Fatty acids: Trading

Prices are set FOB South-East Asia, and here is why

What this tab covers How it is bought and sold: buyers and sellers, price benchmarks and who publishes them, exchanges, contract types, traders, how Indian buyers price it, recent price points, and good sources to follow.

Who buys, and where

China (largest importer)
Netherlands and Europe
India
US

Who sells, and from where

Indonesia (Dumai, Belawan, Batam)
Malaysia (Port Klang, Pasir Gudang)
Netherlands re-exports

Price benchmarks

Benchmark	Publisher	Basis
Stearic acid, lauric acid and distilled palm fatty acid assessments FOB South-East Asia	ICIS / Argus / OPIS (indicative)	weekly
Crude palm oil and palm kernel oil	Bursa Malaysia; MPOB	daily

Exchanges

Venue	Contract	Notes
Bursa Malaysia	crude palm oil futures (FCPO)	used as a proxy hedge; no fatty acid futures

Contract types

Monthly or quarterly contracts with price formulas linked to palm or palm kernel oil
Spot cargoes in bags, flexibags and bulk

Traders and distributors

Producers sell direct; distributors Brenntag, IMCD (indicative)

How Indian buyers price it

Import parity from Indonesia and Malaysia plus basic customs duty (indicative)
Domestic producers price against imported palm and palm kernel oil

Recent price points

Date	Price	Basis	Source
2024	about $1,330/t	world average export unit value, HS 382319 ($6.86 billion / 5.16 Mt)	UN Comtrade 2024 (derived)
2024	about $1,625/t	world average export unit value, HS 382311 stearic acid ($1.43 billion / 0.88 Mt)	UN Comtrade 2024 (derived)
2024	about $984/t	India's average import unit value, HS 382319 ($558 million / 567 kt)	UN Comtrade 2024 (derived)

Good sources to follow

MPOB Palm Newsfree newsletter · Malaysian Palm Oil Board

palm and oleochemical industry news

Fedepalma International Conference papersfree research site · Fedepalma

palm and oleochemical market presentations

Godrej Industries investor releasesfree research site · Godrej Industries

Indian oleochemical capacity and strategy