Fatty acids: Movement
Half of all fatty acids cross a border
What this tab covers How it moves between countries: share of output traded, physical form and transport, the largest exporters and importers, main routes, India's trade, and handling rules in transit.Trade in 2024 UN Comtrade, HS 382311
World exports $1.43 bn 71 reporting exporters · about 884k t Largest exporter Indonesia 47.3% of world exports Largest importer China 19% of world imports India imports $57.1 mexports $4.36 m #8 importer · #11 exporter
Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024
Chart: World map of the largest trade flows
Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, HS 382311: shares of reported world exports and imports by value. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.HS 382311: largest exporters
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 47.3% | $673.9 m | 660k |
| Malaysia | 29% | $413.1 m | – |
| Netherlands | 7.1% | $101.4 m | 67k |
| Germany | 3.1% | $44.8 m | 28k |
| Sweden | 3% | $42.5 m | 30k |
| China | 2.7% | $38.6 m | 33k |
| United States | 2.5% | $35.8 m | 21k |
| Italy | 2.3% | $32.5 m | 22k |
HS 382311: largest importers
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 19% | $260.8 m | 244k |
| Netherlands | 8.1% | $111.6 m | 86k |
| Germany | 7.1% | $97.0 m | 67k |
| Malaysia | 6.2% | $85.2 m | 252k |
| Türkiye | 6.2% | $85.1 m | 65k |
| South Korea | 5.9% | $81.2 m | 75k |
| United States | 5.8% | $79.5 m | 62k |
| India | 4.2% | $57.1 m | 51k |
HS 382319: largest exporters
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 42.7% | $2.93 bn | 3.24 m |
| Malaysia | 22.6% | $1.55 bn | – |
| Netherlands | 9.1% | $625.9 m | 462k |
| India | 4.2% | $290.3 m | 183k |
| Germany | 3.3% | $228.9 m | 147k |
| Belgium | 3.3% | $228.1 m | 157k |
| Spain | 2.3% | $158.0 m | 104k |
| Argentina | 1.4% | $97.4 m | 207k |
HS 382319: largest importers
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 20% | $1.77 bn | 1.91 m |
| Netherlands | 14.1% | $1.24 bn | 1.12 m |
| Malaysia | 10.4% | $915.9 m | 970k |
| Italy | 6.5% | $577.8 m | 578k |
| India | 6.3% | $557.6 m | 567k |
| United States | 4.9% | $434.9 m | 325k |
| Germany | 4.5% | $398.5 m | 303k |
| Spain | 4.5% | $393.6 m | – |
How it moves
| Measure | Figure | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Share traded | about 50% (derived: about 6 Mt of HS 382311 and 382319 exports in UN Comtrade 2024 against 11.7 Mt demand) | ||
| How it moves | Flaked or beaded solids in bags (stearic), liquids in heated bulk tankers, ISO tanks and flexibags. Made where the oil is, then shipped to users. | ||
| Routes and chokepoints | Indonesia and Malaysia to China, Europe (via Rotterdam), India, the US and Japan; Malacca Strait is the main chokepoint. | ||
| India | India imported 567 kt of industrial fatty acids (HS 382319, $558 million) and 51 kt of stearic acid (HS 382311, $57 million) in 2024, and exported 183 kt ($290 million) of HS 382319 (UN Comtrade 2024). | ||
| Handling in transit | Most fatty acids are not dangerous goods; bulk liquid cargoes fall under MARPOL Annex II as noxious liquid substances (indicative). |