Turmeric
Turmeric is the dried rhizome of Curcuma longa, a herbaceous perennial of the ginger family grown across the monsoon tropics. The rhizome is lifted, boiled or steamed, dried until hard and then polished, and is traded whole as fingers and bulbs or milled to powder. It is a staple colouring and flavouring ingredient in South and Southeast Asian cooking, a natural yellow colourant in prepared foods, mustard and beverages, a dye for textiles, and the raw material for curcumin extracts used in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical trade.
Listed turmeric markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Turmeric is graded on curcumin content, on whether the material is fingers, bulbs or powder, and on cleanliness against the ASTA specification.
Rhizome form and physical condition
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| FingersLateral rhizomes, whole and cured | The primary traded presentation. Longer, harder and higher in curcumin than bulbs. |
| Bulbs, also called roundsCentral mother rhizome | Traded separately. Larger, softer, generally lower in curcumin. |
| Finger lengthMillimetres, or count per stated mass | Contracted where a buyer specifies visual uniformity. |
| Broken and splitsMaximum percentage by mass | Weighed after hand separation. |
| Bulk densityGrams per litre | A weighed volume poured into a standard measure. |
| ColourCIELAB coordinates on a stated instrument, or against a sealed sample | Contracted objectively rather than by eye where the buyer is using turmeric as a colourant. |
| Polished or unpolishedDeclared | Polishing removes the outer scale. Unpolished material is required by some organic and traditional buyers. |
| Extraneous matterMaximum percentage by mass | Determined per ISO 927. |
| Powder meshSieve aperture, with the sieve analysis reported | Named on the contract where the lot is milled. |
Analytical requirements
11 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Curcuminoid contentMinimum percentage by mass | Determined by spectrophotometry or high performance liquid chromatography. The sum of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. The primary commercial measure. |
| Curcumin, single compoundPercentage by mass | Determined by high performance liquid chromatography where a buyer contracts on the principal curcuminoid alone. |
| Volatile oilMinimum millilitres per 100 grams | Determined by ISO 6571. |
| MoistureMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by ISO 939. |
| Total ashMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by ISO 928. |
| Acid insoluble ashMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by ISO 930. The check on soil and sand carried in from the field. |
| Lead chromate and synthetic dyeAbsence, by chromatography | A recognised adulteration route for this commodity, so it is tested explicitly and contracted as absent. |
| Starch adulterationDetected by microscopy and marker analysis | A check on foreign starch added to milled material. |
| Lead and heavy metalsMilligrams per kilogram | Tested against destination market limits. |
| Pesticide residuesMilligrams per kilogram | Tested against destination market maximum residue limits. |
| Microbiological limitsColony forming units per gram, and absence of Salmonella in a stated mass | Contracted to destination market limits. |
ASTA cleanliness specifications
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Whole insects, deadCount per stated sample mass | Counted after sieving and inspection. |
| Excreta, mammalianMilligrams per stated sample mass | Determined by flotation and microscopy. |
| Excreta, otherMilligrams per stated sample mass | Determined by flotation and microscopy. |
| MouldPercentage by mass | Visibly mouldy pieces, weighed after separation. |
| Insect defiled or infestedPercentage by mass | Pieces showing insect damage, weighed after separation. |
| Extraneous foreign matterPercentage by mass | Stones, dirt, wire, string and any plant material other than the named spice. |
| TreatmentDeclared | Steam sterilised, ethylene oxide treated, irradiated or untreated. Declared on the contract, because destination markets differ on what they permit. |
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 | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Bangladesh | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Myanmar | Southeast Asia | Origin |
| Indonesia | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Vietnam | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Thailand | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| China | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| Nepal | South Asia | Origin |
| Sri Lanka | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Pakistan | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Nigeria | Africa | Origin |
| Ethiopia | Africa | Origin |
| Madagascar | Africa | Origin |
| Peru | South America | Origin |
| Brazil | South America | Origin and destination |
| Colombia | South America | Origin |
| Costa Rica | Central America | Origin |
| Honduras | Central America | Origin |
| Jamaica | Caribbean | Origin |
| Fiji | Oceania | Origin |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | Destination |
| Iran | Middle East | Destination |
| Turkiye | Middle East | Destination |
| Morocco | Africa | Destination |
| South Africa | Africa | Destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Destination |
| Germany | Europe | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Destination |
| France | Europe | Destination |
| Spain | Europe | Destination |
| Poland | Europe | Destination |
| United States | North America | Destination |
| Canada | North America | Destination |
| Mexico | North America | Destination |
| Japan | East Asia | Destination |
| South Korea | East Asia | Destination |
| Australia | Oceania | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jan to Apr, arrival Mar to JunTelangana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh lift from January into April after the monsoon crop. | ||||||
| Bangladesh | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest Dec to Mar, arrival Feb to MayLifted from December into March. | ||||||
| Myanmar | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest Dec to Feb, arrival Feb to AprLifted from December to February. | |||||||
| Vietnam | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Feb, arrival Jan to AprLifted from November into February. | ||||||
| Indonesia | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jun to Sep, arrival Aug to NovLifted mid year. | ||||||
| China | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Jan, arrival Jan to MarSichuan, Yunnan and Guangxi lift from November to January. | |||||||
| Peru | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest May to Aug, arrival Aug to NovLifted from May to August in the Amazon basin. | |||||
| Nigeria | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Feb, arrival Jan to AprLifted from November into February. |
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 turmeric. 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 heading0910.30 Turmeric (curcuma)
- PackingJute or PP woven bags of 25 kg to 50 kg for whole spice, multiwall paper sacks for ground, and foil-lined or vacuum cartons for volatile and high value grades. Food grade liner, fumigation or steam sterilisation certificate where the destination requires it.
- Container loading20ft: 12 t to 18 t depending on bulk density. 40ft is normally volume limited before it reaches its weight limit. Ground and low density spice ships light and prices on cubic, not tonnage.
- Contract and arbitrationASTA cleanliness specifications for United States trade on Association of Food Industries contracts with AFI arbitration in New York. European trade on European Spice Association quality minima and the terms of the importing association, arbitration under ICC rules or the seat named in the contract.
- Destination limitsEU: aflatoxin B1 and total limits under Regulation 2023/915, ochratoxin A limits, pesticide MRLs under Regulation 396/2005, and Salmonella absence in 25 g. Ethylene oxide is not authorised in the EU and remains the most common rejection cause on spice. US: FDA FSMA preventive controls and ASTA cleanliness, with standing import alerts for Salmonella on several origins.
Common questions
What grades of turmeric does SIP Global trade?
We quote 27 published grades of turmeric, including Fingers - Lateral rhizomes, whole and cured, Bulbs, also called rounds - Central mother rhizome, Finger length - Millimetres, or count per stated mass, Broken and splits - Maximum percentage by mass, Bulk density - Grams per litre and Colour - CIELAB coordinates on a stated instrument, or against a sealed sample. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is turmeric graded?
Turmeric is graded on curcumin content, on whether the material is fingers, bulbs or powder, and on cleanliness against the ASTA specification. Grading runs on 3 systems: Rhizome form and physical condition, Analytical requirements and ASTA cleanliness specifications.
Where does SIP Global trade turmeric?
We trade turmeric in India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, China and Nepal and 30 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is turmeric harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are India: harvest jan to apr, arrival mar to jun; Bangladesh: harvest dec to mar, arrival feb to may; Myanmar: harvest dec to feb, arrival feb to apr; Vietnam: harvest nov to feb, arrival jan to apr; Indonesia: harvest jun to sep, arrival aug to nov. 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 turmeric?
Turmeric is normally classified under HS 0910.30 (turmeric (curcuma)). 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 turmeric?
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. 2 listed turmeric markets are 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
- ASTAAmerican Spice Trade Association cleanliness specifications
- 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.