01 · Direct answer.
Write seven things into a coir pith purchase specification: the EC band with its extraction method (1:5 v/v), the moisture limit with its basis (wet or dry), the expansion in liters per kilogram, the block format and compression ratio, the container loading in pallets and net tonnes, the tariff line (HS 5305, NCM 5305.00.90) with the document set, and a per-lot analysis report rather than a single data sheet.
| Item | What to write | Carve reference |
|---|---|---|
| EC | Band + method (1:5 v/v) | Natural grade |
| Moisture | Limit + basis (wet or dry) | Stated with its basis and method |
| Expansion | L/kg on the grade quoted | On the grade quoted, with method |
| Format | Block dimensions, compression ratio | Loose in 100 L bags; compressed formats per export programme |
| Loading | Pallets and net weight per 40' HC | One full 40' HC, volume confirmed with the quotation |
| Tariff | HS line on all documents | HS 5305 · NCM 5305.00.90 |
| Report | Per lot: EC, pH, moisture, density, particle size | Each value stated with its test method |
Carve column: public specification on Import Coir from Brazil and Coir Pith.
02 · EC, pH and moisture.
- State the band and the method together. Raw dry coconut husk spans 0.4 to 6.0 mS/cm (1:5 extract) in the EMBRAPA literature, and pH runs 4.9 to 6.0, so an unwashed lot cannot be described by one number.[1] Brazilian practice and MAPA reference the 1:5 v/v extract; Dutch and RHP practice use 1:1.5 v/v, and the two readings are not interchangeable.[2] Write which one you mean.
- Grades are defined by process, not by a number. Carve's Natural grade is unwashed (EC 0.8 to 1.5 mS/cm); Washed is reduced by freshwater washing (below 0.7); Buffered is washed and then treated with calcium and magnesium (below 0.5).[3] Washing lowers the EC reading; only buffering displaces the potassium and sodium bound in the organic complex, which water cannot reach.[4] A buyer asking for "EC below 0.5, washed" and a buyer asking for "buffered" are asking for different products.
- Moisture basis. Wet-basis and dry-basis figures differ by several percentage points on the same lot. Industry block specifications cite below 15 to 18 %, with any batch above 18 % returned to drying before compression.[5]
- Test method stated for each value. Request EC, pH, moisture, bulk density and particle size measured on each lot, not a single specification sheet covering all production.[3]
03 · Expansion, density and particle size.
| Parameter | Reference value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Expansion, fine grade | ~15 L/kg (industry: 15-16 L/kg per 5 kg block) | Romero 2025; export block conventions |
| Bulk density, loose | ~90-95 kg/m³ at 15-20 % moisture | EMBRAPA COT-226-19; Manickam & Suresh 2011 |
| Total porosity | > 94 % | EMBRAPA COT-226-19 |
| Water retention | 8-10 × dry weight | EMBRAPA COT-226-19 |
| Particle size | Fine, ~4 mm rotary screen; industry < 4-6 mm | Carve; export block conventions |
| Dust | Particles below 0.5 mm undesirable, they clog aeration pores | Romero 2025 |
| Sand and impurities | < 2 % (industry < 2-3 %) | Carve; export block conventions |
| Durability in crop, fine grade | 1.5-2 years (medium 4-7, coarse 8-10) | Romero 2025 |
Test expansion on arrival with the hydration yield method: weigh 1 kg of compressed pith, submerge in 15-20 L of clean water for 15-20 minutes, sieve and measure the volume.[5] Slower hydration gives more expansion volume.[4]
04 · Format and container packing.
- 5 kg block is the global bulk-shipping standard: 30×30×12-15 cm, compression 5:1, weight tolerance ±100-200 g.[5] Carve ships coir pith loose in 100 L bags; compressed formats are set per export programme.[3]
- Minimum order across the industry is one full 40' high-cube container.[5]
- Loading conventions: palletized 5 kg blocks, 20 pallets at 200-240 blocks each, about 20-22 t net; floor-loaded, about 24-26 t net.[5] Carve loads one full 40' HC, confirms the volume per container with the quotation and photographs the stuffing.[3]
- Other formats: 650 g bricks (20×10×5 cm, 9-10 L each) for retail; grow bags and slabs (100×15×3-4 cm or 100×20×4 cm) in UV-stabilized co-extruded film for greenhouse hydroponics, with custom pith and chip ratios.[5]
- Coir fiber ships as hydraulically compressed bales; see Coir Fiber.
05 · HS code and documents.
- Tariff line: HS 5305, Brazilian NCM 5305.00.90. Some importers classify coco peat under 1404.90; both lines are duty-free in the main markets. Coir enters the USA, UK, Canada, Japan and Australia duty-free and the EU applies 0 %.[6]
- Phytosanitary: USDA APHIS requires no import permit for soil-free processed coir; the EU does not require a phytosanitary certificate for unused stand-alone coir substrate. Carve issues the MAPA / Vigiagro e-Phyto certificate in English anyway, because most buyers ask for it.[6]
- Document set: phytosanitary certificate, fumigation certificate where the destination requires it, ISPM-15 pallet certificate, commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading with one product description across all documents and container and seal numbers, export clearance (DU-E) filed by a licensed customs broker at Pecém.[3]
- Certifications to ask about: RHP (Dutch, physical, chemical and biological quality, unannounced inspections every 2-3 months), OMRI (US organic inputs), ISO 9001.[4] Carve's grade is agreed with the buyer, with each value stated with its test method.
06 · Transit from Pecém.
| Route | Transit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pecém → Rotterdam / Northern Europe | Under 3 weeks | Onward connection via Europe hub |
| Pecém → US East Coast | 12-18 days | Freight-index research, Sep 2026 |
| Pecém → Miami | 10-15 days | Freight-index research, Sep 2026 |
Ocean freight prices are excluded by policy; quotations are FOB Pecém per 40' HC, with CFR or CIF through a freight forwarder on request.[3] The Atlantic route has no Suez Canal exposure, and Northeast Brazil's dry season runs September to February, opposite the South Asian monsoon window; see Brazilian coir vs Asian coir.[7]
07 · Frequently asked questions.
What EC should I specify for coir pith from Brazil?
Specify the band and the extraction method together, for example a ceiling measured at 1:5 v/v, and ask for the measured value with its method. Raw dry coconut husk spans 0.4 to 6.0 mS/cm in the EMBRAPA literature, so a single value for unwashed pith is not meaningful. Grades: Natural (unwashed, no additives), from our plant in Paraipaba, Ceará. Buyers who need a lower EC wash or buffer the pith at their end. Tell us your crop, your EC method and target, your volume per month and your port.
Wet basis or dry basis for moisture?
State it in the contract, because the two conventions differ by several percentage points on the same lot. Industry block specifications run below 15 to 18 %, and batches above 18 % are returned to drying before compression to avoid heat and mould problems in transit.
How many liters does a kilogram of coir pith expand to?
Fine-grade coir expands at roughly 15 L/kg according to a Colombian industry specialist, and industry block specifications cite 15 to 16 L/kg. Ask for the figure on the specific grade quoted and test it with the hydration yield method on arrival.
How much coir pith fits in a 40' high-cube container?
Carve loads one full 40' HC and confirms the volume per container with the quotation. Industry conventions run 20 to 22 tonnes palletized and 24 to 26 tonnes floor-loaded for 5:1 blocks. The minimum order across the industry is one full container.
How long does coir pith take to ship from Brazil?
From the Port of Pecém, Ceará, Rotterdam and Northern Europe are reached in under three weeks and the US East Coast in 12 to 18 days. The route is Atlantic only, with no Suez Canal exposure, and Northeast Brazil's dry season runs September to February.
08 · Sources.
- EMBRAPA Tabuleiros Costeiros, Comunicado Técnico 226: dry coconut husk EC range 0.4-6.0 mS/cm (1:5), pH 4.9-6.0, total porosity >94 %, water retention 8-10× dry weight, bulk density <0.09 g/cm³; Manickam & Suresh (2011), IJEST 3(4), bulk-density regression by moisture and particle size.
- Brazilian substrate method reference (MAPA, 1:5 v/v extract) and Dutch / RHP practice (1:1.5 v/v); see the coir glossary.
- Carve public specification: Import Coir from Brazil (grade, format, tariff code, documents, FOB Pecém) and Coir Pith.
- Adalberto Romero webinar, Science Fetti / El Semillero, Colombia, 2025: expansion 15 L/kg fine grade, compression 5:1 blocks, durability by grade, particles <0.5 mm undesirable, water cannot displace bound Na/K (only Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺), slower hydration gives more expansion, RHP unannounced inspections every 2-3 months, OMRI and ISO 9001.
- Coir export industry briefing (buyer-side specification conventions, 2026): 5 kg block 30×30×12-15 cm, ±100-200 g, 5:1, moisture <15-18 %, expansion 15-16 L/kg, sand <2-3 %, particle <4-6 mm; 650 g brick 20×10×5 cm, 9-10 L; grow bag dimensions; MOQ 1 FCL; 40' HC loading 20-22 t palletized, 24-26 t floor-loaded; origin test protocols (hydration yield, EC 1:5, moisture meter with 18 % return-to-drying gate).
- USITC, UK Tariff, CBSA, Japan Customs, ABF and EU TARIC schedules for HS 5305; USDA APHIS import requirements for processed coir; EU plant-health rules for unused stand-alone coir substrate, as summarized on Import Coir from Brazil.
- APM Terminals Pecém, shipping lines and published transit times, apmterminals.com/en/pecem; freight-index research (Suaid Global Freight Index, September 2026) for US East Coast and Miami ranges; internal seasonality analysis referencing FUNCEME and IMD calendars.