Aroma Trading Limited

Market Report November 2001

Black Pepper
Three years ago this month, the price of this oil peaked at US$150 per kilo from India. Prices have continued to tumble and there are some very competitive offers out there for bulk quantities.

Cocoa
Plans are afoot in the Ivory Coast to set limits on the quantities of cocoa that exporters can buy direct from farmers, in an attempt to curb the further reduction in prices for the commodity on the world market. A government spokesman in Abijdan alleges they are also trying to comply with a request from the International Monetary Fund to prevent any one exporter having a monopoly in the I.C. market.

Litsea Cubeba
Prices in China now below the production cost. Logic determines that production will be reduced until market increases to a more favourable level.

Orange Sweet
Further to our October report, suppliers in Brazil report they are either sold out, or not offering at present. Suppliers in Florida have also increased their prices. One trader reports there may be insufficient oil to carry over to next year's crop. Expect this market to be very active in coming months.

Ylang Ylang
Ramadan begins this month and lasts through to mid-December. In recent weeks buying activity in Europe has increased partly due to Ramadan, and concerns about political unrest in the region. With the Holiday season upon us, and January normally suffering with heavy rainfall, it would be a good idea to cover your requirements now.

Rosemary
Due to limited availability of Tunisian material, buyers have been sourcing Moroccan oil. The recent Moroccan crop was very poor in September / October and they too have almost sold out. It will be at least March or April before the next crop is available.

Web Watch
One of the many things we take for granted in the Western World is food, our daily bread as it were. By the year 2010 it is estimated that 680 Million people will be starving or malnourished. These people are suffering because of drought, war, resettlement programmes, corrupt governments, and many other atrocities besides. We sadly come across situations like these on our travels, and there is nothing as gut-wrenchingly upsetting as the sight of hungry and undernourished people, especially children. The numerous aid agencies are under-financed, but do a great job under the circumstances. This month we would like to highlight the Food and Agriculture Organisation at www.fao.org. They have a number of programmes in many countries, and hopefully there is something on their many pages that will be of interest to you.