Colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin, etc.: South Korea exports and imports
HS 3203 · 식물성ㆍ동물성 착색제[화학적으로 단일한 것인지에 상관없으며, 염색용 추출물(extract)을 포함하고 수탄(獸炭)은 제외한다]와 이것을 기본 재료로 한 조제품(이 류의 주 제3호의 것으로 한정한다) · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $658,775 of colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin, etc. (HS 3203), up 161.1% from September 2026 and up 282.0% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin, etc. (HS 3203) totalled $5.0 million, up 37.2% from the 12 months before ($3.6 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was Thailand ($1.9 million, 37.5% of the total), followed by China and Vietnam.
That was 0.2% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 32 (dyes, pigments, paints and inks) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $4.3 million (down 49.1% from October 2025), leaving a deficit of $3.6 million for the month.
Official description of HS 3203: Colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin (including dyeing extracts but excluding animal black), whether or not chemically defined; preparations as specified in Note 3 to this Chapter based on colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 3203
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3203.00 | Colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin (including dyeing extracts but excluding animal black), whether or not ch | $5.0M | 100.0% | +37.2% | $659K |
| 3203.00.1000 | Colouring matter of vegetable origin | $884K | 17.7% | +58.1% | $223K |
| 3203.00.2010 | Cochineal | $200 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 3203.00.2030 | Sepia | $168 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 3203.00.2090 | Other | $13K | 0.3% | -26.2% | $880 |
| 3203.00.3000 | Preparations based on colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin | $4.1M | 82.0% | +34.2% | $435K |
Six-digit codes are international; the indented ten-digit codes are South Korea's own subdivision. These rows are world totals; "Share" is the share of the row above.
Top destinations
Export value over the 12 months to October 2026. 31 countries received this product from South Korea in the last 24 months; the table shows the largest 20.
| Rank | Country | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | Rank before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thailand | $1.9M | 37.5% | +21.5% | 1 | $283K |
| 2 | China | $1.3M | 26.1% | +78.0% | 2 | $129K |
| 3 | Vietnam | $747K | 14.9% | +19.6% | 3 | $31K |
| 4 | United States | $696K | 13.9% | +86.9% | 4 | $214K |
| 5 | Taiwan | $119K | 2.4% | -13.5% | 5 | $0 |
| 6 | Kazakhstan | $78K | 1.6% | – | 12 | $0 |
| 7 | Mexico | $58K | 1.2% | +32.4% | 7 | $0 |
| 8 | India | $49K | 1.0% | +36.3% | 9 | $732 |
| 9 | Indonesia | $29K | 0.6% | -6.2% | 10 | $0 |
| 10 | Japan | $18K | 0.4% | -67.3% | 6 | $382 |
| 11 | Uzbekistan | $6,688 | 0.1% | – | – | $0 |
| 12 | New Zealand | $6,504 | 0.1% | – | 13 | $700 |
| 13 | Australia | $4,920 | 0.1% | – | 17 | $0 |
| 14 | Mongolia | $2,712 | 0.1% | – | 11 | $0 |
| 15 | Malaysia | $2,234 | 0.0% | – | 15 | $0 |
| 16 | Sweden | $1,600 | 0.0% | – | – | $0 |
| 17 | France | $825 | 0.0% | – | 16 | $0 |
| 18 | Singapore | $793 | 0.0% | – | 24 | $0 |
| 19 | Russia | $750 | 0.0% | – | – | $0 |
| 20 | Türkiye | $500 | 0.0% | – | 19 | $0 |
Countries are linked when exports of this product to them reached $5,000,000 over 24 months.
Monthly figures
| Month | Exports | vs year earlier | Export weight | Export $/kg | Imports | Import weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | $659K | +282.0% | 23.2 t | $28.45 | $4.3M | 108 t |
| September 2026 | $252K | -16.2% | 8.0 t | $31.50 | $6.0M | 167 t |
| August 2026 | $402K | +20.1% | 12.1 t | $33.07 | $4.6M | 164 t |
| July 2026 | $428K | -0.7% | 14.3 t | $30.02 | $8.0M | 248 t |
| June 2026 | $218K | +56.0% | 8.1 t | $26.76 | $7.8M | 98.1 t |
| May 2026 | $614K | +38.9% | 20.5 t | $29.91 | $5.9M | 164 t |
| April 2026 | $569K | +112.8% | 17.8 t | $32.03 | $6.7M | 213 t |
| March 2026 | $374K | +66.4% | 13.1 t | $28.65 | $7.2M | 119 t |
| February 2026 | $277K | -9.4% | 10.2 t | $27.28 | $3.2M | 78.8 t |
| January 2026 | $501K | +11.6% | 18.9 t | $26.55 | $7.9M | 179 t |
| December 2025 | $289K | +80.8% | 11.5 t | $25.06 | $7.3M | 196 t |
| November 2025 | $416K | 0.0% | 13.0 t | $32.07 | $5.8M | 125 t |
| October 2025 | $172K | -64.1% | 6.9 t | $24.95 | $8.4M | 173 t |
| September 2025 | $301K | +50.3% | 10.7 t | $28.20 | $5.7M | 161 t |
| August 2025 | $334K | -3.2% | 10.8 t | $30.88 | $6.9M | 170 t |
| July 2025 | $431K | -12.7% | 16.3 t | $26.50 | $7.1M | 149 t |
| June 2025 | $140K | -57.0% | 3.4 t | $41.26 | $5.5M | 87.5 t |
| May 2025 | $442K | +49.8% | 13.7 t | $32.37 | $7.6M | 181 t |
| April 2025 | $267K | -44.7% | 9.8 t | $27.38 | $7.7M | 151 t |
| March 2025 | $225K | -34.2% | 8.0 t | $28.23 | $6.2M | 153 t |
| February 2025 | $306K | +11.5% | 10.3 t | $29.80 | $6.2M | 137 t |
| January 2025 | $449K | +70.0% | 16.2 t | $27.61 | $5.3M | 108 t |
| December 2024 | $160K | -47.6% | 7.2 t | $22.29 | $6.7M | 218 t |
| November 2024 | $416K | +12.4% | 11.9 t | $34.94 | $5.3M | 101 t |
Exports FOB, imports CIF, US dollars. Weight is net weight. "vs year earlier" compares export value with the same month one year before and is left blank when that month was under $10,000. Source: Korea Customs Service, via data.go.kr.