Babassu
Babassu oil is pressed from the kernel of the babassu palm, Attalea speciosa, which grows wild across the transition forests of northern and northeastern Brazil and into neighbouring countries. It is a lauric oil, close in composition and behaviour to coconut oil, solid at cool room temperature and melting near body temperature. It is used in soap and surfactant manufacture, in confectionery and bakery fats, and heavily in skincare and haircare, where the light dry feel on the skin is the reason it is chosen. The nuts are traditionally broken by hand by cooperatives of women known as quebradeiras de coco.
Listed babassu markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Babassu is graded on the pressing route, on the refining state, and on the lauric acid and melting figures that put it in the same family as coconut oil and separate it from a substitute.
Processing route and form
10 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Crude babassu oilPressed from the dried kernel, unrefined | Yellow, with the natural odour. Goes to a refinery or to soap. |
| Refined, bleached and deodorisedFully refined by the stated route, chemical or physical | A neutral oil. Colour, flavour and free fatty acids are removed, and so are most of the minor components. |
| Cold pressedMechanically pressed with the press outlet held below a stated temperature | Temperature is a contract term, not an adjective. It preserves the minor components and the flavour, and it costs yield. |
| Expeller pressedMechanically pressed without a declared temperature ceiling | Higher yield, darker oil, higher free fatty acids. |
| Solvent extractedHexane extraction of the seed or of the press cake | The highest yield route. Residual solvent is a contract and regulatory term. |
| FractionatedSeparated into a stearin and an olein fraction, with the fraction named | Widens the range of melting behaviours the oil can be sold into. |
| HydrogenatedHydrogenated to a stated melting point | A distinct product with its own specification. |
| FiltrationDeclared: unfiltered, filtered to a stated micron rating, or winterised | Determines clarity and behaviour at low temperature. |
| OrganicCertified under the destination market scheme, with dedicated pressing | Named on the contract with the certifier and certificate number, because the press line has to be documented as well as the crop. |
| Kernel drying routeDeclared: sun dried, mechanically dried or kiln dried | Sets the free fatty acids and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon risk before pressing ever begins. |
Quality and condition
16 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Kernel quality declarationDeclared, with moisture and free fatty acids on the kernel at the press | Babassu is a wild collected crop with long field to press times. The kernel figure explains the oil figure. |
| Free fatty acidsPercentage, expressed as the stated reference acid | Determined by ISO 660. The controlling commercial figure. It rises with poor fruit or seed, slow processing and wet storage. |
| Peroxide valueMilliequivalents of active oxygen per kilogram | Determined by ISO 3960. Measures oxidation already under way. |
| Anisidine valueDimensionless, by the standard method | Determined by ISO 6885. Measures secondary oxidation, which peroxide value alone will miss in an oil that has already turned over. |
| TotoxTwice the peroxide value plus the anisidine value | The combined oxidation term, where a buyer contracts one number. |
| Moisture and volatile matterMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by ISO 662. |
| Insoluble impuritiesMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by ISO 663. |
| ColourLovibond red and yellow in a stated cell length, or a stated instrumental scale | Measured, not described. |
| Iodine valueGrams of iodine per 100 grams | Determined by ISO 3961. Measures unsaturation, and with it drying behaviour and oxidative stability. |
| Saponification valueMilligrams of potassium hydroxide per gram | Determined by ISO 3657. An identity figure. |
| Unsaponifiable matterMaximum percentage by mass | The fraction that is not fatty acid. Carries the sterols, tocopherols and the value in the cosmetic trade. |
| Refractive indexAt a stated temperature | A fast identity and adulteration check. |
| Soap contentMilligrams per kilogram | Applies to refined oil. Residue from neutralisation. |
| PhosphorusMilligrams per kilogram | The measure of residual gums. Governs whether the oil will behave in downstream processing. |
| Slip melting pointDegrees Celsius, by the standard method | The controlling figure for a solid fat. |
| Solid fat contentPercentage solid at each stated temperature, by pulsed NMR | The full melting profile. What a formulator actually contracts on. |
Composition and authenticity
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Lauric acidPercentage of the fatty acid profile | The dominant fatty acid and the first identity check. It puts babassu in the lauric family with coconut and palm kernel. |
| Myristic acidPercentage of the fatty acid profile | The second major fatty acid. |
| Coconut and palm kernel differentiationBy the full fatty acid and triacylglycerol profile | Babassu is regularly substituted with cheaper lauric oils. The full profile, not the lauric figure alone, is what separates them. |
| Fatty acid profilePercentage of each fatty acid by gas chromatography of the methyl esters | Determined by ISO 12966. The fingerprint of the oil and the first authenticity check. |
| Sterol compositionPercentage of each sterol and total sterol content | Determined by ISO 12228. Detects blending with a cheaper oil that shares a similar fatty acid profile. |
| Tocopherols and tocotrienolsMilligrams per kilogram, by HPLC | The natural antioxidant content. Governs shelf life and is a value term in cosmetics. |
| Triacylglycerol compositionBy HPLC, reported as the distribution | A second authenticity layer, because it is far harder to counterfeit than a fatty acid profile. |
Contaminants
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbonsMicrograms per kilogram, benzo(a)pyrene and the sum of four | Comes from direct fire drying and smoke contact at origin. Tested against destination market limits. |
| 3-MCPD esters and glycidyl estersMicrograms per kilogram | Formed at high refining temperatures. Applies to refined oil. |
| Mineral oil hydrocarbonsMilligrams per kilogram, MOSH and MOAH | Comes from lubricants, jute bags and transport. Tested where the destination market requires it. |
| Solvent residueMilligrams per kilogram of hexane | Applies to solvent extracted oil. |
| Pesticide residuesMilligrams per kilogram | Tested against destination market maximum residue limits. |
| Heavy metalsMilligrams per kilogram | Lead, arsenic, cadmium, iron and copper. Iron and copper matter twice over, because they catalyse oxidation in the drum. |
| Dioxins and PCBsPicograms of toxic equivalent per gram of fat | Tested where the destination market requires it. |
| AflatoxinsMicrograms per kilogram | Applies where the oilseed or kernel carries a mould risk before pressing. |
Certification and packing claims
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Wild collected and community sourcedDocumented from the collection group to the press | Named where the buyer contracts on the cooperative origin, with the chain of custody evidenced. |
| OrganicCertificate under the destination market scheme | EU, NOP, JAS or an equivalence arrangement. Named on the contract with the certifier and certificate number. |
| Fairtrade, Fair for Life or equivalentCertificate and transaction certificate | Named scheme, with the transaction certificate issued for the specific lot. |
| Kosher and HalalCertificate from the named authority | Certificate travels with the lot. |
| Food grade or cosmetic gradeDeclared, with the corresponding specification | Determines the applicable limits and the packing. |
| Non GMODeclaration, with PCR testing on the source material where required | Applies where the crop has a genetically modified counterpart. |
| Chain of custodyDocumented from harvest to press to drum | Evidenced at every transfer where the lot carries an origin or a community claim. |
| PackingDeclared: flexitank, ISO tank, drum, jerrycan or IBC, with liner and headspace treatment | Nitrogen blanketing and liner type are contract terms, because they decide what the peroxide value looks like on arrival, not on shipment. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | South America | Origin |
| Bolivia | South America | Origin |
| Peru | South America | Origin |
| Guyana | South America | Origin |
| Suriname | South America | Origin |
| Colombia | South America | Origin and destination |
| Paraguay | South America | Origin |
| Mexico | North America | Origin and destination |
| United States | North America | Destination |
| Canada | North America | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Destination |
| France | Europe | Destination |
| Germany | Europe | Destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Belgium | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Italy | Europe | Destination |
| Spain | Europe | Destination |
| Poland | Europe | Destination |
| Switzerland | Europe | Destination |
| Turkiye | Middle East | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| South Africa | Africa | Destination |
| India | South Asia | Destination |
| China | East Asia | Destination |
| Japan | East Asia | Destination |
| South Korea | East Asia | Destination |
| Singapore | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Malaysia | Southeast Asia | Destination |
| Indonesia | Southeast Asia | Destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Destination |
| Argentina | South America | Destination |
| Chile | South America | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the crop is taken at origin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is processing, grading and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Aug to Jan, arrival Oct to MarMaranhao principally, with Piaui, Tocantins and Para. By far the largest origin. The fruit falls through the dry season and is collected from the forest floor, so the window follows the fall rather than a planted harvest. | ||||
| Bolivia | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jul to Oct, arrival Sep to DecBeni and Pando. Wild stands in the Amazon lowlands. | ||||||
| Peru | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jul to Oct, arrival Sep to DecLoreto and Ucayali. | ||||||
| Guyana | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Oct, arrival Oct to DecInterior forest collection, small volumes. | |||||||
| Paraguay | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Sep to Nov, arrival Nov to JanNortheastern departments. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for babassu. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading1513.21 Palm kernel or babassu oil, crude
1513.29 Palm kernel or babassu oil, other - PackingFlexitanks of 20 t to 24 t, IBCs of 1000 litres, or 190 kg lacquer lined steel drums. Butters and solid fats in 25 kg cartons or 200 kg drums. Nitrogen blanket for oils that oxidise.
- Container loading20ft: one flexitank at 20 t to 24 t, or 80 drums at roughly 15 t. Heated stow or heating coils where the fat solidifies below deck temperature.
- Contract and arbitrationFOSFA contracts with FOSFA arbitration in London, or NIOP trading rules for United States trade. Free fatty acid, moisture and impurities, peroxide value and colour are the operative quality clauses, established on FOSFA analysis methods.
- Destination limitsEU limits on 3-MCPD esters and glycidyl esters in refined oils and erucic acid limits under Regulation 2023/915, pesticide MRLs under Regulation 396/2005, and novel food authorisation under Regulation 2015/2283 for oils without a pre-1997 EU history of consumption. US FDA food additive and GRAS status applies.
Common questions
What grades of babassu does SIP Global trade?
We quote 49 published grades of babassu, including Crude babassu oil - Pressed from the dried kernel, unrefined, Refined, bleached and deodorised - Fully refined by the stated route, chemical or physical, Cold pressed - Mechanically pressed with the press outlet held below a stated temperature, Expeller pressed - Mechanically pressed without a declared temperature ceiling, Solvent extracted - Hexane extraction of the seed or of the press cake and Fractionated - Separated into a stearin and an olein fraction, with the fraction named. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is babassu graded?
Babassu is graded on the pressing route, on the refining state, and on the lauric acid and melting figures that put it in the same family as coconut oil and separate it from a substitute. Grading runs on 5 systems: Processing route and form, Quality and condition, Composition and authenticity, Contaminants and Certification and packing claims.
Where does SIP Global trade babassu?
We trade babassu in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Guyana, Suriname, Colombia, Paraguay and Mexico and 24 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is babassu harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Brazil: harvest aug to jan, arrival oct to mar; Bolivia: harvest jul to oct, arrival sep to dec; Peru: harvest jul to oct, arrival sep to dec; Guyana: harvest aug to oct, arrival oct to dec; Paraguay: harvest sep to nov, arrival nov to jan. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for babassu?
Babassu is normally classified under HS 1513.21 (palm kernel or babassu oil, crude) and HS 1513.29 (palm kernel or babassu oil, other). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for babassu?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed babassu market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
- Codex AlimentariusFAO and WHO food standards
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.