Commodities are standardized, non-differentiated products whose production process is dominated in all countries (which generates high competitiveness) and whose price is not defined by the producer, given its importance to the market. They are usually traded on an international stock exchange, and their value is defined by market conditions, hence the impossibility for the producer to set his price.

Over the years, the market has found several ways to classify commodities, including:

By Origin:
Agricultural (soy, corn, sugar, cotton, biofuels).
Minerals (oil, natural gas, ores).
Industrial (petrochemical).

By use:
Food (soy, corn, sugar).
Metals (ores, steel, aluminum).
Energy (oil, gas, gasoline, biofuels).
Fibers (cotton plume, synthetic fibers).

In addition, some commodity groups have been subdivided. For example, agricultural commodities are usually divided into grains (soy, corn and wheat), proteins (meat, milk and dairy products) and softs (sugar, cocoa, coffee, orange juice and cotton). The latter are commodities with relatively concentrated production, mainly in tropical regions.