The bulk of essential oils produced in South Africa are produced for the export market while a small percentage are sold for local use. The largest export market for South African essential oils is Europe and the United Kingdom, followed by the USA and Japan.
Essential oils are volatile and highly flammable goods and to export this product, it needs to comply with specific packaging and transporting specifications and requires a hazardous goods declaration.
Oils are measured in kilograms, not litres or millilitres. Smaller quantities (25kg and less) are exported by plane but bigger quantities are exported by ship.