Copaiba
Copaiba is a transparent yellow to golden oleoresin drained from the trunk of Copaifera trees in the Amazon basin. Unlike most tropical resins it is a free flowing liquid rather than a hardened tear, and it is drawn by drilling the standing tree and returning to it season after season. It is used as a fixative and woody base note in perfumery, as an anti-inflammatory in traditional and phytotherapeutic medicine, in soaps, varnishes and lacquers, and increasingly as a beta-caryophyllene rich raw material for the nutraceutical and cosmetic trade.
Listed copaiba markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Copaiba is contracted on species, on how the tree was tapped, and on the measured split between the volatile sesquiterpene fraction and the non-volatile diterpene acids. Because it is a liquid, the adulteration screen is as much a part of the specification as the assay.
Species and tapping route as the contracted article
5 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| SpeciesDeclared, with the binomial name | Copaifera langsdorffii, Copaifera reticulata, Copaifera multijuga, Copaifera officinalis and related species. Each yields a different sesquiterpene balance and they are priced apart. |
| Wild tappedDeclared, from a standing tree in natural forest | Drilled through the sapwood into the heartwood cavity, drained, then plugged so the tree can be returned to. The article the traceability buyer specifies. |
| Rotation and rest intervalDeclared, in months between taps on the same tree | A managed collection term. Over-tapped trees yield thin, low viscosity oleoresin, and the interval is written into community collection agreements. |
| FiltrationDeclared | Gravity settled and filtered to remove bark, insect and water. Filtration mesh is contracted because it determines clarity. |
| Distilled essential oilDeclared, separately from the oleoresin | Steam distillation strips the volatile fraction from the resin acids. It is a different article and it is never delivered against an oleoresin contract. |
Physical constants
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Relative densityDimensionless, at a stated temperature | Determined by pycnometer. The first indicator of dilution with a vegetable oil. |
| Refractive indexDimensionless, at a stated temperature | Determined by refractometer. |
| Optical rotationDegrees, at a stated temperature and path length | Determined by polarimeter. |
| ViscosityMillipascal seconds, at a stated temperature | Ranges widely by species and by how heavily the tree was tapped. |
| Solubility in ethanolDeclared, as volumes of ethanol at a stated strength | A classical identity and purity test for an oleoresin. |
| Colour and clarityDeclared, against a retained reference sample | Pale yellow through to dark golden brown. Matched to sample rather than scored. |
Composition and marker assay
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Volatile oil contentPercentage by mass | Determined by hydrodistillation. The sesquiterpene fraction. |
| Beta-caryophyllenePercentage of the volatile fraction, by gas chromatography | The dominant sesquiterpene and the named marker for nutraceutical and cosmetic buyers. |
| Alpha-humulene, alpha-copaene and beta-bisabolenePercentage of the volatile fraction, by gas chromatography | Secondary sesquiterpene markers used to confirm species. |
| Non-volatile diterpene acidsPercentage by mass | Copalic acid and related resin acids. The fraction that survives distillation and gives the oleoresin its body. |
| Acid valueMilligrams of potassium hydroxide per gram | Free acid content, by titration. |
| Ester valueMilligrams of potassium hydroxide per gram | Determined by saponification after the acid value. |
| Chromatographic fingerprintFull chromatogram, retained | Compared against a reference chromatogram for the declared species and origin. The whole trace, not one peak. |
| Adulteration screenDeclared, by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry | Soybean and other vegetable oils, turpentine, mineral oil and added synthetic beta-caryophyllene. A liquid resin is easy to cut and this is the test that catches it. |
Purity and contaminants
5 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Loss on drying, or moisturePercentage by mass, maximum | Determined by oven drying or by the entrainment method. It is the weight the buyer is not paying resin prices for, and it drives caking in the drum. |
| Foreign organic matterPercentage by mass, maximum | Bark, leaf, soil, sand, insect and any plant material other than the named exudate, separated by hand and weighed. |
| Heavy metalsMilligrams per kilogram, maximum | Lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, against CXS 193. |
| Microbiological limitsColony forming units per gram, maximum, with the pathogen absence criteria | Total viable count, yeasts and moulds, Escherichia coli and Salmonella. Contracted where the material enters food, pharmaceutical or cosmetic manufacture. |
| Pesticide residuesMilligrams per kilogram, maximum | Multi-residue screen against the destination market limits. |
Origin, legality and delivery
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Botanical originDeclared, with the binomial species name | The genus alone is not a specification. Related species yield materially different material and they are priced apart. |
| Wild harvested or cultivatedDeclared | It drives availability, legality documentation and, in several of these articles, the chemistry. |
| Legality and collection permitDeclared, with the permit reference | Export permit, forest concession or community collection agreement. Wild resins move on paperwork and it travels with the lot. |
| CertificationCertificate, with the scheme and the certificate number | Organic, FairWild, Fair for Life or a private buyer standard, named on the contract when it is contracted. |
| PackingDeclared | Jute or polypropylene bags, cartons, fibre drums, steel drums or bulk bags, with the liner specified. Soft resins are contracted with a temperature term because they cold flow. |
| Sampling planDeclared | How many packages are sampled, by whom, and against which retained reference sample. Hand sorted natural material is heterogeneous between bags. |
| Non-timber forest product legalityDeclared, with the management plan reference | Brazilian collection of a non-timber forest product runs on a registered management plan and community agreement. The reference travels with the lot. |
| Benefit sharing and genetic heritageDeclared, with the registration reference | Access and benefit sharing registration where the material is used in a commercial formulation. It is a documentation term, and it is checked at the destination. |
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 | Amazonas, Para, Acre, Rondonia and Mato Grosso | Origin |
| Peru | Loreto, Ucayali and Madre de Dios | Origin |
| Colombia | Amazonas and Caqueta | Origin |
| Venezuela | Amazonas and Bolivar | Origin |
| Bolivia | Beni and Pando | Origin |
| Ecuador | Amazon provinces | Origin |
| Guyana | Interior forest regions | Origin |
| Suriname | Interior forest districts | Origin |
| United States | New Jersey, Utah and California | Destination |
| France | Grasse and Paris | Destination |
| Germany | Hamburg and Baden-Wurttemberg | Destination |
| Switzerland | Geneva and Basel | Destination |
| United Kingdom | London and the South East | Destination |
| Netherlands | Rotterdam | Destination |
| Spain | Barcelona | Destination |
| Italy | Milan | Destination |
| Japan | Tokyo and Osaka | Destination |
| South Korea | Seoul | Destination |
| China | Shanghai and Guangdong | Destination |
| India | Mumbai and Kannauj | Destination |
| Canada | Ontario and British Columbia | Destination |
| Australia | New South Wales | Destination |
| Mexico | Mexico City and Jalisco | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Dubai | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the material is tapped or gathered at origin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is drying, hand sorting, grading, laboratory clearance and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest May to Oct, arrival Aug to JanTapping concentrates in the dry season when the forest is passable and the trees are accessible on foot. Wet season access is the binding constraint, not the tree. | |||
| Peru | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest May to Sep, arrival Aug to DecLoreto and Ucayali collection follows the same dry season access window, with material consolidated at Iquitos and Pucallpa. | ||||
| Colombia | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jun to Sep, arrival Sep to DecSmaller volumes, moving through Leticia and Bogota. | |||||
| Bolivia | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest May to Sep, arrival Aug to DecBeni and Pando collection, largely feeding regional processors. | ||||
| Venezuela | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest Dec to Apr, arrival Mar to JulA distinct dry season, giving a counter-seasonal window to the southern Amazon origins. | ||||
| Ecuador | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jun to Nov, arrival Sep to FebAmazon province collection, consolidated at Guayaquil for export. |
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 copaiba. 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 heading1301.90 Natural balsams, other, including copaiba
- PackingJute or PP bags of 25 kg to 50 kg for tears and lumps, fibre drums or lined cartons for hand sorted and graded material, steel drums for rosin and oleoresins.
- Container loading20ft: 12 t to 20 t depending on grade and bulk density. Hand sorted grades ship light.
- Contract and arbitrationSale on the sorted grade with a retained sealed sample and a certificate of analysis. European trade on the terms of the importing association, arbitration under ICC rules or at the contract seat.
- Destination limitsEU food additive specifications under Regulation 231/2012 where the gum is an additive, covering E414 gum arabic, E413 tragacanth and E904 shellac. Pesticide and heavy metal limits, EU REACH for technical grades, phytosanitary certification, and CITES where the botanical source is a listed species.
Common questions
What grades of copaiba does SIP Global trade?
We quote 32 published grades of copaiba, including Species - Declared, with the binomial name, Wild tapped - Declared, from a standing tree in natural forest, Rotation and rest interval - Declared, in months between taps on the same tree, Filtration - Declared, Distilled essential oil - Declared, separately from the oleoresin and Relative density - Dimensionless, at a stated temperature. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is copaiba graded?
Copaiba is contracted on species, on how the tree was tapped, and on the measured split between the volatile sesquiterpene fraction and the non-volatile diterpene acids. Because it is a liquid, the adulteration screen is as much a part of the specification as the assay. Grading runs on 5 systems: Species and tapping route as the contracted article, Physical constants, Composition and marker assay, Purity and contaminants and Origin, legality and delivery.
Where does SIP Global trade copaiba?
We trade copaiba in Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana and Suriname and 16 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is copaiba harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Brazil: harvest may to oct, arrival aug to jan; Peru: harvest may to sep, arrival aug to dec; Colombia: harvest jun to sep, arrival sep to dec; Bolivia: harvest may to sep, arrival aug to dec; Venezuela: harvest dec to apr, arrival mar to jul. 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 copaiba?
Copaiba is normally classified under HS 1301.90 (natural balsams, other, including copaiba). 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 copaiba?
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 copaiba 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.