The Truth About Black Seeds in the World

Why Oils from Different Seeds Taste Differently

Without exaggeration, we are the ones who first pondered the question of why the oil we get from different seeds tastes differently. In 2015, we did not find any information on the internet about the difference in Nigella Sativa seeds. Just think, people all over the world were selling a product that no one knew anything about, except for some information from Islamic sources. Even now, if you read the available information on the research of black cumin seeds, you will not see the name of the country from which the seeds were taken for research. Today, in any country in the Far and Middle East, you can buy Nigella Sativa seeds from a neighboring country by mistake.

From that moment on, we started working with the strongest taste seeds from Ethiopia. Before that, we tried many other seeds from different countries, and they were weaker than the Ethiopian ones. We were the first in the world to write on oil labels, not only the name of the oil, but also the country of origin of the seeds.

After opening BioNatal in 2017, we started doing research in earnest. As a result of these studies, it turned out that only seven countries supply black seeds to the world market, although all information sources tell us that about twenty countries grow the Nigella Sativa flower. Today, 95% of the black seed oil sold in all countries of the world is produced from the seeds of seven countries. The remaining 5% of oils, which are produced from seeds of other countries, are sold exclusively in the local markets of North Africa and the Middle East.

There are seven countries that grow Nigella Sativa seeds in huge quantities for oil production:

• Turkey
• Syria
• Pakistan
• India
• Bangladesh
• Egypt
• Ethiopia

Global Market for Nigella Sativa Seeds

From 2018 to 2020, we conducted independent serious analysis of all these seeds at our own expense. The results were devastating. The best seeds are 40 times stronger than the weakest. This means that one spoonful of the strongest oil is as effective as 40 tablespoons of the weakest oil. At the same time, the price of these natural oils differs by only 2-3 times. You can read about the test results in the article on black seed oils. But in this article we will tell you all about the global market for Nigella Sativa seeds.

You need to understand that few people produce black cumin oil in the USA, Great Britain, Europe, and other countries. All oils are purchased in large quantities in these seven countries and are already bottled at their factories in their respective countries. That is, if you bought oil from France, Great Britain, Germany, Austria, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, or any other country, then in fact this bottle contains seed oil from one of the seven countries that we have already named.

Of our seven, there are countries that do not have enough seeds of their own and they buy seeds in other countries. First is Turkey, which buys seeds from Ethiopia, Pakistan, Syria, and India. Secondly, it is Egypt, which buys seeds from Ethiopia and takes almost all the crops in Syria. There is already confirmed information that India has begun to acquire black seeds in Ethiopia.

These countries buy seeds from other countries for different reasons. Turkey buys Nigella Sativa seeds for mixing all varieties and supplying major global markets. They also misinform competitors with these mixes. India produces a lot of seeds, but they are very weak and therefore India gets the strongest Ethiopian seeds for mixing. Egypt buys seeds from Syria, as its own harvest is very small, and it is immediately bought by companies that produce natural oils. Therefore, Egyptian seeds in Egypt can only be found in summer, and only Syrian seeds can be bought at the local Egyptian market all year round.

Nigella Sativa Seed Production in Numbers

Let's now take a look at the table of annual Nigella Sativa seed production for 2022:

• India - 7000 tons
• Syria - 4000 tons
• Turkey - 3200 tons
• Ethiopia - 3000 tons
• Pakistan - 1200 tons
• Bangladesh - 1000 tons
• Egypt - 350 tons
• Other countries - 1000 tons

It must be said that all of these countries are increasing their production of Nigella Sativa seeds every year. Ethiopia has a plan to increase the volume to 14000 tons per year, which is double that of India. We understand that this plan is not realistic and India will be in the first place in seed production for many years to come.

Black Cumin Seeds

Black cumin seeds also differ in appearance, some seeds are smooth, while others have a matte finish. Matte coated Nigella Sativa seeds are stronger than all smooth seeds. Turkey is an exception, as Turkish seeds have a matte finish, but they are as weak as all smooth seeds.

Here is a table by which you can understand a little about the visual difference between the main Nigella Sativa seeds:

• Ethiopia – matt seeds
• Egypt – matt seeds
• Bangladesh – matt seeds
• Turkey – matt seeds (exception)
• Syria - smooth seeds
• Pakistan – smooth seeds
• India – smooth seeds