Compare quotes only after you have put them on the same basis: the same specification, Incoterm and port, pack, quantity and payment term. Most gaps between quotes from Indian exporters come from differences in these, not from one supplier being genuinely cheaper.
A quote that looks well below the others usually means a lower grade, a missing step or a cost left out. Find out which before you choose it.
Put every quote on the same basis
The easiest way is to send every supplier the same written specification and ask them to quote against it. Read how to write a good specification first.
- Product and grade, with purity, moisture and foreign matter limits.
- Cleaning level, such as machine cleaned or sortex cleaned.
- Treatment, such as steam sterilised or not.
- Incoterm and named port. See what FOB Mundra or CIF Rotterdam include.
- Pack type, bag weight and whether there is a liner.
- Quantity, and whether it is a 20 ft or a 40 ft container.
- Payment term, since a large advance and a letter of credit carry different costs and risks for the supplier.
- Crop year, quote validity and shipment window.
What a lower quote often hides
- A lower purity, or machine cleaning where you asked for sortex. See machine cleaned versus sortex cleaned.
- No steam sterilisation, or sterilisation quoted separately later.
- Lab tests left out, or done in-house rather than at an accredited lab.
- Old crop offered at a new crop basis.
- Lighter bags, no liners or weaker packing.
- A very short validity, so the price changes when you confirm.
- A trader quoting someone else's goods and adding a margin, with less control over quality.
Check the quote against the market
Agri prices in India start at the APMC markets, where daily arrivals and auctions set the local reference. For cumin and coriander, traders also watch NCDEX futures. A supplier's price builds on top: raw material, cleaning losses, processing, packing, testing, inland freight, port costs and margin.
If a quote sits well below what the market and those costs suggest for that grade, ask how. A real processor can usually explain its numbers. A quote that cannot be explained is a warning sign, not a bargain.
Compare the total cost, not the quote
The quote is only part of your cost. Add freight if you buy FOB, your destination charges, duty, your own testing and the cost of holding stock. Then think about the cost of a problem. A lot rejected at your border, or recalled after sale, costs far more than any saving on the quote.
A supplier with a slightly higher quote, consistent quality and reliable shipping often costs less over a year. Weigh track record and test results alongside the number on the page.
Questions to ask every supplier
- Do you process this product yourselves, and where?
- Which lab tests each lot, and is it accredited?
- Can I see a recent lab report for the same grade?
- What was your last actual loading of this product and pack in a 20 ft container?
- How long is this price valid, and what happens if the market moves?
How we help
We write the specification, send it to processors we have checked, and lay their quotes side by side on one basis. You see the real factory names and choose. Ask for a free sourcing review.