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Orivex Exports

Product sheet ORX-SHEET-OP, revised 7 October 2026. orivexexports.com/products/opoponax/

Hamza Abdi, Canada: hamza@orivexexports.com, WhatsApp +1 403 604 0210

Abdirahman Hussein, Hargeisa, Somaliland: a.rahman@orivexexports.com, WhatsApp +252 63 656 0796

Resin in bulkOpoponax (sweet myrrh)

Bought in Somaliland as habak hadi, the scented gum of the hadi tree. Supplied as natural pieces, sorted by size and cleanliness. We buy it for the order, and confirm availability and volume before we quote.

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Material
OpoponaxSweet myrrh, scented myrrh
Local name
Habak hadiThe tree: hadi
Botanical name
Commiphora guidottiiBy its local name, not by a botanist. Regulatory lists use other names
Form
Natural pieces
HS code
1301.90
Supply
Confirmed per order
Lot references
ORX-OP-

Names and species

Opoponax has more names than any other resin we sell, and they do not all point at the same tree. This is how we handle that.

The names in trade
Opoponax, opopanax, sweet myrrh, scented myrrh and bisabol myrrh all refer to a Commiphora gum-resin.1
Where the word comes from
From Opopanax chironium, a different plant that was the original source. Today production is entirely from Commiphora.1
What botanists say
Thulin and Claeson concluded in 1991 that the scented myrrh exported from Somalia comes from Commiphora guidottii, not C. erythraea as had been assumed.2 C. guidottii is an accepted species native to south-east Ethiopia and Somalia.3 The Flora of Somalia records the tree as hadi and its gum as habak hadi.4
What regulatory lists say
The IFRA Standard and the US flavouring list name opoponax as Opopanax chironium or Commiphora erythraea var. glabrescens. Neither names C. guidottii.56 Kew now treats C. erythraea as a synonym of Commiphora kataf,7 a tree the Flora of Somalia records under the Somali name hagar.8
What we put on documents

The local name the resin was bought under, habak hadi, and Commiphora guidottii, the species the botanical literature attaches to that name. That is identification by local name, and the documents say so unless a botanist or a laboratory has identified the lot.

We can note which name a regulatory list uses. We do not state that species for the lot. If your file needs more, tell us in your RFQ and we will say what can be done.

Form

Opoponax is traded in smaller volumes than frankincense and in fewer grades.1 We offer one form.

GradeWhat it looks likeTypical use
Natural piecesPieces as collected, sorted by size and cleanlinessDistillation, blending

Opoponax is traded in few grades. We sort by size and cleanliness and agree the description with you in writing against a sample.

Specification

The lines of the written specification. Copy them into your RFQ and set your own figures.

LineWhat the written specification statesStatus
ResinOpoponax, bought as habak hadi, with the botanical name and how it was identifiedEvery order
Size and cleanlinessIn plain words, judged against the approved sample and the photographs of the lotEvery order
Bark, stone and other foreign matterA maximum by weight can be written inYours to set
MoistureA maximum and the test method. Measured by an outside laboratoryOn request
GC-MS profile of the oilBy an outside laboratory, named on the reportOn request
Botanical identificationNot done as standard. Ask, and we will say what is possibleNot tested
SamplingThe sample is drawn from the lot on offer. State how you want it drawn, and whether a counter-sample should be kept and for how longEvery order
Packing25 kg woven bags as standard. State the bag or carton you need, the net weight of each and the tolerance on itEvery order
MarksThe lot number on every bag, and any marks of your ownEvery order
Storage and transitAny condition your material needs between packing and arrivalYours to set
ReferenceThe sample and photographs of the lot you approved, and its lot numberEvery order

Published reference values

From published studies, which do not all agree on the main constituent. These are not measurements of our lots and are not a specification.
ParameterPublished value
Main constituent in one analysis of C. guidottii resin oil(E)-β-ocimene, 33%9
Characteristic sesquiterpenes of opoponax oilα-santalene, α-bergamotenes, and α- and β-bisabolene10
Oil yieldAbout 5% in commercial distillation1

Terms

Delivery term
FOB BerberaCIF to your port on request
Packing
25 kg woven bagsCartons, inner liners and custom packing on request
Samples
Usually 100 g to 1 kg per gradeBy courier, drawn from the lot on offer
Payment
Bank transfer or letter of creditThe quotation names the entity you contract with and the account you pay. If you want a letter of credit, ask your own bank first.
First orders
Small first orders are welcomeTell us the quantity and we will say whether we can supply it.
Stated in each quotation
Price, minimum quantity and lead timeNone of the three is fixed in advance: each depends on the product, the grade and the season. The quotation gives them for a named lot, per kilogram by grade, and says how long it holds.

Documents

Before you order
  • Written specification
  • Sample and photographs of the lot
With every shipment
  • Commercial invoice
  • Packing list
  • Lot list
  • Certificate of origin
  • Phytosanitary certificate
  • Bill of lading or air waybill
When you ask
  • Insurance certificate, with CIF orders
  • Laboratory analysis
  • Safety data sheet
  • Business licence and export licence
Not available
  • Organic, wild-collection or fair-trade certificate: none held

Origin on customs records Tariff preference lists name Somalia, not Somaliland, so expect the origin to be recorded as Somalia (SO).1112 Ask your broker how to declare it before the first shipment.

Who issues each paper, and when you receive it, is set out on How it works.

Packing and shipping

Standard packing
25 kg woven bags. Cartons, inner liners and custom packing on request.
Marks
Each bag carries its lot number. The same number is on the packing list and the invoice.
Port of loading
Berbera. FOB Berbera as standard, CIF to your port on request, air freight for small urgent lots. How shipping from Berbera works.
Classification
The tariff has no line for opoponax by name. As a natural gum-resin it is declared under HS 1301.90, the subheading for other natural gums and resins.1314 Ask your broker if you want a binding ruling. Duty by market.

Origin

The Flora of Somalia describes the hadi tree as an unarmed shrub or small tree, up to about five metres, growing between 70 and 1,300 metres, and its scented myrrh as a major article for export from Somalia.4

We buy the resin in Somaliland, and the lot list records where each bag was collected. Commiphora resins are traded across the borders of the Horn,15 so the record matters more than the label.

Uses and trade rules

Perfumery and incense
In perfumery, opoponax resinoid is used as a fixative.1 We describe our resin as sweet and balsamic, and supply it for distillation, for blending and to incense makers.
IFRA
Opoponax is covered by an IFRA Standard that restricts its level in finished fragrance products, because of its potential to sensitise skin.5 Compliance depends on your formula, so we make no IFRA statement for the resin.
Flavouring
In the United States, 21 CFR 172.510 lists opopanax (bisabolmyrrh) as a natural flavouring substance, under the names Opopanax chironium and Commiphora erythraea var. glabrescens.6 Whether resin bought as habak hadi falls within that entry is a question for your regulatory adviser. We make no food-safety statement for it.

Questions

Is opoponax the same as sweet myrrh, and as opopanax?

In today’s fragrance trade, yes: opoponax, opopanax, sweet myrrh, scented myrrh and bisabol myrrh are names for the same kind of Commiphora resin.1 Which species a seller means is a separate question, covered at the top of this sheet.

Is it the same as hagar?

We treat the two as different materials. Hagar is the Somali name the Flora of Somalia gives for Commiphora kataf,8 and the species name that regulatory lists give for opoponax, C. erythraea, is now treated as a synonym of that tree, which is one reason the two are confused.7 If hagar is what you want, send a sourcing request.

Can you send a sample for a distillation trial?

Yes. Samples are drawn from the lot on offer, usually 100 g to 1 kg. If your trial needs more, say how much in the sample request.

ORX-SHEET-OP Sheet revised 7 October 2026.

Statements about how we work are our own. Reference facts are cited to published sources. Where a lot has its own documents, those documents govern.

Printed as a datasheet: identity, grades, specification, terms, documents and packing. Origin, uses, trade rules and the references are on the web page.

Tell us the quantity and what your documents need to say.

We answer with what is available, a sample of the lot and a quotation for it.

Not ready to quote? Request a sample of a lot or message Canada on WhatsApp.

References

Published sources for the reference facts on this page, last read 7 October 2026. Statements about how Orivex Exports works are our own and are not drawn from these sources.

  1. 1Coppen J.J.W., in Chikamai B., Casadei E. (eds) (2005). Production and marketing of gum resins: frankincense, myrrh and opoponax (chapter 1). NGARA Publication Series 5, Network for Natural Gums and Resins in Africa. botanical-dermatology-database.info
  2. 2Thulin M., Claeson P. (1991). The botanical origin of scented myrrh (bissabol or habak hadi). Economic Botany 45(4): 487–494. link.springer.com
  3. 3Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2026). Commiphora guidottii Chiov. ex Guid. Plants of the World Online. powo.science.kew.org
  4. 4Thulin M. et al. (2008). Commiphora guidottii, in Flora of Somalia, volumes 1 to 4 (updated 2008). Reproduced on Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. powo.science.kew.org
  5. 5International Fragrance Association (2020). IFRA Standard: Opoponax (Amendment 49). ifrafragrance.org
  6. 6US Food and Drug Administration (2026). 21 CFR 172.510, Natural flavoring substances and natural substances used in conjunction with flavors. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. ecfr.gov
  7. 7Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2026). Commiphora kataf (Forssk.) Engl. Plants of the World Online. powo.science.kew.org
  8. 8Thulin M. et al. (2008). Commiphora kataf, in Flora of Somalia, volumes 1 to 4 (updated 2008). Reproduced on Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. powo.science.kew.org
  9. 9Başer K.H.C., Demirci B., Dekebo A., Dagne E. (2003). Essential oils of some Boswellia spp., myrrh and opopanax. Flavour and Fragrance Journal 18(2): 153–156. avesis.anadolu.edu.tr
  10. 10Hanuš L.O., Řezanka T., Dembitsky V.M., Moussaieff A. (2005). Myrrh: Commiphora chemistry. Biomedical Papers 149(1): 3–28. biomed.papers.upol.cz
  11. 11UK Department for Business and Trade (2026). Preference tiers under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme. gov.uk
  12. 12European Commission, Taxation and Customs Union (2026). The Registered Exporter system (REX). taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu
  13. 13Canada Border Services Agency (2026). Customs Tariff 2026, Chapter 13: lac; gums, resins and other vegetable saps and extracts. cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
  14. 14US International Trade Commission (2026). Harmonized Tariff Schedule, heading 1301. hts.usitc.gov
  15. 15Kassa H., Tefera B., Fitwi G. (2011). Preliminary value chain analysis of gum and resin marketing in Ethiopia. CIFOR infobrief. cifor-icraf.org