Hibiscus Flower: from farm to port.

Each calyx wraps around a green seed pod, which must be removed. This is done by hand, usually by pushing the pod out with a short stick or by splitting the calyx open.

It is slow, careful work, but it is what separates premium hibiscus from lower grades. Pods left in the lot add weight and dilute the colour and flavour.

The separated calyces go straight to drying while they are fresh.

Calyces are spread in thin layers on clean mats or raised racks and dried for several days until moisture falls to 12% or below. They are turned regularly and kept off the ground.

Drying protects the calyces from mould and preserves their colour. Hibiscus dried too slowly or left damp turns dark and dull, while well-dried calyces stay bright red and brittle.

The dried calyces are then moved to a clean store, away from moisture, until they are sorted.

Dried hibiscus is sifted to remove sand and dust, then hand-sorted to remove leaves, stems, seed pods, stones and any discoloured or mouldy calyces. Our export grades contain no more than 1% admixture.

Each lot is graded by colour, calyx size and cleanliness, and tested for moisture. For food and tea markets we also test for microbiology, pesticide residues and other contaminants to meet the destination’s import limits.

An independent inspector confirms the results before loading.

Hibiscus is light and bulky, so it is packed in polypropylene bags, typically 20 to 25 kg each, or pressed into bales to fit more into each container. Every bag is marked with the lot number and origin.

Bags are stored in dry warehouses and fumigated before shipment where required.

The documentation package includes the phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin, independent inspection and analysis reports, fumigation certificate, bill of lading, commercial invoice and packing list.