Lemongrass
Lemongrass oil is the volatile oil distilled from the leaves of Cymbopogon grasses, dominated by citral, the combined aldehydes geranial and neral. It is used as a lemon note in household and personal care fragrance, in soaps and detergents where a strong cheap citrus lift is wanted, in flavour work, in insect repellent formulations, and above all as the industrial starting material for citral, from which ionones, vitamin A and a large part of the synthetic aroma chemical chain are built.
Listed lemongrass markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Lemongrass is traded on species and on citral content. The citral figure is the price, and it is read as the sum of geranial and neral on a named column.
Botanical source and extraction route
12 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Cymbopogon flexuosus, East Indian lemongrassLeaves, steam distilled | The ISO product standard article and the reference for the trade. |
| Cymbopogon citratus, West Indian lemongrassLeaves, steam distilled | A separate article with a lower citral ceiling and a different minor profile. |
| Citral content declared on the contractPercentage as the sum of geranial and neral, stated as a floor | The commercial term. Seventy five and eighty percent floors are the common bands. |
| 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. |
| HydrodistilledDistilled with the material immersed in water | Gives a different profile from steam on the same botanical, so the route is named, never assumed. |
| 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. |
| Citral fractionated or isolatedDeclared, with the purity | A derived article, priced off the oil but contracted separately. |
| Supercritical carbon dioxide extractExtracted with carbon dioxide at a stated pressure and temperature | A separate article with its own profile. It is not interchangeable with the distilled oil. |
| 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. |
| Cut number within the seasonDeclared | First and later cuts from the same field differ in citral and in yield. |
| 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
8 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. |
| Ester valueRange, by ISO 709 | Sets the sweet fraction in oils where esters carry the odour. |
| 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
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Citral, sum of geranial and neralPercentage of total peak area, floor stated | The contract figure. Both isomers are reported separately as well as summed. |
| Geranial, citral aPercentage of total peak area | Reported separately, because the ratio to neral is an authenticity check. |
| Neral, citral bPercentage of total peak area | As above. |
| GeraniolPercentage of total peak area, range | Present naturally and rises with age as citral degrades. |
| Geranyl acetatePercentage of total peak area, range | Reported. |
| MyrcenePercentage of total peak area, range | A natural companion that a synthetic citral blend will not carry in the right proportion. |
| LimonenePercentage of total peak area, range | Reported. |
| MethylheptenonePercentage of total peak area, maximum | A degradation marker. It rises as the oil ages and oxidises. |
| Full profile against the reference batchEvery peak accounted for | The trace is the specification. |
Authenticity and adulteration
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Synthetic citral additionNil, declared | Lemongrass is one of the most heavily adulterated oils in the trade because synthetic citral is cheap and abundant. Detected on the isomer ratio, on the minor profile and on isotope analysis. |
| Litsea cubeba oil substitutionNil, declared | Another high citral oil used as a cut. It carries its own minor markers and the full profile shows it. |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| India | Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Northeast | Origin and destination |
| Guatemala | Suchitepequez, Escuintla | Origin and destination |
| China | Yunnan, Guangdong, Hainan | Origin and destination |
| Nepal | Terai, mid hills | Origin and destination |
| Indonesia | Java, Sumatra | Origin and destination |
| Vietnam | Central Highlands, Mekong Delta | Origin and destination |
| Thailand | Central plain, Northeast | Origin and destination |
| Sri Lanka | Southern, Sabaragamuwa | Origin and destination |
| Brazil | Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo | Origin and destination |
| Paraguay | Itapua, Alto Parana | Origin and destination |
| Madagascar | Eastern coast | Origin and destination |
| Kenya | Rift Valley, Coast | Origin and destination |
| Tanzania | Tanga, Morogoro | Origin and destination |
| Uganda | Central | Origin and destination |
| Rwanda | Nationwide | Origin and destination |
| Malawi | Southern | Origin and destination |
| Haiti | Sud, Ouest | Origin and destination |
| Honduras | Comayagua | Origin and destination |
| Mexico | Veracruz, Chiapas | Origin and destination |
| Colombia | Valle del Cauca | Origin and destination |
| Philippines | Luzon, Mindanao | Origin and destination |
| Bangladesh | Chittagong Hill Tracts | Origin and destination |
| Nigeria | Southwest | Origin and destination |
| Ghana | Ashanti | Origin and destination |
| United States | Nationwide | Destination |
| Germany | Nationwide | Destination |
| France | Grasse | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Nationwide | Destination |
| Netherlands | Rotterdam | Destination |
| Switzerland | Nationwide | Destination |
| Japan | Nationwide | Destination |
| South Korea | Nationwide | Destination |
| Singapore | Nationwide | Destination |
| Spain | Nationwide | Destination |
| Turkiye | Nationwide | 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Harvest Mar to Nov, arrival Jun to FebMultiple cuts a year on irrigated stands, distilled at field stills. The largest single origin. |
| Guatemala | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Feb to Dec, arrival Jan to JunCut through the dry season, when citral runs highest. | ||||
| China | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jun to Oct, arrival Sep to JanWarm season cutting in the south. | ||||
| Nepal | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Harvest May to Nov, arrival Aug to FebTwo cuts a year, distilled at community stills. | |||
| Indonesia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecNear continuous cutting on the equator, which makes Indonesia the balancing supply when a seasonal origin is short. |
| Vietnam | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Apr to Nov, arrival Jan to SepTwo main cuts. | ||
| Brazil | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Oct to Mar, arrival Jan to JunSouthern warm season cutting. | |||
| Madagascar | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Mar to Nov, arrival Jan to AugCut around the rains, shipped through Toamasina. | ||
| Paraguay | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Feb to JunSouthern warm season, moved out through the Parana river ports. | ||||
| Kenya | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Harvest Feb to Oct, arrival May to JanCut in the drier windows either side of the rains. | ||
| Thailand | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Mar to Dec, arrival Feb to AugDry season cutting. | |||
| Haiti | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Mar to Dec, arrival Jan to JulCut on smallholder plots and distilled locally. |
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 lemongrass. 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 lemongrass 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 lemongrass does SIP Global trade?
We quote 53 published grades of lemongrass, including Cymbopogon flexuosus, East Indian lemongrass - Leaves, steam distilled, Cymbopogon citratus, West Indian lemongrass - Leaves, steam distilled, Citral content declared on the contract - Percentage as the sum of geranial and neral, stated as a floor, Steam distilled - Distilled in steam from the named plant part, with the charge and the run time declared, Hydrodistilled - Distilled with the material immersed in water and Rectified or redistilled - Fractionated after the first distillation to a stated marker content. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is lemongrass graded?
Lemongrass is traded on species and on citral content. The citral figure is the price, and it is read as the sum of geranial and neral on a named column. 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 lemongrass?
We trade lemongrass in India, Guatemala, China, Nepal, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and Sri Lanka and 28 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is lemongrass harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are India: harvest mar to nov, arrival jun to feb; Guatemala: harvest feb to dec, arrival jan to jun; China: harvest jun to oct, arrival sep to jan; Nepal: harvest may to nov, arrival aug to feb; Indonesia: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan 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 lemongrass?
Lemongrass is normally classified under HS 3301.29 (essential oils, other, including lemongrass 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 lemongrass?
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 lemongrass 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.