Jaggery
Jaggery, also called gur, is an unrefined non-centrifugal sugar made by boiling down freshly pressed sugarcane juice (or, in some origins, palm sap) in an open pan until it concentrates and sets, without spinning off the molasses fraction the way refined white sugar production does. It is cast into solid blocks, cones, or slabs, or worked into a soft granular or powdered form, and it retains the cane juice's natural molasses, minerals, and colour. It is consumed directly as a sweetener and confection, used in traditional cooking and beverages, and processed as a raw material for jaggery powder, syrup, and natural-sweetener products sold into ethnic-grocery and health-food channels.
Listed jaggery markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Jaggery is graded on the chemical composition of a drawn sample, principally sucrose content, reducing sugar content, and moisture, all measured on a dry-weight basis, plus impurity and mineral-residue limits.
Chemical composition grading
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sucrose contentMinimum percentage by mass, dry basis | Grade 1 minimum 80 percent. Grade 2 minimum 70 percent. |
| Reducing sugarsMaximum percentage by mass, dry basis | Grade 1 maximum 10 percent. Grade 2 maximum 20 percent. |
| Total sugar as invert sugarMinimum percentage by mass, dry basis | 90 percent for both Grade 1 and Grade 2. |
| MoistureMaximum percentage by mass | Grade 1 maximum 5 percent. Grade 2 maximum 7 percent. |
| Water insoluble matterMaximum percentage by mass, dry basis | Grade 1 maximum 1.5 percent. Grade 2 maximum 2.0 percent. |
| Sulphated ashMaximum percentage by mass, dry basis | Grade 1 maximum 3.5 percent. Grade 2 maximum 5.0 percent. |
| Ash insoluble in dilute hydrochloric acidMaximum percentage by mass, dry basis | Maximum 0.3 percent for both grades. |
| Sulphur dioxideMaximum parts per million, dry basis | Maximum 50 ppm for both grades. Absence is required where a buyer specifies unsulphured jaggery. |
| Colour and appearanceDeclared | Golden yellow to light brown, free from dirt and extraneous matter and from substances deleterious to health, sweet to taste. |
Presentation form
3 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Solid block or slabCast jaggery | The primary bulk-traded presentation, cast in open moulds and cured hard. |
| Granular or powderedWorked jaggery | Broken down mechanically or by hand into loose granules or powder after casting. |
| Liquid jaggerySyrup | Concentrated but not set, traded as a liquid sweetener. |
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 |
| Pakistan | South Asia | Origin |
| Bangladesh | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Myanmar | Southeast Asia | Origin |
| Indonesia | Southeast Asia | Origin |
| Thailand | Southeast Asia | Origin |
| Colombia | South America | Origin and destination |
| Brazil | South America | Origin |
| United States | North America | Destination |
| Canada | North America | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Destination |
| Germany | Europe | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when cane is crushed and boiled at the origin's jaggery-producing units. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is casing, curing, and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Jan to MayMaharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu crush and boil from November into March, the main cane-crushing season. | |||||
| Pakistan | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Feb, arrival Jan to AprPunjab and Sindh crush from November into February. | ||||||
| Colombia | 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 DecPanela production runs year round in the Andean cane belt with no single closed season. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Common questions
What grades of jaggery does SIP Global trade?
We quote 12 published grades of jaggery, including Sucrose content - Minimum percentage by mass, dry basis, Reducing sugars - Maximum percentage by mass, dry basis, Total sugar as invert sugar - Minimum percentage by mass, dry basis, Moisture - Maximum percentage by mass, Water insoluble matter - Maximum percentage by mass, dry basis and Sulphated ash - Maximum percentage by mass, dry basis. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is jaggery graded?
Jaggery is graded on the chemical composition of a drawn sample, principally sucrose content, reducing sugar content, and moisture, all measured on a dry-weight basis, plus impurity and mineral-residue limits. Grading runs on 2 systems: Chemical composition grading and Presentation form.
Where does SIP Global trade jaggery?
We trade jaggery in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand, Colombia and Brazil and 7 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is jaggery harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are India: harvest nov to mar, arrival jan to may; Pakistan: harvest nov to feb, arrival jan to apr; Colombia: 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.
How do I get a price for jaggery?
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 jaggery 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.
- 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.