Murumuru
Murumuru butter is a solid, off-white to pale-yellow fat pressed from the kernel of the seed of Astrocaryum murumuru, a spiny palm native to Amazon floodplain (varzea) forest. The kernel is roughly 45 to 55 percent oil by weight, rich in lauric and myristic acid, giving the pressed butter a hard, high-melting-point texture close to babassu or coconut butter, used mainly in cosmetics (hair and skin conditioning agents, lip balms, soap) rather than as a food fat. Seeds are collected from fallen fruit by extractivist families along the Juruá, Amazonas and other Amazon tributaries, then processed by hand-press or small mechanical press at community or cooperative level, or by a larger urban processor after the raw kernel is sold on. There is no international grading standard; extraction route, free-fatty-acid level and colour carry the quality signal.
Listed murumuru markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Murumuru butter has no codified international grade standard. Quality is assessed on free-fatty-acid (FFA) level, saponification value, iodine value, peroxide value and moisture/volatile content, measured against the general vegetable-fat reference ranges used by cosmetic-ingredient buyers, plus a visual/organoleptic check on colour and odour, and increasingly an organic and Fair Trade/Fair for Life certification status where the buyer requires it.
Free fatty acid (FFA) content
2 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Low FFAFresh-pressed, well-handled lot | Typically quoted under 5 percent FFA in cosmetic-grade vegetable butters; the exact contract ceiling is set by the buyer. |
| Elevated FFADelayed-pressing or poorly stored lot | FFA above the buyer's ceiling; repriced or rejected as off-spec. |
Saponification value and iodine value
1 grade
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| In-rangeValues consistent with genuine Astrocaryum murumuru kernel fat | Checked against the buyer's reference range for murumuru butter; out-of-range values flag possible blending or mis-identification. |
Moisture and peroxide value
1 grade
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Fresh, low-peroxideRecently pressed, properly stored lot | Low peroxide value and low moisture; buyer sets the contract ceiling for each. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | South America | Origin |
| United States | North America | Destination |
| Canada | North America | Destination |
| Germany | Europe | Destination |
| France | Europe | Destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the fallen ripe fruit is collected and processed at origin into pressed butter. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market, after pressing, packing and the ocean or air voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 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 DecAmazonas floodplain forest, principal origin; fruit fall and collection run year-round with no single defined harvest season, though extractivist labour and river-water levels shift collection intensity seasonally along the Medio Jurua. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Common questions
What grades of murumuru does SIP Global trade?
We quote 4 published grades of murumuru, including Low FFA - Fresh-pressed, well-handled lot, Elevated FFA - Delayed-pressing or poorly stored lot, In-range - Values consistent with genuine Astrocaryum murumuru kernel fat and Fresh, low-peroxide - Recently pressed, properly stored lot. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is murumuru graded?
Murumuru butter has no codified international grade standard. Quality is assessed on free-fatty-acid (FFA) level, saponification value, iodine value, peroxide value and moisture/volatile content, measured against the general vegetable-fat reference ranges used by cosmetic-ingredient buyers, plus a visual/organoleptic check on colour and odour, and increasingly an organic and Fair Trade/Fair for Life certification status where the buyer requires it. Grading runs on 3 systems: Free fatty acid (FFA) content, Saponification value and iodine value and Moisture and peroxide value.
Where does SIP Global trade murumuru?
We trade murumuru in Brazil, United States, Canada, Germany, France and Netherlands. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is murumuru harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Brazil: 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 murumuru?
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 murumuru 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.