Description

Premium Egyptian Thyme – High-Quality Thyme for Export

Egypt is a leading supplier of high-quality thyme, known for its rich earthy flavor, distinctive herbal aroma, delicate green leaves, and natural essential oil content. Egyptian thyme is cultivated using agricultural techniques suited to the crop and carefully processed through harvesting, cleaning, drying (where required), sorting, and grading to ensure its quality and characteristic aroma. The country’s favorable climate and fertile soil support seasonal thyme production, while proper drying and storage allow extended availability of dried Egyptian thyme, making it an attractive choice for importers worldwide.

Why Choose Egyptian Thyme?

• Superior taste, distinctive earthy aroma, natural green color, and delicate leaves
• Grown and processed under appropriate quality control measures
• Product specifications aligned with international export standards for safety and quality
• Competitive pricing and flexible packaging options
• Available in fresh and dried forms, including whole sprigs, whole leaves, cut leaves, rubbed thyme, and powder
• Reliable supply from Egyptian harvests and stored dried production, subject to stock availability

Why Source Thyme from NILVIDA?

• Premium Export Quality: Carefully harvested, selected, cleaned, sorted, and packed to meet international buyer standards
• Certified Suppliers: Production and processing with traceability and international food safety compliance, subject to verified supplier certification
• Efficient Supply Chain: Commercial documentation, customs support, and appropriate storage and transportation logistics
• Large-Scale Fulfillment: Bulk quantities available according to verified Egyptian production volumes, supplier capacity, and confirmed stock availability

Importing Egyptian Thyme – Easy and Efficient

Our Egyptian fresh and dried thyme is exported following agreed quality checks, customized packaging, and reliable shipping arrangements. We coordinate applicable phytosanitary certificates, customs clearance, and compliance with import regulations, subject to confirmed supplier capabilities and destination requirements.

Identity & Commercial

• HS Code:
  091099 (Thyme and other spices under the relevant subheading); EU CN Code: 09109933 (Thyme other than wild thyme, neither crushed nor ground); 09109939 (Crushed or ground thyme). Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum) may fall under 09109931. Final classification depends on botanical species, product form, and applicable customs requirements.
• Country of Origin:
  Egypt. Only thyme grown and harvested in Egypt, supported by appropriate origin and supplier documentation.
• Seasonality:
  Egyptian thyme is generally harvested from March to September, with harvesting periods varying according to growing region, weather conditions, and cultivation schedules. Fresh thyme availability depends on Egyptian production and harvesting conditions, while dried thyme may be available throughout the year from properly stored Egyptian-grown production, subject to stock confirmation.
• Size / Count:

  Fresh Thyme Products:
  Fresh whole thyme sprigs, tender leafy stems, thyme bunches, and selected fresh leaves. Sprig length, stem thickness, leaf size, color, and uniformity according to buyer specifications.

  Dried Thyme Products:
  Whole dried thyme leaves, dried thyme sprigs, cut thyme leaves, crushed thyme, rubbed thyme, and ground thyme powder.

  Available Forms:
  Fresh sprigs, fresh bunches, whole dried leaves, cut leaves, crushed leaves, rubbed leaves, and powder, according to product characteristics and buyer specifications.

  Leaf Characteristics:
  Small, narrow, oval-shaped leaves with characteristic green to grey-green color and a distinctive earthy, herbal, slightly minty aroma. Leaf size, color, purity, moisture content, aroma, and essential oil characteristics agreed according to buyer specifications.

• Lead Time:
  8-12 working days from order confirmation and receipt of advance / LC to prepare, inspect and load containers.
• Minimum Order:
  To be agreed according to product form, available Egyptian production volumes, packaging requirements, and supplier capacity. Full-container orders, mixed loads, or smaller shipments may be considered subject to confirmation.
• Grade:
  Export quality, with leaf size, color, aroma, purity, moisture content, cutting specifications, essential oil characteristics, and visual quality agreed with the buyer before packing according to applicable product standards.
• Payment Terms:
  LC at sight; or TT 70% advance and 30% against scanned shipping documents (balance before release of originals).
• Price Basis & Validity:
  Indicative prices only; final price to be confirmed according to market, Egyptian harvest availability, thyme form, purity, grade, packaging specification and destination, and fixed only in the formal offer/proforma invoice.
• Post-Harvest Treatments:
  Harvesting, trimming (where required), cleaning, sorting, grading, drying (for dried thyme), cutting, rubbing, crushing, grinding, and packing according to the specific product. Any additional processing, microbial reduction, or treatment must comply with applicable food safety requirements and destination regulations.

Packaging & Logistics

• Unit Net Mass:
  Typical options: 50 g or 100 g per bunch or retail pack and approximately 1–3 kg net per export carton for fresh thyme; 5 kg, 10 kg, 20 kg, or 25 kg net per carton/bag for dried thyme, depending on product form, bulk density, and buyer requirements.
• Estimated Net Weight per Container:
  Net weight per 20′ or 40′ container to be confirmed according to thyme form, product density, packaging type, palletization, container payload limits, and loading configuration. Fresh thyme requires appropriate temperature-controlled transportation, while dried thyme may be transported in suitable dry containers. Dried whole leaves and sprigs typically have lower container loading weights than crushed or powdered thyme.
• Primary Packaging:
  New food-grade ventilated punnets, clamshells, protective sleeves, or cartons with suitable liners for fresh thyme; polypropylene bags, multi-layer paper bags, food-grade cartons with protective inner liners, or other approved packaging for dried thyme. Packing configuration depends on whether the product consists of fresh sprigs, whole dried leaves, cut leaves, rubbed thyme, crushed thyme, or ground powder.
• Unit Gross Mass:
  Net weight plus the actual weight of punnets, bags, cartons, liners, and packing materials (varies by product and packaging configuration).
• Pre-Cooling / Pre-Shipment Storage:
  Fresh thyme requires appropriate pre-cooling and temperature management to maintain freshness, aroma, and leaf quality. Carrying temperatures are generally close to 0–5°C, with high relative humidity and full cold chain maintained, subject to validated product and packaging requirements. Dried thyme must be stored in clean, cool, dry, and well-ventilated conditions with appropriate moisture, humidity, and pest control. Carrying conditions are set according to product form, packaging, and destination, with protection against moisture, excessive heat, sunlight, contamination, and loss of natural aroma maintained.
• Ports of Loading (POL):
  Main Egyptian export ports: Alexandria, Damietta, Port Said and Sokhna (port selection depends on schedule and destination). Air freight through Cairo International Airport may also be arranged for fresh thyme, subject to availability and agreement.

Quality & Docs

• Grade Basis:
  Based on botanical identity, leaf size, color, aroma, freshness, cleanliness, moisture content, uniformity, and external appearance. Additional product-specific parameters may include volatile oil content, essential oil composition, ash content, particle size, cut size, foreign matter, and microbiological quality according to product and destination market.
• Defect Tolerances:
  Final tolerances to be agreed per contract and applicable commodity standards; limits for damaged leaves, yellowed or discolored material, excessive stems, broken leaves, foreign matter, and other defects to be confirmed before shipment. Products must comply with applicable requirements concerning mold, live infestation, microbial contamination, pesticide residues, and other relevant food safety parameters.
• MRL Compliance:
  Egyptian thyme sourced to comply with applicable EU and GCC food safety requirements, including relevant pesticide residue limits, mycotoxin limits where applicable, microbiological criteria, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and other contaminant standards. Laboratory analyses for pesticide residues, moisture, microbiological quality, and other required parameters to be provided or arranged according to buyer requirements and supplier confirmation.
• Traceability:
  Full traceability from Egyptian agricultural source through harvesting, drying or fresh handling, processing, and packing facility to container, using lot numbers and carton/bag coding.
• Certifications:
  Official Phytosanitary Certificate and quality/health inspection documentation where required; additional private certifications (GlobalG.A.P., Organic, ISO, HACCP, BRCGS etc.) available only where supported by valid supplier certification and applicable to the specific product and lot.
• Shipping Marks:
  As per buyer artwork and instructions (brand, product name, botanical name, fresh or dried form, grade, crop year, Egyptian origin, packing date, batch number, net weight, barcodes and handling marks).
• Shipping Documents:
  Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Phytosanitary Certificate (where required), Certificate of Origin, Bill of Lading or Air Waybill, and applicable laboratory analysis certificates; any additional documents required by the destination can be arranged by prior agreement.