India has hundreds of basmati exporters, and most quotes look alike on the first page: a variety name, a price and a port. The differences sit in the lines that are missing. Work through these questions in order and a vague quote either fills in or falls away.
Is the exporter registered to export rice?
Rice is an APEDA product, so an exporter needs the APEDA registration-cum-membership certificate (RCMC) as well as an Importer-Exporter Code. Check both, and check that the names and tax numbers agree across documents. The ten-minute method is in how to verify an Indian exporter.
Is it a mill, a trader or an agent?
It changes who answers when something goes wrong. A mill controls the rice but may only ship its own lots. A merchant exporter such as Darsavio buys from several mills, checks the lot, and takes responsibility on its own invoice. A sourcing agent introduces you to a factory and takes a commission, but the contract and the claim are between you and the factory. We compare the three in sourcing agent vs exporter vs trader.
Which variety and processing is actually being quoted?
"1121" names a variety. Sella, Golden Sella, Steam and raw describe how it was processed, and they differ in price, cooking and how well they travel. If the quote only says "1121 basmati", ask which. Our guide to Pusa 1121, Golden Sella and Steam explains the difference.
What is on the specification?
A usable quote lists average raw grain length, broken-grain percentage, moisture, foreign matter and the crop year. For our premium sella that is a minimum 8.30 mm grain length, under 1% broken, 12 to 13% moisture and under 0.05% foreign matter. If two quotes differ widely, the cheaper one almost always has a shorter grain, more broken rice or fresher, un-aged rice.
Can I test it before I commit?
Ask for a sample from the lot that will ship, not a showroom sample, and for a Certificate of Analysis per batch. Basmati buyers also commonly commission a DNA test for variety purity. If the destination is the EU or another strict market, ask for a pesticide-residue report against that destination's limits, because a failed test at the border costs far more than the test.
How is it packed and shipped?
The usual formats are 25 kg PP-woven bags or 50 kg jute bags, and consumer packs of 1, 5 and 10 kg on request. A 20-foot container holds about 25 MT. Ask who arranges the fumigation certificate and the phytosanitary certificate, and whether the container is checked clean and dry before loading. The two certificates are explained in phytosanitary certificate and certificate of origin from India.
Will they accept an independent inspection?
They should say yes without hesitation. An SGS or Intertek check at the loading port, with sampling and loading supervision, turns "trust me" into a report. If an exporter resists inspection on a first order, that tells you something. See pre-shipment inspection in India.
What payment terms are on offer?
A first-time buyer should expect to be offered a 100% irrevocable L/C at sight from a confirmed bank, or a split TT such as 30% advance and 70% against a copy of the Bill of Lading. Be cautious of any exporter that insists on 100% advance with no fallback. The reasoning is in LC vs TT for a first order.
What does the price include, and for how long is it valid?
Ask for the Incoterm (FOB, CIF or DDP), the packing, the grade and the validity in writing. Basmati prices move weekly with paddy arrivals and the USD/INR rate, so a quote without a validity date is a quote you cannot rely on. See Incoterms for first orders for what each term covers.
What happens if the rice does not match the specification?
The contract should say, before shipment: how a claim is made, how long you have to make it, who pays for re-testing and what remedy applies. An exporter that will not put a claims clause in writing is telling you what happens when the lot is wrong.
Send us your target grade, volume and destination port, and we will answer these ten questions in the quotation.
— Nitik · Darsavio EXIM