Cloves Indonesian Crop

Indonesian Clove is gradually taking the centerstage while Madagascar offers are getting fewer by the day.
After three years of crop failure, it looks like this year we should witness a reasonably good crop.
There were about 4 months of extreme summer, with temperature touching almost 40 degrees Celsius. Thereafter, rains have started past one month. This could be an ideal situation for a good crop.
In a month or so, we should start getting fresh arrivals.
Crop is localized, to the extent that while one village has harvest, the adjacent one does not have one. Hence, it is difficult to say at this point what will be the total crop. And for sure the levels will not go down to that of 2020.

Price indication around U$ 9,500

Soumen Pt. Mahalaya Agri Corp Surabaya, Indonesia 

Upturn in Indonesian cloves price reflects global firmness

 

INTERNATIONAL cloves prices have held mostly firm in recent weeks as farmers at origin remain reluctant to lower their pricing ambitions and exporters appear confident of maintaining demand at high levels.

Indonesian cloves prices had moved particularly high, being above $10,000 a tonne cif.

“Our agent in Surabaya says that now that the crop is almost done, stocks are in the hand of farmers and they are not ready to give cloves at low prices especially knowing that kretek manufacturers are on the market looking forward to receiving what they have ordered already,” he said.

Mr Nee added that contrary to buyers’ hopes for lower prices, Indonesian farmers were speculating and pushing traders to pay a higher price on a daily basis. “They all know that the crop is sold to industries already and also that the next crop could be much lower than this one due to very dry weather in Indonesia when cloves (stems) should be starting to come on trees,” he remarked.

Hence, Mr Nee said he was not overly confident of the possibility for a price decrease.

Gregoire Courme, head of the spice trade department at Herbs International Service, commented: “The prices are still high, because the Indonesian market is firmer after the Ramadan. The current prices are between $10,500 to $11,000 a tonne fob.”

Mr Courme added that some local traders had sold short at levels of around $8,500 a tonne to cigarette firms before Ramadan, anticipating a fall during the festival. “Unfortunately the farmers did not deliver the goods and the cigarette manufacturers put the pressure on the sellers to get their contracts. So the local market is high now and the traders are running the market to find cloves. Moreover, the latest figures show that the crop is from 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes and not above 80,000 tonnes as initially predicted,” he said.

Mr Nee explained that in Comoros a lot of buyers had been visiting from Pakistan, the Middle East and China. These individuals would purchase “one or two boxes” of cloves and then leave the country, leaving scope for others to visit and take similar coverage.

Currently there were at least 16 buyers in Mutsamudu compared with only four recently. “Over this, the crop is much shorter than expected, maybe only 2,000 tonnes,” Mr Nee said.

As a result, Comoros cloves prices looked unlikely to decrease and the domestic market was holding firm.

Mr Nee said Comoros was offering at $9,400 a tonne cif Singapore, $9,950 a tonne cif US and €7,750 ($9,748) a tonne cif main European ports.

Mr Courme said that he could not find any sellers of Comoros cloves offering competitive prices.

He added that in Madagascar old crop prices had decreased a little bit since the end of July and were now around $9,700 a tonne c&f Europe.

Mr Nee viewed Madagascar old crop offers as still being “rather high” and he was advising extra care in making sure purchases were of a suitable quality.

The country has been pegged to have a favourable 2012 crop of between 8,000 and 9,000 tonnes. Harvesting was expected to start in mid-October for shipment in November.

Mr Nee said that as yet there was no idea of what the opening prices would be, but based on current offers it was doubtful there would be a large cut in Madagascar cloves prices ahead, he claimed.

Contacts in Brazil had indicated they were expecting new crop prices in the South American country to open around $9 and $10 a kg fob.

https://www.spicefactors.com/upturn-in-indonesian-cloves-price-reflects-global-firmness/

Cloves Market Latest News

 


Royal Golden's Cloves Market Latest News
By Parsram Dhirani

Madagascar - With weeks of slow progression of incoming new crop from field, goods are now reportedly seen starting to arrive in good flow from North and Tamatave areas. The arriving crop seems promising in terms of colours despite few areas reporting having small buds. According to shippers, few weeks from now, quality will be perfect alongside volume distribution from Tamatave that will finally increase. However, some buyers on site who are allegedly monitoring the field are still not able to procure enough cargo with export license that is still under renewal process. Most major sellers are still abstaining from selling until the license is released from their government. While some are able to offer, buyer must be willing to pay a premium price. Local price from North bushes still between MGA 25,000 – 25,500 while from Tamatave it is now at about MGA 30,000 with indicative FOB export price ranging from $7500 (pmt) and up.

Comoros from few days of holding their offers, finally came back in market by ending week 45. Price indication about $7200 pmt which is much supportive compared to Madagascar.

Sri Lanka still experiencing extreme weather events that could affect cropping patterns by December harvest. Price indication about $7100 -7200 pmt.

Brazil is completely absent.

At the moment, it is Madagascar versus Comoros. The latter as an active and leading contender compared to the other (at least) in terms of pricing. However, for those buyers who still value quality over price, choosing Madagascar is a ‘no brainer.’

On overall market sentiments, while others sporadically cover their urgent needs, the current economic condition overrides the optimism of some to openly participate and would rather stay on side line until the right buying time comes.

CLOVES MARKET REPORT MAY 31, 2021

 

JUST GOT THE REPORT BELOW PRODUCED BY ROYAL GOLDEN CO
FOUND IT VERY SERIOUS AND USEFULL THEREFORE WE ARE POSTING IT FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Author: Parsram Dhirani

A few months ago, we have heard vague news of lower output of Indonesian cloves which have now turned into a reality.
It resulted a spike in prices by 20-30% in a span of 2 weeks.

Indonesia experiencing one of the bad crop seasons due to excessive rains for the last several months (up until now).
Small islands are reporting crop size as low as 25%, while the arrival at big island is negligibleand several news of 50-60% crop damaged at big and major cloves producing islands.

Jawa Island normally has its crops in May - July, however, this year, there has been no report of new cloves in the producing regions. Even though cloves from Jawa are mainly for the consumption of cigarette companies, bad output from Jawa adds more pressure to the cigarette companies to buy whatever cloves are available in the market, including the Lal Pari cloves which are usually for export.

Realizing this dreadful fact of lower output, large and medium kretek companies introduced a high opening prices to procure material as much as possible.
However, traders and farmers who are very aware of the situation declined to supply at their asking levels.
This made factories increase their prices more.
Many farmers and holders prefer to hold for better prices in coming time.

India which is the second biggest consumer of cloves is facing extreme difficulty in finding replacement at lower levels.
Hence, prices at spot market are rising on daily basis.
Three to five months more of supply vacuum at destination markets such as India and elsewhere may result more hike in spot prices.

Crop of 3000-4000 tons from Comoros Island shall start in the month of July.
According to sources, Chinese who sold their excess stock from China to
Indonesia and Singapore are now very active in Comoros market to procure as
much as possible in the beginning of the season.

Zanzibar produces 4000 tons, and we may see similar number this year as well
in July. We do not have more information except some issues on quality of
cloves last year and those disputes remain unresolved .

A very small remaining quantity of Brazil cloves is being offered in the range of
8500-9000. Their new crop shall start in November/December.

Sri Lanka is at end of their crop and has quickly adjusted their prices with the
international levels.

Madagascar may bring some relief in supply (not necessarily in prices) when
they harvest their new crop in the month of September/October. At this stage,
crop is expected to be decent.

Observation & Analysis

*There is no major source of supply of cloves till Sept/Oct.

*Spot prices at destination markets or centers may rise further till lower prices cargo arrives.

*Other less consuming markets seem to be very active as well.

*Speculative activity is also pushing prices to some extent.

*However, this time, it is more of an economic theory of supply and demand that is playing its
role to bring prices at equilibrium levels.

*In 2011, due to lower production in Indonesia, market touched historically high and Indonesia bought cloves from many parts of the world.
2021 crop is substantially and sharply down as well.

Can 2011 situation repeat itself in 2021?