A successful international shipment starts well before a container reaches the port. The buyer and seller must agree what is being supplied, how it will be checked, who arranges each stage of transport and which documents the destination requires. This guide follows that sequence for food and agricultural products sourced from India.
From enquiry to delivery
- Define the product and market. Record the trade name, botanical identity where relevant, processing state, intended use, quantity, destination and delivery window. Whole ginger, ginger powder and ginger oleoresin are different products; do not assume they share one tariff code or documentary requirement.
- Check eligibility before buying stock. Confirm the Indian export policy for the exact national tariff item and the importing country's permission for the product and origin. DGFT's ITC(HS) policy search is the starting point. A quotation is not evidence of market access.
- Approve the specification and sample. Put measurable limits into the contract. Define sampling, test methods, packing, labels, tolerances and the process for handling a discrepancy. Keep a reference sample linked to the intended shipment lot.
- Agree the commercial terms. Confirm price, currency, payment security, Incoterm, named place, inspection responsibilities and shipment dates. State who pays storage, terminal charges and delays rather than leaving these as assumptions.
- Source, prepare and verify. Assemble traceable lots, complete the agreed grading or processing, obtain required analyses and arrange official inspection or treatment where applicable. Packing and documentation should describe the same goods.
- Clear, transport and receive. Complete export customs formalities, hand the shipment to the carrier, send the document pack to the importer and arrange destination clearance. The receiving team should record seal condition, quantity, temperature where relevant and any damage immediately.
Who does what?
The exporter supplies and declares the goods. The importer confirms local eligibility, approvals and clearance arrangements. A freight forwarder coordinates transport, while a customs broker handles declarations within its authority. A laboratory measures the requested parameters; it does not automatically certify every legal requirement. A plant-quarantine authority issues official plant-health documentation where the destination requires it. Assign a named contact to each role before the shipment is booked.
For Indian businesses, an Importer-Exporter Code is generally required, subject to DGFT exemptions. Check the appropriate commodity-board registration and food-business licensing for the activity. FoSCoS is the official licensing route; the correct category depends on what the business actually does. Do not treat a generic company registration as permission to export every food.
Choosing the container
| Equipment | Useful for | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 20-foot dry container | Dry, dense cargo such as bagged grains | Payload, floor loading, moisture protection and road limits |
| 40-foot dry container | Larger volumes of suitable dry cargo | Usable packing pattern; twice the length does not mean twice the permissible cargo weight |
| 40-foot high cube | Bulky, lighter shipments needing extra height | Carton stacking strength and door opening |
| Refrigerated container (reefer) | Products needing an agreed temperature-controlled journey | Pre-cooling, airflow, ventilation, set point, humidity requirements and power continuity |
| Open top / flat rack | Oversized equipment rather than ordinary packaged food | Special handling, lashing, weather protection and carrier approval |
Examples from Hapag-Lloyd's 20′, 40′ and high-cube specifications. Actual equipment varies. These are not guaranteed usable cargo volumes or payloads.
Calculate volume from the outside dimensions of the packed cartons, including their quantity. Then check weight, pallets, access space and loading geometry separately. A load can fit by cubic metres and still exceed a permitted weight. FCL means a full-container-load booking; LCL consolidates cargo with other shipments and introduces extra handling and compatibility considerations. Neither term specifies an Incoterm.
Documents, inspections and certifications
A typical shipment file contains a commercial invoice, packing list, export declaration and carrier document such as a bill of lading or air waybill. Add origin, insurance, treatment, analytical and official plant-health documents as applicable to the contract and route. India's baseline document framework is described in DGFT Chapter 2; check current amendments before filing.
These documents answer different questions. A certificate of origin identifies origin; it does not establish pesticide compliance. A phytosanitary certificate concerns plant-health requirements; it is not a complete food-safety certificate. A laboratory report applies to its sample, methods and listed results. Organic, sustainability and food-safety-system certifications have their own scope and validity. Ask for evidence matching the facility, product and shipment rather than collecting logos.
Cost, risk and payment are separate decisions
An Incoterm allocates defined delivery obligations, costs and risk. It does not by itself set product quality, ownership transfer or payment terms. Under some rules, the seller pays a main-carriage cost even though cargo risk transfers earlier. Read the applicable rule and include a precise named place; use the ICC's official Incoterms guidance and the website's estimator as separate resources. The estimator is a planning model, not a freight offer.
Before paying an advance, verify the counterparty and bank instructions through an independently confirmed channel. Discuss advance payment, documentary collection or a letter of credit with your bank according to the transaction. If a letter of credit is used, align its document conditions with documents the exporter can actually obtain.
A useful first-order brief
Send the exact product and form, destination country and port, intended use, quantity, packing size, mandatory standards, requested tests, delivery window and preferred Incoterm. For a mixed shipment, list each product separately. Ask for an itemised offer that distinguishes goods, transport, testing and destination costs. This makes competing quotations easier to compare and reduces avoidable changes after sourcing begins.
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