Bulk Pumpkin Seeds Wholesale Supplier: Pricing, Specs & MOQ
A bulk pumpkin seeds wholesale supplier is a processor or exporter that sells pumpkin seeds and kernels by the container-load at wholesale prices, with standardized specifications, stable minimum order quantities (MOQ), and complete export documentation. For most Chinese origins, wholesale MOQ starts at 1 full 20ft container (roughly 17–19 metric tons), trial orders of 1–5 tons are usually accepted, and FOB prices are quoted per metric ton against current-season crops. This guide explains how wholesale pumpkin seed pricing works, which specifications to lock into your contract, and how to order efficiently from a factory-direct supplier.
If you are a food manufacturer, snack brand, importer, or trading company buying Shine Skin, GWS, Snow White, or hulled pumpkin seed kernels in bulk, the numbers and checklists below will help you request accurate quotes, compare suppliers fairly, and avoid costly misunderstandings before your first shipment.
Who Buys Pumpkin Seeds at Wholesale — and What They Order
Wholesale buyers fall into a few distinct groups, and each buys a different spec:
- Snack roasters and packing brands — buy in-shell Shine Skin or GWS seeds in premium grades (AA/AAA) for retail packs;
- Bakery and cereal manufacturers — buy hulled dark-green kernels for inclusion in bread, granola, and bars;
- Nut and trail-mix blenders — buy mixed lots of kernels with tight color and defect tolerances;
- Oil crushers and food processors — buy lower grades or broken kernels at a discount for oil pressing or further processing;
- Trading houses and repackers — buy mixed containers of several varieties and grades at once.
Knowing which group you belong to makes every later step — spec, price, packaging, MOQ — much easier to negotiate.
Pumpkin Seed Varieties Sold at Wholesale
Chinese origins produce the world’s main commercial varieties in the same growing belt, which is why mixed-container sourcing from one supplier is common. The four wholesale staples are:
| Variety | Appearance | Typical Size Grade | Main Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shine Skin (光板) | Light-gray/deep-green shell, high gloss | 9–13 mm width | In-shell roasting, snack packs |
| GWS / Snow White (白板/雪白) | White to ivory shell | 11–13 mm width | Roasted snacks, flavored seeds |
| Shine Skin Kernels (光板仁) | Dark-green hulled kernels | Whole/halves, U.S. style | Bakery, granola, bars, trail mix |
| GWS Kernels (白板仁) | Lighter-green hulled kernels | Whole/halves | Premium bakery, confectionery |
For in-shell seeds, size is expressed in millimeters of shell width; for kernels, common commercial specs are whole-kernel percentage and U.S.-style grading. Confirm the exact grade in writing — two suppliers both offering “Shine Skin” may be selling lots two grades apart.
Standard Wholesale Specifications to Put in Your Contract
A professional quotation should always reference a written spec sheet. The parameters below cover the great majority of wholesale pumpkin seed contracts:
| Parameter | Typical Wholesale Standard | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Purity / kernel purity | 99.5%–99.9% | Foreign matter and shell fragments affect yield and food safety |
| Moisture | ≤ 8.0% (kernels ≤ 7.5%) | Low moisture prevents mold and rancidity in transit |
| Admixture | ≤ 0.1%–0.3% | Stems, soil, and broken shells are pricing deductions |
| Imperfect / damaged kernels | ≤ 2%–5% by grade | Directly affects appearance for retail packs |
| Free fatty acid (FFA) | ≤ 1.0%–2.0% | Indicator of freshness and rancidity risk |
| Size / grade | e.g. Shine Skin 10.5–12.5 mm; AA/AAA grades | Determines end use and price tier |
Always pair the spec sheet with a pre-shipment third-party inspection (SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek) or a factory inspection report with retained counter-samples, so the delivered lot can be verified against what you approved.
How Wholesale Pumpkin Seed Pricing Works
Wholesale prices for pumpkin seeds are quoted in USD per metric ton, FOB Chinese port (Qingdao/Tianjin), or CIF your destination port. Unlike finished consumer goods, the base price moves with the crop — China’s pumpkin seed harvest runs roughly from September to November, and prices typically firm up through the season as stock tightens.
The 5 Factors That Move Your Quote
- Crop year and stock levels — new-crop shipments are usually the cheapest window; late-season stock carries a premium;
- Variety and grade — GWS and Snow White generally command higher prices than Shine Skin; kernels cost more than in-shell due to hulling yield losses;
- Size/grade selection — the tighter the size band and defect tolerance, the higher the price;
- Exchange rates and freight — FOB quotes are sensitive to RMB/USD moves; CIF adds ocean freight and insurance, which swing with shipping rates;
- Order structure — full-container orders get container-load pricing; LCL and small trial lots carry per-ton premiums.
Indicative Price Structure by Order Type
| Order Type | Typical Volume | Pricing Behavior | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full 20ft FCL | ~17–19 MT in-shell | Lowest USD/MT, container-load rate | Established importers |
| Full 40ft FCL | ~26–28 MT (or mixed varieties) | Lowest per-ton logistics cost | Distributors, repackers |
| Trial / LCL order | 1–5 MT | Per-ton premium over FCL | First-time buyers, sample production runs |
| Mixed container | 2–4 SKUs combined | Container-load rate, slight handling margin | Buyers needing several varieties |
Practical tip: ask suppliers to quote with a stated validity period (7–15 days is standard) and to disclose whether the offer is current-crop or old-crop stock. Old-crop material can be 5–15% cheaper but shows higher FFA and weaker color — acceptable for oil crushing, risky for retail snack packs.
MOQ, Packaging, and Container Loading
Wholesale MOQ in this trade is defined by the container, not by weight alone. A 20ft container of in-shell pumpkin seeds typically loads around 17–19 tons (limited by volume, not weight), while kernels in 25 kg bags load closer to 26–28 tons in a 40ft container. Most factory-direct suppliers accept a 1–5 ton trial order for LCL shipment so new buyers can test the market before committing to a full container.
Standard Wholesale Packaging Options
| Packaging | Capacity | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| PP woven bag | 25 kg / 50 kg | Standard bulk export packing |
| PP bag + inner liner | 25 kg | Added moisture protection for long sea routes |
| Vacuum brick bag + carton | 10–12.5 kg per carton | Kernels for bakery and snack manufacturers |
| Custom retail packs | 100 g–1 kg | Private-label programs (OEM branding) |
For Middle East, Africa, and South America destinations, an inner PE liner inside the PP bag is strongly recommended — it protects against humidity spikes that cause moisture gain during transshipment.
Quality Standards and Certifications to Require
Before comparing prices, verify that a supplier can ship legally and safely to your market. At minimum, a wholesale pumpkin seed supplier should hold:
- HACCP and ISO 22000 food-safety management certification — see the ISO 22000 standard overview for what the system covers;
- ISO 9001 quality management;
- HALAL / Kosher certificates for Middle East and specialty-market buyers;
- Phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin, health certificate — issued per shipment;
- Third-party pre-shipment inspection reports (SGS / Bureau Veritas / Intertek) when requested.
Buyers shipping into the United States must also confirm the supplier’s FDA food facility registration and prior-notice compliance under FDA food import rules. If you want a full walkthrough of export paperwork, our team published a dedicated guide on certificates required to import nuts from China.
How to Order Wholesale Pumpkin Seeds from Ouji International
Hohhot Ouji International Co., Ltd. is a factory-direct bulk pumpkin seeds wholesale supplier based in Inner Mongolia, China — the core growing region for Shine Skin and GWS varieties. Founded in 2013, we operate 2 processing plants with 6 automatic production lines covering cleaning, shelling, size grading, color sorting, metal detection, and hand-picking QC, and we export to Europe, the USA, Japan, South Korea, the Middle East, North Africa, and South America.
The ordering process takes most first-time buyers 2–4 weeks from inquiry to shipment:
- Send your target spec — variety, size/grade, purity, moisture, packaging, destination port, and monthly volume;
- Receive a quotation with current-crop pricing, validity period, and FOB/CIF options within 24 hours;
- Approve samples — pre-shipment samples couriered to you, with retained counter-samples logged at our plant;
- Sign the contract and pay the deposit — standard terms are 30% T/T deposit, balance against B/L copy (LC accepted for established buyers);
- Production, inspection, and shipment — third-party inspection on request, full document set issued within 5–7 working days after vessel departure.
Because our plants sit inside the growing region, we buy directly from farm cooperatives at harvest and store raw material in controlled warehouses — this is how we keep wholesale pricing competitive and quality consistent between crop years. You can review our full product range on the Ouji International homepage.
Common Wholesale Buying Mistakes to Avoid
- Buying on price alone — a USD 50/MT saving disappears quickly if moisture or purity slips and you lose retail accounts;
- No spec sheet in the contract — without written parameters there is no objective basis for a claim;
- Skipping the trial order — a 1–2 ton LCL trial costs little and reveals how a supplier really communicates;
- Ignoring crop timing — ordering old-crop stock in July for a retail launch in December is a freshness gamble;
- Underestimating packaging — unlined bags on a humid route can push moisture above spec on arrival.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOQ for wholesale pumpkin seeds from China?
The standard MOQ is one 20ft container (about 17–19 MT in-shell). Most factory-direct suppliers, including Ouji International, accept 1–5 ton trial orders by LCL for first-time buyers.
How is wholesale pumpkin seed price quoted?
Prices are quoted in USD per metric ton, usually FOB a Chinese port such as Qingdao or Tianjin, with a 7–15 day validity. CIF quotes add ocean freight and insurance to the destination port.
Are free samples available before ordering?
Yes. Suppliers typically send 500 g–1 kg samples free of charge; the buyer pays the courier cost. Pre-shipment samples of the actual production lot should also be provided before container loading.
What is the lead time after contract signing?
For stock-grade material, production and inspection take about 7–15 working days after deposit, followed by ocean transit of 20–40 days depending on destination.
Can I mix pumpkin seed varieties in one container?
Yes. Mixed containers of Shine Skin, GWS, and kernels are common because all varieties are processed in the same region — confirm the breakdown by SKU and weight in the packing plan.
Conclusion: Get a Wholesale Quote Built on Real Specifications
Wholesale pumpkin seed buying is straightforward when three things are fixed in writing: the spec sheet, the price validity, and the inspection method. Start with a small trial against your written spec, verify with pre-shipment inspection, then scale to full containers with confidence. As a factory-direct bulk pumpkin seeds wholesale supplier in Inner Mongolia since 2013, Ouji International provides spec-based quotations, retained counter-samples, and complete export documentation for buyers in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa.
Ready to get pricing? Contact Ouji International with your target variety, grade, and volume — we reply with a current-crop quotation within 24 hours.