Fig
The dried fruit of Ficus carica, sun or tunnel dried to a stable moisture and traded whole, in strings, or processed into paste. Dried figs sell into retail snacking and festive packs, bakery fillings and fig rolls, breakfast cereal and bar manufacture, confectionery, the health food trade and traditional dried fruit assortments. The paste trade is as large as the whole fruit trade and is bought on entirely different terms. Fruit destined for export is normally flattened or left natural depending on the destination convention, and the presentation is a contract term in its own right.
Listed fig markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Dried figs are contracted on presentation and a named grade, then on a size expressed as a count or a diameter, then on moisture, aflatoxin and defect limits verified on a drawn sample.
Product form and preparation
14 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Natural wholeDried whole, not shaped | The form preferred in most of the Middle East and Asia. |
| Flattened or pulledWhole fruit hand flattened into a disc | The presentation of the Turkish export trade. It is labour, and it is priced. |
| Garland or stringThreaded on a cord | A traditional presentation with its own packing specification. |
| Layer or protoben packedGraded and packed in trays or layers | A presentation grade for retail, bought on uniformity as much as on the fruit. |
| DicedCut to a stated dice size, coated to stop it caking | The coating material and percentage are declared. |
| PasteMilled to a stated particle size and moisture, with the seed content declared | Bought on moisture, particle size and stem and skin content, not on fruit size. |
| Industrial or leridaOff grade whole fruit for milling | Priced against the paste market, not the whole fruit market. |
| Sun driedDried in open air at origin, declared | The traditional route. Carries more colour variation and a higher polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon risk where fires are used nearby. |
| Mechanically driedDried in a tunnel, cabinet or belt dryer to a stated moisture | Tighter moisture control and a cleaner microbiological result. |
| SulphuredTreated with sulphur dioxide, with the residual level declared in milligrams per kilogram | Preserves the light colour. It is a declared allergen in most destination markets and it is capped by regulation, so the number is a contract term, not a process note. |
| Unsulphured, naturalNo sulphur treatment | Darker, and the market prices the colour difference. Required for most organic and clean label buyers. |
| Potassium sorbate treatedTreated to a stated residual level | Extends shelf life at higher moisture. Named on the contract because destination markets differ on what they permit. |
| OrganicCertified under the destination market scheme, with dedicated drying and packing lines | Named on the contract with the certifier and certificate number. |
| Consumer or industrial packDeclared, with the unit format | Industrial bulk and retail pack are separate products with separate specifications, not the same fruit in different boxes. |
Size and count
4 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Count per kilogramNumber of fruit in one kilogram | The controlling size term. |
| Named grade ladderSuccessive numbered or lettered grades, each tied to a stated count range and a defect allowance | Turkish and Greek export grades both run on a numbered ladder. The contract carries the count range behind the number. |
| DiameterMillimetres across the disc, minimum | Applies to flattened fruit. |
| Uniformity within the packPercentage of pieces within the contracted count band | What separates a layer packed retail grade from a bulk grade. |
Quality and condition
14 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sugaring on the surfaceMaximum percentage of pieces | Figs sugar readily. It is a storage temperature effect, and it is the most common arrival dispute. |
| Souring and fermentationMaximum percentage by count | Detected by smell and by inspection of the interior on a cut sample. |
| Interior conditionInspected on a cut sample | Cavity discolouration, mould in the eye and internal insect damage are invisible from the outside. |
| Stem and stalkMaximum length in millimetres, or removed | A presentation and a contamination term. |
| Moisture contentMaximum percentage by mass, by the stated method | The controlling commercial figure. It sets the weight, the shelf life and the mould risk all at once. |
| Water activityMaximum, measured at a stated temperature | The figure that actually governs microbial stability. Moisture alone will not tell you whether a lot is safe to hold. |
| UniformityPercentage of the sample within the contracted size and colour range | Measured on the drawn sample. |
| ColourAgainst a sealed reference sample, or an instrumental scale where one is contracted | Measured, not described. |
| Damaged and blemished unitsMaximum percentage by count or by mass | Mechanical damage, scarring, sunburn and discolouration, counted separately from decay. |
| Decay, mould and fermentationMaximum percentage by count or by mass | A zero tolerance term in most contracts, with a small allowance stated. |
| Insect damage and live infestationMaximum percentage by count, live insects nil | Determined by inspection of a drawn sample. Live infestation rejects a lot outright. |
| Foreign and extraneous matterMaximum percentage by mass | Stems, stones, leaves, sand, wood and any plant material other than the named fruit. |
| Pieces of the wrong formMaximum percentage by mass | Halves in a whole lot, broken pieces in a halves lot, and so on. Priced, because it is the most common quiet downgrade. |
| Sugaring and crystallisationMaximum percentage of units showing surface sugar | Cosmetic, but it is priced, and it moves with storage temperature rather than with the original quality. |
Contaminants and food safety
10 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Aflatoxin sorting and fluorescenceDeclared sorting route, with the rejection rate recorded | Figs are the highest aflatoxin risk in the dried fruit trade. Ultraviolet sorting is a documented process step in the export chain, and the contract names it. |
| AflatoxinsMicrograms per kilogram, B1 and total | Tested against the destination market limit. The single most common cause of rejection in dried fruit. |
| Ochratoxin AMicrograms per kilogram | Tested against the destination market limit. |
| Sulphur dioxideMilligrams per kilogram | Measured whether or not the lot is declared sulphured, because carryover happens on shared lines. A declared allergen in most destination markets. |
| Pesticide residuesMilligrams per kilogram | Tested against destination market maximum residue limits. Dried fruit concentrates residues along with everything else, so the limit is applied to the dried product. |
| Heavy metalsMilligrams per kilogram | Lead, cadmium and arsenic. |
| Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbonsMicrograms per kilogram, benzo(a)pyrene and the sum of four | Comes from direct fire drying and smoke contact at origin. |
| MicrobiologyCounts per gram, with salmonella absence in the stated sample mass | Total plate count, yeasts, moulds, E. coli and salmonella. |
| Metal detection and X-rayDeclared detection thresholds for ferrous, non ferrous and stainless | Applied on the packing line and evidenced on the certificate. |
| IrradiationDeclared, treated or untreated | Destination markets differ on what they permit and on how it must be labelled. |
Certification and packing claims
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| OrganicCertificate under the destination market scheme | EU, NOP, JAS or an equivalence arrangement, named with the certifier and certificate number. |
| Fairtrade 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 safety schemeBRCGS, IFS, FSSC 22000 or an equivalent, named with the site | The packing site is named on the contract, not just the supplier. |
| Non GMODeclaration | Applies where the crop has a genetically modified counterpart. |
| PackingDeclared: carton, bag in box, vacuum, modified atmosphere or bulk bin, with the liner and net weight | Liner and atmosphere are contract terms, because they decide the moisture and the water activity on arrival rather than on shipment. |
| Storage and transit temperatureDeclared, with the range and the monitoring method | Sugaring, colour drift and moisture migration are all temperature effects. Where the contract is silent, the argument at destination is unwinnable. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Turkiye | Aydin, the Buyuk and Kucuk Menderes valleys, and Izmir for export | Origin and destination |
| Iran | Fars, Estahban and the southern highlands | Origin and destination |
| Afghanistan | Kandahar and the eastern provinces | Origin and destination |
| Greece | Kymi, Evia and the Peloponnese | Origin and destination |
| Spain | Extremadura and Andalusia | Origin and destination |
| Portugal | Algarve and the Alentejo | Origin and destination |
| Italy | Calabria, Puglia and Campania | Origin and destination |
| Morocco | Taounate and the Rif | Origin and destination |
| Algeria | Kabylie | Origin and destination |
| Tunisia | Djebba and the northwest | Origin and destination |
| Egypt | Nile delta | Origin and destination |
| Syria | Idlib and the coastal hills | Origin and destination |
| United States | California, San Joaquin valley | Origin and destination |
| Peru | Coastal valleys | Origin and destination |
| Chile | Central valley | Origin and destination |
| South Africa | Western Cape | Origin and destination |
| India | Maharashtra and Gujarat | Origin and destination |
| Pakistan | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Origin and destination |
| Germany | Hamburg and the Rhine | Destination |
| France | Marseille and Le Havre | Destination |
| United Kingdom | London and Felixstowe | Destination |
| Netherlands | Rotterdam | Destination |
| Italy (import) | Genoa and Naples | Destination |
| Spain (import) | Barcelona | Destination |
| Poland | Central Poland, repacking | Destination |
| Russia | Novorossiysk and Moscow | Destination |
| United States (import) | New York, Newark and Los Angeles | Destination |
| Canada | Montreal and Toronto | Destination |
| Brazil | Santos | Destination |
| India (import) | Mumbai and Delhi | Destination |
| China | Shanghai | Destination |
| Japan | Tokyo | Destination |
| South Korea | Busan | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Dubai | Destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Jeddah | Destination |
| Australia | Sydney and Melbourne | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkiye | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Sep, arrival Sep to FebAydin and the Menderes valleys. The reference origin. Harvest in late summer, main shipping from September, and the market carries through to the next crop. | |||||
| Iran | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Sep, arrival Sep to JanEstahban in Fars. Small, pale, dry figs, distinct from the Turkish article and priced separately. | ||||||
| Greece | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Sep, arrival Sep to DecKymi on Evia and the Peloponnese. Smaller volume, high specification. | |||||||
| Afghanistan | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Sep, arrival Sep to DecKandahar and the eastern provinces, moving overland. | |||||||
| Spain | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Sep, arrival Sep to DecExtremadura and Andalusia, largely into European retail and paste. | |||||||
| Portugal | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Sep, arrival Sep to DecAlgarve and the Alentejo. | |||||||
| Morocco | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Sep, arrival Sep to DecTaounate and the Rif. | |||||||
| United States | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Sep, arrival Sep to JanCalifornia. Calimyrna and Mission, largely domestic with an export tail. | ||||||
| Peru | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Feb to Apr, arrival Apr to JulCoastal valleys. Southern hemisphere counter season supply. | ||||||
| South Africa | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jan to Mar, arrival Mar to JunWestern Cape. |
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 fig. 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 heading0804.20 Figs, fresh or dried
- PackingCartons of 5 kg to 12.5 kg or PP bags of 10 kg to 25 kg with food grade liner. Sulphur dioxide treatment, sorbate treatment and any added oil must be declared on the specification and the label.
- Container loading20ft: 12 t to 18 t. 40ft is normally volume limited. Chilled stow for high moisture grades such as soft prunes and semi dried figs.
- Contract and arbitrationINC and Dried Fruit and Edible Nut trade standards, European trade on the trade contract with arbitration in London, United States trade on Association of Food Industries contracts.
- Destination limitsEU sulphur dioxide limits under Regulation 1333/2008 with mandatory declaration above 10 mg/kg, ochratoxin A limits on dried vine fruit and aflatoxin limits on dried figs under Regulation 2023/915, and pesticide MRLs under Regulation 396/2005. US FDA requires sulphite declaration.
Common questions
What grades of fig does SIP Global trade?
We quote 49 published grades of fig, including Natural whole - Dried whole, not shaped, Flattened or pulled - Whole fruit hand flattened into a disc, Garland or string - Threaded on a cord, Layer or protoben packed - Graded and packed in trays or layers, Diced - Cut to a stated dice size, coated to stop it caking and Paste - Milled to a stated particle size and moisture, with the seed content declared. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is fig graded?
Dried figs are contracted on presentation and a named grade, then on a size expressed as a count or a diameter, then on moisture, aflatoxin and defect limits verified on a drawn sample. Grading runs on 5 systems: Product form and preparation, Size and count, Quality and condition, Contaminants and food safety and Certification and packing claims.
Where does SIP Global trade fig?
We trade fig in Turkiye, Iran, Afghanistan, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Morocco and 28 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is fig harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Turkiye: harvest aug to sep, arrival sep to feb; Iran: harvest aug to sep, arrival sep to jan; Greece: harvest aug to sep, arrival sep to dec; Afghanistan: harvest aug to sep, arrival sep to dec; Spain: harvest aug to sep, arrival sep to dec. 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 fig?
Fig is normally classified under HS 0804.20 (figs, fresh or dried). 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 fig?
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 fig 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.
- 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.