Kokum
Kokum butter is a solid vegetable fat extracted from the dried seed kernels of Garcinia indica, a fruiting tree native to the Western Ghats and Konkan coast of India. The ripe fruit rind is separated for use as a souring agent and syrup base, and the seed kernels are dried, ground, and either hand-pressed or expeller-pressed to release the fat, which solidifies at room temperature into a brittle, ivory-to-pale-yellow butter. Its fatty acid profile is dominated by stearic and oleic acid in a symmetrical arrangement close to cocoa butter, giving it a similar melting behaviour and making it a substitute or extender for cocoa butter in confectionery and a stable, low-oxidation emollient base in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. It is used unrefined in traditional Konkani households as a cooking fat and topical balm, and refined or deodorized as an ingredient in soaps, balms, lotions, lip products, and chocolate/confectionery formulations.
Listed kokum markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
A sample is evaluated on the physical and chemical state of the pressed fat: how much free fatty acid has formed from hydrolysis of the triglycerides, how far oxidation has progressed (peroxide value), what proportion of the fat saponifies versus remains unsaponifiable matter, the iodine value as a measure of unsaturation, and the melting point/solid fat content curve that determines whether the butter behaves as a hard, brittle solid or a softer, waxier one. Microbial load, heavy metal content, and pesticide residue are measured separately where the butter is destined for cosmetic or food-ingredient use rather than bulk industrial use.
Free fatty acid / acid value
3 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| FFA-LOWLow free fatty acid | FFA at or below 1.0% as oleic acid |
| FFA-MEDModerate free fatty acid | FFA 1.0% to 5.0% as oleic acid |
| FFA-HIGHHigh free fatty acid | FFA above 5.0% as oleic acid, industrial/soap-grade only |
Peroxide value
2 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| PV-LOWLow peroxide value | 5.0 meq O2/kg or below |
| PV-HIGHElevated peroxide value | above 5.0 meq O2/kg, requires re-testing before cosmetic/food-ingredient sale |
Saponification value and unsaponifiable matter
2 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| SV-STDStandard saponification value | 185 to 195 mg KOH/g |
| UNSAP-STDStandard unsaponifiable matter | 0.1% to 1.5% by weight |
Iodine value
1 grade
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| IV-STDStandard iodine value | 34 to 45 g I2/100g |
Melting point / solid fat content
2 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| MP-HARDHard-set butter | complete melting point 36 to 42 degrees C |
| MP-SOFTSoft-set butter | complete melting point below 36 degrees C, typically from a less mature or mixed-batch kernel lot |
Microbial, heavy metal and pesticide residue screening
2 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| COSM-PASSCosmetic/food-ingredient compliant | passes destination-market (EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 or Codex/FSSAI food-grade) contaminant thresholds |
| IND-ONLYIndustrial/soap-grade only | fails one or more cosmetic/food-ingredient contaminant thresholds, saleable only into non-cosmetic, non-food industrial use |
Grades outside this list trade on request against a buyer's specific formulation or pharmacopoeia standard.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| India | Konkan coast, Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts, Maharashtra | Origin |
| India | Coastal Karnataka (Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada) | Origin |
| India | Goa | Origin |
| Germany | National | Destination |
| France | National | Destination |
| United States | National | Destination |
Locations outside this list trade on request.
Timing
Garcinia indica flowers in the Konkan winter and fruits over the following dry season; the fresh fruit is harvested and processed locally into rind and kernel products before the monsoon, after which fresh-season kernel supply lapses until the following year's harvest. Butter pressed from a given season's kernels can be sold and shipped through the rest of the year from dried-kernel or already-pressed-butter stock, so arrival timing at destination is a function of processing and shipping lead time rather than a tight harvest window.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to May, arrival May to AugFruit harvest and kernel processing runs March to May on the Konkan coast; butter pressed from fresh or held kernel stock ships through the rest of the year, with the fastest arrivals landing two to three months after a spring pressing. |
Windows outside the pattern below trade on request against a supplier's held dried-kernel or pressed-butter stock.
Common questions
What grades of kokum does SIP Global trade?
We quote 12 published grades of kokum, including FFA-LOW - Low free fatty acid, FFA-MED - Moderate free fatty acid, FFA-HIGH - High free fatty acid, PV-LOW - Low peroxide value, PV-HIGH - Elevated peroxide value and SV-STD - Standard saponification value. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is kokum graded?
A sample is evaluated on the physical and chemical state of the pressed fat: how much free fatty acid has formed from hydrolysis of the triglycerides, how far oxidation has progressed (peroxide value), what proportion of the fat saponifies versus remains unsaponifiable matter, the iodine value as a measure of unsaturation, and the melting point/solid fat content curve that determines whether the butter behaves as a hard, brittle solid or a softer, waxier one. Microbial load, heavy metal content, and pesticide residue are measured separately where the butter is destined for cosmetic or food-ingredient use rather than bulk industrial use. Grading runs on 6 systems: Free fatty acid / acid value, Peroxide value, Saponification value and unsaponifiable matter, Iodine value, Melting point / solid fat content and Microbial, heavy metal and pesticide residue screening.
Where does SIP Global trade kokum?
We trade kokum in India, India, India, Germany, France and United States. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is kokum harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are India: harvest mar to may, arrival may to aug. 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.
How do I get a price for kokum?
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 kokum 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.