Insights
Insights for palm oil and rubber buyers
Practical guides written from the seller's side of the trade: specifications, inspection, EUDR due diligence, shipping from Liberia, payment terms and contracts.
Crude palm oil
Crude palm oil overview- CPO quality parameters: FFA, M&I and DOBIWhat FFA, M&I (moisture and impurities) and DOBI tell a refiner about crude palm oil, typical contract limits and the effect on refining cost.
- Liberian palm oil for West African and EU refinersWhat refiners in West Africa and the EU should know about Liberian crude palm oil: quality, seasonality, logistics, EUDR status and contract terms.
- Inspection and quality control: SGS, Intertek and COAsWhat independent inspection covers for crude palm oil and TSR20, how sampling works, and how to read a certificate of analysis before you pay.
- Shipping from Monrovia: ports, Incoterms and transit timesShipping palm oil and rubber from the Freeport of Monrovia to any port: services, common Incoterms and indicative transit times worldwide.
Natural rubber and TSR20
Natural rubber overview- TSR20 specifications explainedWhat each TSR20 test parameter means for compounding: dirt, ash, volatile matter, nitrogen, Po, PRI and Mooney viscosity, with typical ISO 2000 limits.
- Natural rubber grades compared: TSR10, TSR20 and RSSHow TSR10, TSR20 and RSS differ in raw material, cleanliness, consistency, price and end use, and which grade suits tyre and rubber goods makers.
- From plantation to port: how a TSR20 shipment from Liberia worksEach step of a TSR20 shipment from Liberia: field latex and cup lump, processing, testing, baling, container stuffing, documents and sailing.
- Container loading and packing of TSR20 balesHow TSR20 bales are wrapped, palletised and loaded into 20ft and 40ft containers, typical net weights per container and how to avoid bale damage.
- Natural rubber price driversWhat moves natural rubber prices: SICOM TSR20 futures, weather and tapping seasons, tyre demand, currency and freight, and how buyers price physical cargo.
- Liberia vs Côte d'Ivoire vs Southeast Asia as rubber originsHow Liberian natural rubber compares with Côte d'Ivoire and Southeast Asian origins on quality, freight to Europe, EUDR exposure and supply reliability.
EUDR and sustainability
EUDR overview- How EUDR due diligence works for palm oil importsHow EUDR due diligence works for crude palm oil: scope, mill and plot traceability, risk assessment and what your supplier should hand over.
- How EUDR due diligence works for rubber importsHow EUDR due diligence works for natural rubber: which products are in scope, the data you need from your supplier, and how to file the statement.
- Geolocation and traceability data: what buyers receiveThe geolocation, legality and traceability data an EUDR-ready supplier should provide, in what format, and how it links to your due diligence statement.
- EUDR timeline and what changes for importersCurrent EUDR application dates for large, medium, micro and small operators, what the 2025 amendment changed, and what importers should do now.
- Sustainability in Liberian rubberHow smallholder rubber in Liberia is made traceable and deforestation-free, where the real risks sit, and what buyers can verify for themselves.
- EUDR country benchmarking and LiberiaHow the EUDR country risk list works, where Liberia sits, and how the risk level changes the due diligence and checks for palm oil and rubber importers.
Buying safely from West Africa
Buying from West Africa overview- How to buy commodities from West Africa safelyA deal-by-deal checklist for buying palm oil or rubber from West Africa: red flags, document checks and payment terms that protect the buyer.
- Common commodity trade scams and how to verify a sellerThe commodity scams buyers meet most often, from fake inspection reports to changed bank details, and the checks that expose them before money moves.
- Why use a trader instead of buying directWhat a commodity trader adds over buying direct: consolidation, quality control, EUDR paperwork, financing and one accountable contract.
- Payment terms explained: LC vs CAD vs TTHow letters of credit, cash against documents and telegraphic transfer work in commodity trade, what each costs and where the risk sits.
- What to check in a commodity sales contractWhat to check in a palm oil or rubber sales contract: specification and tolerances, weights, inspection, claims procedure, force majeure and arbitration.
- HS codes for palm oil and natural rubberThe HS codes for crude palm oil and technically specified natural rubber, how they map to EUDR scope, and what to check on import declarations.
- Export documents explainedWhat each export document does: bill of lading, certificate of analysis, certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate and EUDR data.
Samples, quotes and first orders
Request a quote overview- How to order samples and what a pre-shipment inspection coversHow to order CPO or TSR20 samples, what a sample can and cannot prove, and what a pre-shipment inspection checks before cargo leaves Liberia.
- Buyer FAQStraight answers to the questions buyers ask before a first order of crude palm oil or TSR20: minimum quantity, payment, contracts, samples and lead times.
Ready to price a shipment?
Send the grade, volume, destination port and Incoterm. We reply with availability, lead time and contract terms.