Muscovado
Muscovado (also spelled mascobado or muscovado sugar) is a whole, non-centrifugal cane sugar produced by boiling fresh sugarcane juice down and drying and cooling it without spinning it in a centrifuge to strip off the molasses. It retains the full mineral and molasses content of the cane juice, giving it a moist texture, strong caramel/molasses flavour and dark to light brown colour depending on boil time and cooling method. It is distinct from centrifugal raw or refined sugar (which has the molasses spun off) and from other whole cane sugar forms such as panela/piloncillo (poured and set into solid blocks or cones) and jaggery (a related whole cane or palm sugar tradition mainly associated with South Asia); muscovado is characteristically produced and sold as a loose granular or powder-form sugar. It is used directly as a specialty table and baking sugar and as a bulk ingredient in food and beverage manufacturing.
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Listed muscovado markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Price guarantee on muscovado
If a move in the muscovado price would hurt you, fix the price now. We agree it today for the months you name, and it holds whatever the market does in between.
| Buying | You use or resell muscovado and need to know your cost. We fix your purchase price for the quantity and months you name. |
|---|---|
| Selling | You grow, produce or hold muscovado and need to know your revenue. We fix your sale price ahead of production or shipment. |
| Settlement | Against delivery of the muscovado. |
A price is fixed only once a trader confirms it in writing. Ask the desk for a fixed price.
Caps and floors on muscovado
A fixed price binds buyer and seller. A cap or a floor is a guaranteed price on one side only. You pay a fee up front for it, and it is a right, not an obligation: you use it only if the market moves against you.
| Cap | For buyers. A guaranteed maximum price for muscovado. If the market is above the cap when you buy, you pay the cap. If it is below, you buy at the market price and let the cap lapse. |
|---|---|
| Floor | For sellers. A guaranteed minimum price for muscovado. If the market is below the floor when you sell, you receive the floor. If it is above, you sell at the market price and let the floor lapse. |
| Fee | Agreed and paid up front. It is the whole cost of the cap or floor, and it is not refunded if the cap or floor goes unused. |
A cap or a floor is in place only once a trader confirms it in writing. Ask the desk for a cap or a floor.
Grades
The Philippine National Standard PNS/BAFS 144:2015 (Muscovado Sugar, Product Standard, Specifications), issued by the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards, sets physical-chemical grading criteria for muscovado sugar including polarization (sucrose purity), moisture content, ash content and reducing-sugar content, with a companion code of practice PNS/BAFS 145:2015 covering production and handling. In practice, most small artisanal mill (sentral) output at origin is bought and sold by trader-eye judgment of colour, moisture feel and granule consistency rather than against a lab-tested PNS/BAFS 144:2015 certificate; an independently drawn and lab-tested sample against this standard is the verification step generally missing between the sentral and the export buyer today.
Polarization (sucrose purity)
1 grade
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Powder muscovadoMuscovado sugar, powder form | Minimum polarization figure reported in secondary sourcing as 77 to 86 degrees Z for muscovado powder under PNS/BAFS 144:2015; not independently verified against the primary standard text this session, flagged must-verify before contract use. |
Trader-eye sorting (informal origin practice)
1 grade
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Trader-sortedFarmgate/trader-sorted lot, no lab certificate | Sold and priced on the trader's visual and tactile assessment alone; carries no independent verification of polarization, moisture, ash or reducing-sugar content unless a buyer commissions its own sampling and lab test. |
The full grade ladder and numeric thresholds inside PNS/BAFS 144:2015 beyond the polarization figure below were not independently confirmed line-by-line this session; treat any additional figures as needing verification against the published standard (available through the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards / Bureau of Philippine Standards) before writing them into a contract. Grades outside this note trade on request; send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| Philippines | Southeast Asia | Origin |
| United States | North America | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Destination |
| Japan | East Asia | Destination |
| South Korea | East Asia | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when sugarcane is cut and milled fresh at the sentral (small mill). Arrival is when a shipment from Philippine origin typically lands in a consuming market, after inspection and ocean freight.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philippines | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Apr, arrival Jan to JunThe Philippine sugarcane milling season (the 'milling crop year') runs roughly November through April/May, with muscovado sentrals operating alongside centrifugal sugar centrals during the same cane-harvest window; cane must be milled within about 16 hours of cutting for juice quality, so muscovado output is tied tightly to the harvest window rather than traded off stored cane. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Common questions
What grades of muscovado does SIP Global trade?
We quote 2 published grades of muscovado, including Powder muscovado - Muscovado sugar, powder form and Trader-sorted - Farmgate/trader-sorted lot, no lab certificate. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is muscovado graded?
The Philippine National Standard PNS/BAFS 144:2015 (Muscovado Sugar, Product Standard, Specifications), issued by the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards, sets physical-chemical grading criteria for muscovado sugar including polarization (sucrose purity), moisture content, ash content and reducing-sugar content, with a companion code of practice PNS/BAFS 145:2015 covering production and handling. In practice, most small artisanal mill (sentral) output at origin is bought and sold by trader-eye judgment of colour, moisture feel and granule consistency rather than against a lab-tested PNS/BAFS 144:2015 certificate; an independently drawn and lab-tested sample against this standard is the verification step generally missing between the sentral and the export buyer today. Grading runs on 2 systems: Polarization (sucrose purity) and Trader-eye sorting (informal origin practice).
Where does SIP Global trade muscovado?
We trade muscovado in Philippines, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan and South Korea. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is muscovado harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Philippines: harvest nov to apr, arrival jan to jun. 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.
Can I fix a muscovado price ahead?
Yes. SIP Global fixes a muscovado price ahead for buyers and for sellers, as a price guarantee. Send the grade, the quantity and the months you need covered. We settle against delivery, and a price is fixed only once a trader confirms it in writing.
How do I get a price for muscovado?
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. 4 listed muscovado markets are published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We buy and sell the physical cargo, 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 Comtrade (opens in new tab)Official international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade Map (opens in new tab)Bilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTAT (opens in new tab)FAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities