SIP Markets Tree Nuts & Kernels Contact desk

Pili

PILITree Nuts & Kernels4 listed markets

Pili is the kernel of the fruit of Canarium ovatum, a large tree in the Burseraceae family (the same family as frankincense and myrrh trees) native to the Philippines. The fruit has a thin purplish-black skin over an oily pulp surrounding a hard stony shell, inside which sits a single almond-shaped kernel covered by a thin papery seedcoat. The shelled, dried kernel is eaten raw, roasted, or candied, and is also pressed for a culinary and cosmetic oil; the fruit pulp itself is separately eaten as a cooked vegetable in Philippine cuisine.

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Listed pili markets

Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.

Price guarantee on pili

If a move in the pili 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.

BuyingYou use or resell pili and need to know your cost. We fix your purchase price for the quantity and months you name.
SellingYou grow, produce or hold pili and need to know your revenue. We fix your sale price ahead of production or shipment.
SettlementAgainst delivery of the pili.

A price is fixed only once a trader confirms it in writing. Ask the desk for a fixed price.

Caps and floors on pili

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.

CapFor buyers. A guaranteed maximum price for pili. 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.
FloorFor sellers. A guaranteed minimum price for pili. 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.
FeeAgreed 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

Grading is a physical inspection of a dried, shelled kernel sample: whole-kernel ratio by count or weight, moisture content by weight, and weight per kernel (used to derive an estimated kernel count per kilogram), each measured against fixed thresholds.

Pili nuts standard

4 grades

Philippine National Standard PNS/BAFPS 34:2005, Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards, Department of AgricultureWhole-kernel ratio (% by count), moisture content (% by weight), weight per kernel (grams, translated to an estimated kernel count per kilogram)

GradeDefinition
EXTRAExtra classSuperior quality; whole kernel with testa intact; no shriveled kernels; uniform in size, shape and colour; free from defects except very slight superficial ones; moisture 3-5%; weight over 3.5g/kernel (approximately 285 or fewer kernels/kg); weight tolerance 5%
CLASS1Class IGood quality, not less than 90% whole kernels; moisture 3-5%; weight 2.6-3.4g/kernel (approximately 290-380 kernels/kg); weight tolerance 10%
CLASS2Class IIFree from insect and pest damage, not less than 85% whole kernels; moisture 3-5%; weight 2.0-2.5g/kernel (approximately 400-520 kernels/kg); weight tolerance 10%
CLASS3Class IIIPractically free from insect and pest damage, not less than 80% whole kernels; moisture 3-5%; weight under 2.0g/kernel (approximately 520 or more kernels/kg); weight tolerance 15%

Lots outside this standard's four classes trade on request.

Locations

CountryRegionWe trade it as
PhilippinesBicol Region (Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon)Origin
United StatesNationalDestination
United KingdomNationalDestination
NetherlandsNationalDestination
South KoreaNationalDestination

Locations outside this list trade on request.

Timing

Pili fruit ripens on the tree and is either hand-picked or collected after natural fall, then depulped, sun- or kiln-dried in shell, and cracked to yield the kernel; harvest month reflects fruit ripening, arrival month reflects when the dried, shelled, export-ready kernel lot reaches a buyer.

HarvestArrival

OriginJFMAMJJASONDWindow
PhilippinesHarvestHarvestHarvest and arrivalHarvest and arrivalArrivalArrivalHarvest Jul to Oct, arrival Sep to DecBicol region: main fruiting season is July through October, with depulping, drying and shelling lagging fresh-fruit collection by several weeks before an export-ready kernel lot is aggregated.

Windows outside the pattern below trade on request.

Common questions

What grades of pili does SIP Global trade?

We quote 4 published grades of pili, including EXTRA - Extra class, CLASS1 - Class I, CLASS2 - Class II and CLASS3 - Class III. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.

How is pili graded?

Grading is a physical inspection of a dried, shelled kernel sample: whole-kernel ratio by count or weight, moisture content by weight, and weight per kernel (used to derive an estimated kernel count per kilogram), each measured against fixed thresholds. Grading runs on 1 system: Pili nuts standard.

Where does SIP Global trade pili?

We trade pili in Philippines, United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands and South Korea. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.

When is pili harvested and when does it arrive?

Typical windows are Philippines: harvest jul to oct, arrival sep 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.

Can I fix a pili price ahead?

Yes. SIP Global fixes a pili 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 pili?

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 pili 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.