Questions buyers ask us

For most products the practical minimum is one full 20ft container, because that is the smallest unit that ships economically from Durban. The exact minimum for each product is confirmed on quotation. High-value lines such as cardamom, cloves or macadamia kernels can sometimes be offered in smaller lots.

Yes, for compatible dry goods. Pulses, spices and nuts can share a container when they are properly separated and documented. We never load food together with fertiliser or industrial products, and oils always travel in their own tanks or drums.

Send a quote request with product, grade, quantity and destination port. We reply with an offer, and once you accept it we issue a sales contract. Sourcing and packing start when the contract is signed and the agreed payment terms are in place.

Yes. Many buyers take a fixed volume every month or every quarter. We agree the specification once, then price each shipment or use an agreed formula.

Commodity prices move with the crop, the exchange rate and ocean freight, sometimes daily. A price on a web page would be out of date by the time you read it, so every offer is priced on request and carries its own validity date.

Export offers are usually in US dollars. We can quote in South African rand for local buyers and in euro on request.

Payment terms are confirmed on quotation and written into the contract. Common structures include an irrevocable Letter of Credit, or a Telegraphic Transfer deposit with the balance against copy shipping documents.

For your protection: we only ever ask for payment into the company account named on our contract. If you receive banking details that differ, phone us on +27 (0)67 163 9326 before paying.

The validity period is printed on every offer. In fast-moving markets such as sugar and vegetable oils it may be only a few days, so let us know if you need time for internal approval.

Yes. Request one from any product page or the quote form. Samples are sent by courier, normally at the buyer’s cost, and we can send a pre-shipment sample from the actual lot before loading.

Each lot is cleaned, graded and tested against the contract specification and shipped with a Certificate of Analysis. If you want independent proof, we appoint SGS or an equivalent surveyor to sample, test and witness loading in Durban.

For many products, yes. Bags and cartons can carry your marks, language and lot coding. Printed packaging usually needs extra lead time and a minimum run, which we confirm on quotation.

We only claim a certification when the supplying facility holds a valid certificate for the lot you are buying. Product pages show this as [Confirm certification] until a copy is on file. Ask us about your requirement and we will confirm what is available.

FOB Durban, CFR and CIF under Incoterms 2020. Under all three, risk passes to you once the goods are on board in Durban. Our Logistics page shows who pays for what.

Our standard port of loading is Durban Seaport, KwaZulu-Natal. For some East African origins it can make sense to ship directly from Dar es Salaam or Mombasa, and if so we say so clearly on the offer.

Allow 2 to 5 weeks from confirmed order and payment terms to loading, depending on the product and season, plus sea transit. Indicative transit times by region are on the Logistics page.

Our core terms end at your port of discharge. For buyers who need door delivery we can introduce freight partners who handle import clearance and inland transport at your cost.

Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading, Certificate of Origin, Phytosanitary Certificate and Certificate of Analysis as standard. Fumigation, health, weight or inspection certificates are added where the product or destination requires them.

Yes. We can appoint SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or a surveyor you nominate. The cost and who pays it are agreed in the contract before loading.

Import permits and licences are the buyer’s responsibility. Tell us your country’s requirements early, such as specific wording on a phytosanitary certificate, and we will make sure our documents support your application.

ETC AGRO LTD is registered in South Africa under company registration 2006/010581/07 with VAT number 4180228050. Our head office is at Etg House, 62 Wierda Road East, Sandton. You are welcome to visit or call us before you trade.

Notify us in writing within the claims window set out in your contract, with photographs and your surveyor’s report. Quality disputes are settled by an independent inspection. Upheld claims are resolved by price adjustment, replacement or refund. See our Refunds & Returns Policy.

No. Bulk commodities are sourced, packed and shipped to your order, and perishable products cannot be returned. Returns only apply where goods are proven not to meet the contract.

The party raising the claim normally appoints and pays the surveyor first. If the claim is upheld, the cost is recovered from the party at fault, as set out in the contract.