a phytosanitary certificate as required for stockfeed, and no import permit. Rules change, so confirm with your own ministry before the first order. Rhodes grass trades under HS 1214.90.

How do you check the hay before it ships?

Independent testing before loading. Don't accept a lab report you didn't ask for on a lot you haven't seen.

• Ask for a sample, and for the lab analysis on the lot you're buying, not a past one.
• Nominate your own inspection company if you want. We arrange third-party inspection and lab analysis on request, and you can pick who does it.
• Have samples drawn from several bales, not one.
• Agree in the contract what happens if the lot misses spec.

What should you send a supplier to get a real quote?

Copy this into your enquiry. It gets you a comparable offer instead of a brochure.

RHODES GRASS HAY ENQUIRY
Product: Rhodes grass hay (Chloris gayana), HS 1214.90
Use: dairy / camel / equine / other
Crude protein: min ___ % (dry-matter basis)
Moisture: max ___ %
ADF: max ___ %   NDF: max ___ %   Ash: max ___ %
Foreign material: free of soil, weeds, weed seeds, plastic
Bale: single / double-pressed, bale weight ___ kg
Quantity: ___ x 20'GP / 40'HC
Incoterm: EXW / FOB / CFR
Destination port:
Inspection: buyer-nominated / supplier-arranged
Documents: CI, PL, CoO, phytosanitary, analysis certificate

How does an order with Akram Trading work?

Akram Trading is a sourcing and trading house in Karachi, Pakistan, operating since 2015. Our Rhodes grass is sourced directly from our partner farms in Pakistan.

• Minimum order: 1 x 20'GP or 40'HC, depending on the commodity.
• Incoterms: EXW, FOB or CFR. Loading at Karachi or Port Qasim.
• Payment: T/T advance or LC at sight. Full balance before sailing; bill of lading released after full payment.
• Price: quoted once we have your spec, quantity and destination port. Not before.