Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus oil is the volatile oil distilled from the leaves and terminal branchlets of Eucalyptus trees, dominated by the ether 1,8-cineole. It is used in cough and cold preparations, lozenges, inhalants and topical analgesics, in oral care, in household and industrial cleaning products where a clean camphoraceous odour is wanted, in mining flotation as a frother and depressant, and as a low cost aromatic feedstock from which cineole is fractionated for further synthesis. Medicinal grade oil and industrial or perfumery grade oil come from different species and are separate articles in trade.
Listed eucalyptus markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Eucalyptus oil is traded on species, cineole content and rectification. The three terms are set before any other, because a medicinal cineole oil and a perfumery phellandrene oil share a name and nothing else.
Botanical source and extraction route
13 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Eucalyptus globulusBlue gum, leaves and terminal branchlets, steam distilled | The dominant medicinal source worldwide. |
| Eucalyptus polybracteaBlue mallee, steam distilled | Naturally high cineole, favoured where a rectification step is to be avoided. |
| Eucalyptus smithiiGully gum, steam distilled | Named in the same ISO product standard as globulus and polybractea. |
| Eucalyptus radiataNarrow leaved peppermint, steam distilled | A softer profile, traded separately from the globulus medicinal article. |
| Eucalyptus citriodoraLemon scented gum, citronellal type | A different chemistry entirely. It is a citronellal oil, not a cineole oil, and it never settles against a cineole contract. |
| Eucalyptus divesPeppermint gum, piperitone type | An industrial feedstock article. |
| Steam distilledDistilled in steam from the named plant part, with the charge and the run time declared | The default route for most essential oils. The cut taken off the still is a contract term, because a first cut and a full run are not the same oil. |
| Rectified or redistilledFractionated after the first distillation to a stated marker content | Named on the contract, because rectification is what most specification oils are made of. |
| Cineole content declared on the contractPercentage of 1,8-cineole after rectification, stated as a floor | The single commercial term the trade quotes on. Eighty percent and above is the common medicinal band. |
| Folded or terpenelessTerpenes removed to a stated degree | A processed article, sold on its concentration factor. |
| OrganicCertified under the destination market scheme, distilled and stored on dedicated equipment | Named with the certifier and the certificate number. |
| Wild harvestedCollected from uncultivated stands, with the collection area declared | The legality of the collection is a contract term, not a marketing claim. |
| Batch and distillation dateDeclared, with the still and the campaign identified | Essential oils change in the drum. A batch without a date cannot be assessed. |
Physicochemical identity
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Relative density at 20 degrees CelsiusRange, by ISO 279 | The first identity check, and the fastest way to catch a carrier oil. |
| Refractive index at 20 degrees CelsiusRange, by ISO 280 | Read on a refractometer at a stated temperature. |
| Optical rotation at 20 degrees CelsiusRange in degrees, by ISO 592 | The term that separates a natural oil from a synthetic reconstruction, because most synthetics are optically inactive. |
| Miscibility in ethanolVolumes of ethanol at a stated strength to give a clear solution, by ISO 875 | Measured, not judged. |
| Acid valueMaximum, by ISO 1242 | Rises with age and with poor storage. It is the ageing indicator the trade reads first. |
| Appearance and colourAgainst a sealed reference sample, or an instrumental scale | Recorded on the certificate for each batch. |
| Flash pointDegrees Celsius, closed cup | A transport classification term as well as a quality one. It travels on the dangerous goods declaration. |
Chromatographic profile
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1,8-cineolePercentage of total peak area, floor stated | The specification. Pharmacopoeial monographs set a floor and the trade contracts above it. |
| alpha-pinenePercentage of total peak area, range | A natural companion. Its absence is evidence of reconstitution from isolated cineole. |
| limonenePercentage of total peak area, range | Reported on every certificate. |
| para-cymenePercentage of total peak area, maximum | Rises as the oil oxidises. |
| alpha-terpineolPercentage of total peak area, range | Contributes to the odour and to the pharmacological profile. |
| AldehydesPercentage, maximum | Removed by rectification for medicinal grades, because they irritate. |
| Phellandrenes and piperitonePercentage, maximum | Markers of a different species entering the lot. |
| Full profile against the reference batchEvery peak accounted for | The certificate carries the whole chromatogram, not just the cineole figure. |
Authenticity and adulteration
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Reconstituted cineole oilNil, declared | Synthetic or isolated cineole rebuilt with terpenes to hit the specification. Caught on the chiral and isotope tests, never on the cineole figure alone. |
| Full chromatogram against a reference profileEvery peak accounted for, with the reference batch named | The whole trace is the specification, not the two or three headline markers. Adulteration hides in the peaks nobody contracted. |
| Enantiomeric ratio, chiral gas chromatographyRatio of the optical isomers of the named marker compounds | The definitive test for synthetic addition. A nature identical molecule is still the wrong molecule at the isomer level. |
| Stable isotope ratio analysisCarbon and hydrogen isotope ratios, by mass spectrometry | Detects synthetic and non plant carbon sources. Contracted where the value of the oil justifies it. |
| Added carrier and diluentNil, declared | Vegetable oil, dipropylene glycol, benzyl benzoate, isopropyl myristate and ethanol. Tested for, because the density alone will not catch a small addition. |
| Cross species and cross grade blendingNil, declared | Cheaper related species blended into a premium oil. Detected on the full profile. |
| ReconstitutionNil, declared | Oil rebuilt from isolates to hit a marker specification. It will pass a marker test and fail a full profile. |
Contaminants, safety and regulatory
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Peroxide valueMaximum | Oxidation is the main quality loss in transit and in store. It is also what turns a benign oil into a sensitiser. |
| Pesticide residuesMilligrams per kilogram, against the destination market limits | Distillation concentrates lipophilic residues, so the limit is applied to the oil and not to the crop. |
| Heavy metalsMilligrams per kilogram | Lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury. |
| Phthalates and plasticisersMilligrams per kilogram | Picked up from drums, liners and hoses rather than from the plant. |
| Residual solventMilligrams per kilogram, where the article is an extract or an absolute | Nil for distilled oils, and a stated limit for extracts. |
| Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbonsMicrograms per kilogram | Comes from direct fire stills and from smoke contact at origin. |
| Allergen declarationPercentage of each declarable fragrance allergen present | Required for cosmetic use in most destination markets. It is calculated from the chromatogram and it travels with the batch. |
| Safety data sheet and transport classificationIssued for the batch, with the UN number and packing group | A shipping document and a compliance document at once. |
Certification, documentation and packing
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| OrganicCertificate under the destination market scheme | EU, NOP, JAS or an equivalence arrangement, named with the certifier and the certificate number. |
| Fair trade or community benefit schemeCertificate and transaction certificate | Named scheme, with the transaction certificate issued against the specific batch. |
| Kosher and HalalCertificate from the named authority | Travels with the batch. |
| Cosmetic and food grade documentationSpecification, safety data sheet, allergen statement and IFRA conformity certificate | The document set is part of the goods. An oil delivered without it is not deliverable. |
| Non GMO and vegan declarationsDeclaration | Issued where the destination market or the customer requires it. |
| PackingDeclared: aluminium, epoxy phenolic lined steel or high density polyethylene, with the drum size and the net weight | The container is a specification term. Bare steel and unlined plastic will both change the oil. |
| Headspace and inert blanketingDeclared, with the gas and the fill level | Nitrogen blanketing and a full drum are how an oil holds its acid value and its peroxide value across a voyage. |
| Storage and transit temperatureDeclared, with the range and the monitoring method | Cool and dark, evidenced. Where the contract is silent, an arrival dispute over oxidation cannot be settled. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| China | Yunnan, Guangxi, Sichuan | Origin and destination |
| Australia | New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia | Origin and destination |
| India | Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttarakhand | Origin and destination |
| South Africa | Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal | Origin and destination |
| Eswatini | Hhohho | Origin and destination |
| Brazil | Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo | Origin and destination |
| Portugal | Centro, Alentejo | Origin and destination |
| Spain | Galicia, Andalusia | Origin and destination |
| Chile | Biobio, Maule | Origin and destination |
| Nepal | Terai | Origin and destination |
| Vietnam | Central Highlands | Origin and destination |
| Indonesia | Java | Origin and destination |
| Paraguay | Itapua | Origin and destination |
| Uruguay | Rivera | Origin and destination |
| Zimbabwe | Manicaland | Origin and destination |
| Kenya | Rift Valley | Origin and destination |
| Tanzania | Southern Highlands | Origin and destination |
| Morocco | Rif, Middle Atlas | Origin and destination |
| Turkiye | Aegean | Origin and destination |
| Argentina | Corrientes, Entre Rios | Origin and destination |
| United States | California, Florida | Destination |
| Germany | Nationwide | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Nationwide | Destination |
| France | Nationwide | Destination |
| Netherlands | Rotterdam | Destination |
| Switzerland | Nationwide | Destination |
| Japan | Nationwide | Destination |
| South Korea | Nationwide | Destination |
| Singapore | Nationwide | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Dubai, Jebel Ali | Destination |
| Canada | Nationwide | Destination |
| Mexico | Nationwide | Destination |
| Poland | Nationwide | Destination |
| Italy | Nationwide | Destination |
| Egypt | Nationwide | Destination |
| Pakistan | Nationwide | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the plant material is cut at origin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is distillation, settling, batch testing and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jun to Oct, arrival Sep to JanLeaf is cut through the warm months and distilled at plantation stills. The largest and most price setting supply. | ||||
| Australia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Mar, arrival Dec to MayBlue mallee is cut on a coppice cycle rather than a strict season, with the heaviest runs in the southern summer. | ||||
| India | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Mar to Nov, arrival Jan to AugTwo cutting periods, with distillation close to the plantation. | ||
| South Africa | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Oct to Mar, arrival Jan to JunSmithii and globulus cut through the southern warm season. | |||
| Brazil | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Sep to Jan, arrival Dec to AprDistilled alongside the pulpwood plantations. | ||||
| Portugal | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jun to Sep, arrival Aug to NovSummer cut, short voyage into the European market. | ||||||
| Spain | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jun to Sep, arrival Aug to NovSummer cut. | ||||||
| Chile | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Feb, arrival Feb to MaySouthern summer cut. | |||||
| Nepal | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Apr to Nov, arrival Jan to SepDistilled at community stills, moved out through Indian ports. | ||
| Eswatini | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Oct to Feb, arrival Jan to MayPlantation cut through the southern warm season, shipped through Durban. |
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 eucalyptus. 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 heading3301.29 Essential oils, other, including eucalyptus oil
- PackingEpoxy lined steel drums of 180 kg to 190 kg, aluminium drums or bottles for reactive oils, IBCs for volume grades. Full headspace nitrogen blanket, out of direct sun, away from heat.
- Container loading20ft: 80 drums at roughly 14 t to 15 t. Segregation applies where the oil is classified flammable.
- Contract and arbitrationSale on specification and retained sample with a GC-MS profile and an IFRA conformity certificate. EFEO and IFEAT trade customs. Arbitration under ICC rules or at the contract seat.
- Destination limitsIFRA Standards for restricted materials, EU REACH registration above one tonne per year, CLP classification and labelling given that most oils are flammable and many are sensitisers, allergen declaration under the Cosmetic Products Regulation 1223/2009, CITES for sandalwood, agarwood and rosewood oils, and IMDG class 3 shipping for flammable oils.
Common questions
What grades of eucalyptus does SIP Global trade?
We quote 51 published grades of eucalyptus, including Eucalyptus globulus - Blue gum, leaves and terminal branchlets, steam distilled, Eucalyptus polybractea - Blue mallee, steam distilled, Eucalyptus smithii - Gully gum, steam distilled, Eucalyptus radiata - Narrow leaved peppermint, steam distilled, Eucalyptus citriodora - Lemon scented gum, citronellal type and Eucalyptus dives - Peppermint gum, piperitone type. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is eucalyptus graded?
Eucalyptus oil is traded on species, cineole content and rectification. The three terms are set before any other, because a medicinal cineole oil and a perfumery phellandrene oil share a name and nothing else. Grading runs on 6 systems: Botanical source and extraction route, Physicochemical identity, Chromatographic profile, Authenticity and adulteration, Contaminants, safety and regulatory and Certification, documentation and packing.
Where does SIP Global trade eucalyptus?
We trade eucalyptus in China, Australia, India, South Africa, Eswatini, Brazil, Portugal and Spain and 28 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is eucalyptus harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are China: harvest jun to oct, arrival sep to jan; Australia: harvest oct to mar, arrival dec to may; India: harvest mar to nov, arrival jan to aug; South Africa: harvest oct to mar, arrival jan to jun; Brazil: harvest sep to jan, arrival dec to apr. 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 eucalyptus?
Eucalyptus is normally classified under HS 3301.29 (essential oils, other, including eucalyptus oil). 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 eucalyptus?
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 eucalyptus 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
- 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.