Vetiver
Vetiver oil is the volatile oil distilled from the washed and dried roots of the grass Vetiveria zizanioides. Its deep, earthy, smoky, woody odour and its very high fixative power make it a base note in a large share of fine fragrance, particularly in masculine and chypre construction, and it is used in soap and personal care, in traditional medicine and in the production of vetiverol and vetiveryl acetate for further perfumery work. The grass itself is planted worldwide for soil stabilisation, which is why root supply and root price move with agronomy as much as with fragrance demand.
Listed vetiver markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Vetiver is traded on origin, on root age and on distillation route. Origin is not provenance colour here: Haitian, Javanese, Indian and Reunion oils are recognisably different articles and they are contracted separately.
Botanical source and extraction route
13 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Vetiveria zizanioides, also cited as Chrysopogon zizanioidesWashed, dried and chopped roots, steam distilled | The ISO product standard article. The botanical synonym is written on the contract so that a document check does not stall a shipment. |
| Haiti typeDistilled in Haiti, root age declared | A lighter, cleaner profile. The largest single origin in world trade. |
| Java typeDistilled in Indonesia, root age declared | A heavier, smokier profile, distinct in both odour and chromatogram. |
| Bourbon type, ReunionDistilled on Reunion, root age declared | The classical fine fragrance reference, in very small volume. |
| India type, khusDistilled in India, wild or cultivated root declared | Wild north Indian khus is a separate and highly valued article, traditionally distilled into sandalwood oil as well as neat. |
| Root age at harvestDeclared, in months | The single largest quality driver. Older roots give heavier, rounder oil and a higher yield of the valued sesquiterpenoids. |
| Root washing and dryingDeclared, with the method | Soil left on the root distils into the oil as an earthy off note. It is a specification, not a housekeeping detail. |
| 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. |
| Vetiveryl acetateDeclared, with the acetylation route and the ester value | A derived article, contracted separately from the oil. |
| 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. |
| 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
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| KhusimolPercentage of total peak area, range | Usually the largest single constituent and a principal odour carrier. |
| IsovalencenolPercentage of total peak area, range | Reported. |
| VetiselinenolPercentage of total peak area, range | Named in the product standard. |
| alpha-vetivone and beta-vetivonePercentage of total peak area, range | The ketones that carry much of the characteristic odour. Their level is a principal origin marker. |
| KhusimonePercentage of total peak area | Present in traces and highly odour active. |
| Zizanoic and isovalencenic acidsPercentage of total peak area, range | Reported. |
| Total alcohols, vetiverolPercentage, range | Read alongside the chromatogram, because it is the fraction that acetylation acts on. |
| Full profile against the reference batchEvery peak accounted for | Vetiver is a very complex sesquiterpene trace. The whole pattern, not two markers, identifies the origin and the article. |
Authenticity and adulteration
10 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Cross origin blendingNil, declared | Java into Haiti and back again. Detected on the vetivone pattern and on the full trace. |
| Gurjun, copaiba and amyris additionNil, declared | Cheap sesquiterpene oils used to extend the article. |
| Spent root and second run oilDeclared | Oil from a re-distilled charge is a lower article and it is named. |
| Vetiveryl acetate back blended into the oilNil, declared | Read on the ester value against the chromatogram. |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Haiti | Sud, Les Cayes, Grand Anse | Origin and destination |
| Indonesia | West Java, Garut | Origin and destination |
| India | Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala | Origin and destination |
| Reunion | Nationwide | Origin and destination |
| Madagascar | Eastern, Highlands | Origin and destination |
| China | Guangdong, Hainan, Sichuan | Origin and destination |
| Brazil | Bahia, Pernambuco | Origin and destination |
| El Salvador | Nationwide | Origin and destination |
| Guatemala | Escuintla | Origin and destination |
| Sri Lanka | Central | Origin and destination |
| Philippines | Luzon | Origin and destination |
| Thailand | Northeast | Origin and destination |
| Vietnam | Central | Origin and destination |
| Malaysia | Peninsular | Origin and destination |
| Comoros | Anjouan | Origin and destination |
| Mauritius | Nationwide | Origin and destination |
| Nigeria | Southwest | Origin and destination |
| Ivory Coast | Southern | Origin and destination |
| Kenya | Coast | Origin and destination |
| Rwanda | Nationwide | Origin and destination |
| France | Grasse | Destination |
| United States | New Jersey, California | Destination |
| Switzerland | Nationwide | Destination |
| Germany | Nationwide | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Nationwide | Destination |
| Netherlands | Nationwide | Destination |
| Spain | Nationwide | Destination |
| Italy | Nationwide | Destination |
| Japan | Nationwide | Destination |
| South Korea | Nationwide | Destination |
| Singapore | Nationwide | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Dubai | Destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Nationwide | Destination |
| Turkiye | Nationwide | Destination |
| Mexico | Nationwide | Destination |
| Poland | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haiti | 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 DecRoots are dug year round on smallholder plots, with heavier lifting in the drier months. Haiti is the price setting origin. |
| Indonesia | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Oct, arrival Jul to JanGarut lifts roots mainly in the drier months, with distillation at village stills. | ||
| India | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Apr, arrival Feb to JulRoots are lifted after the monsoon, when the ground works and the root is mature. | |||
| Madagascar | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest May to Oct, arrival Aug to JanDry season lifting, shipped through Toamasina. | |||
| China | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Oct to Feb, arrival Jan to MayCool season lifting in the south. | ||||
| Brazil | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest May to Sep, arrival Jul to NovDry season lifting in the northeast. | |||||
| El Salvador | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Jan to MayDry season lifting. | |||||
| Reunion | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jun to Sep, arrival Aug to NovA very small dry season campaign, contracted ahead. | ||||||
| Sri Lanka | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jan to Aug, arrival Apr to NovLifted in the drier windows. | ||
| Thailand | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Feb to JunDry season lifting on soil conservation plantings. |
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 vetiver. 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 vetiver 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 vetiver does SIP Global trade?
We quote 55 published grades of vetiver, including Vetiveria zizanioides, also cited as Chrysopogon zizanioides - Washed, dried and chopped roots, steam distilled, Haiti type - Distilled in Haiti, root age declared, Java type - Distilled in Indonesia, root age declared, Bourbon type, Reunion - Distilled on Reunion, root age declared, India type, khus - Distilled in India, wild or cultivated root declared and Root age at harvest - Declared, in months. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is vetiver graded?
Vetiver is traded on origin, on root age and on distillation route. Origin is not provenance colour here: Haitian, Javanese, Indian and Reunion oils are recognisably different articles and they are contracted separately. 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 vetiver?
We trade vetiver in Haiti, Indonesia, India, Reunion, Madagascar, China, Brazil and El Salvador and 28 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is vetiver harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Haiti: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Indonesia: harvest apr to oct, arrival jul to jan; India: harvest nov to apr, arrival feb to jul; Madagascar: harvest may to oct, arrival aug to jan; China: harvest oct to feb, arrival jan to may. 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 vetiver?
Vetiver is normally classified under HS 3301.29 (essential oils, other, including vetiver 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 vetiver?
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 vetiver 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
- 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.