Glycerine: Trading
Santos, Rotterdam and South-East Asia: where prices are quoted
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 (crude)
- US and EU (refined)
- India (crude and refined)
Who sells, and from where
- Indonesia and Malaysia (refined and crude)
- Brazil and Argentina (crude)
- Germany and Netherlands
Price benchmarks
| Benchmark | Publisher | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Argus Glycerine (crude 80%, technical 99.5%, USP 99.7%, kosher, by region) | Argus Media | weekly |
| ICIS glycerine assessments | ICIS (indicative) | weekly |
Exchanges
| Venue | Contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| none | no glycerine futures | priced in bilateral contracts |
Contract types
- Quarterly contracts for refined USP glycerine in the US (Argus)
- Spot cargoes and flexibags for crude
- Mass-balance certified premium of 6-9 cents/lb (Argus, Mar 2026)
Traders and distributors
- Oleochemical groups and biodiesel producers sell directly; traders and distributors (indicative)
How Indian buyers price it
- Import parity CIF west coast India: refined kosher 99.7% $1,430-1,490/t in drums and $1,320-1,380/t in Flexi; crude 80% $800-830/t (Argus, 5 Mar 2026)
- Domestic producers price against these import levels
Recent price points
| Date | Price | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Mar 2026 | $1,279-1,477/t | US Midwest vegetable refined 99.7%, 1Q26 contract | Argus Glycerine, issue 26-9, 5 Mar 2026 (sample) |
| 5 Mar 2026 | $2,315-2,756/t | US pharma grade, drums | Argus Glycerine, issue 26-9, 5 Mar 2026 (sample) |
| 5 Mar 2026 | $790-850/t | China crude 80%, CFR | Argus Glycerine, issue 26-9, 5 Mar 2026 (sample) |
| 5 Mar 2026 | $1,430-1,490/t | India kosher refined 99.7%, CIF west coast, drums | Argus Glycerine, issue 26-9, 5 Mar 2026 (sample) |
| 5 Mar 2026 | $800-830/t | India crude 80%, CIF west coast, Flexi | Argus Glycerine, issue 26-9, 5 Mar 2026 (sample) |
| 5 Mar 2026 | €1,080-1,100/t | Europe kosher vegetable refined 99.5%, FCA bulk | Argus Glycerine, issue 26-9, 5 Mar 2026 (sample) |
Good sources to follow
Argus Glycerinepaid newsletter · Argus Mediaweekly crude and refined glycerine prices and trade flows
S&P Global Chemical Economics Handbook: Glycerinpaid research site · S&P Globalworld glycerine supply and demand
IMARC glycerol price updatesfreemium research site · IMARC Groupquarterly regional glycerol price commentary