Yes. You can buy less than a full container of spices from India, either as a shared LCL shipment, as part of a mixed container, or by air for very small lots. Many processors will accept smaller orders, though some will not.
The trade-off is cost and control. Fixed costs fall on fewer kilos, and the goods are handled more often. Plan for both. For why full containers are the default, see the minimum order quantity for agri products from India.
Option one: an LCL shipment
LCL means less than container load. Your pallets go to a consolidation warehouse, are packed into a container with other shippers' cargo, and are separated again at a warehouse in your country.
- Good for a few pallets of one or two products.
- Charges are usually by volume or weight, plus handling at both ends.
- Transit is often longer than for a full container, because of consolidation and deconsolidation.
- The goods are handled more, so palletise and wrap them well.
- Spices with strong aromas can pick up or pass on odours, so ask how the cargo will be stowed.
Option two: a mixed container
A mixed container is one container with several products, each in its own lot. If one processor makes cumin, fennel and coriander, you can take a few tonnes of each in one 20 ft. You pay for a full container and still order modest quantities of each product.
Each product needs its own spec, lab test and labels. Ask the supplier to mark bags clearly by product and lot, and to load in a way that keeps the lots apart.
If you need products from different processors, one of them, or a trader, may consolidate the goods. Then you should know and check every plant involved.
Option three: air freight
Air suits samples, urgent top-ups and high-value spices in small amounts. The cost per kilo is much higher than by sea, so it rarely works for regular supply of seed spices.
Air cargo still needs the same export documents and checks as a sea shipment. Airlines and forwarders may also have their own rules for food cargo and packing, so ask your forwarder before you book. For a sample, a courier is often simpler than air cargo.
What to check on a small order
- The minimum lot size per product, and whether a smaller lot changes the price.
- Whether the lot is processed fresh for you or taken from existing stock, and its packing date.
- The same lab tests you would require for a full container. Small orders are not lower risk.
- Packing suited to more handling: strong bags, pallets, stretch wrap and clear marks.
- Who handles consolidation, documents and customs, and where the risk passes to you. See FOB, CIF or DAP: which term suits a first order.
- Your import paperwork. A small shipment still needs a full set of documents. See the document pack your broker will ask for.
How we help
Creston & Co helps buyers plan small and mixed orders, finds processors willing to take them, and checks each lot before it leaves. The tests and inspection are the same as for a full container. Ask for a free sourcing review.