Practical notes for buyers of Indian food.
Grades, specs, documents, shipping and seasonality: what to ask an Indian supplier for, and why, from rice and spices to fresh produce flown out of Delhi.
India's Crop Calendar for Buyers: Basmati, Pulses and Spices
When India harvests basmati, chana, tur, moong, cumin, chilli, turmeric and pepper, and the best windows for importers to sample and contract each crop.
Indian fresh produce: buying direct vs through a re-export hub
Indian fresh produce direct from origin or via a re-export hub: transit, handling, landed cost, phytosanitary paperwork and when each route fits.
Fresh Indian produce and EU/UK plant-health rules: what can be shipped
Which fresh Indian produce can enter the EU and UK: curry leaf and bitter gourd limits, chilli and okra checks, phytosanitary certificates and pre-notification.
Ramadan 2026 planning for Gulf importers: rice, pulses, fresh produce
When to contract Indian rice, pulses and fresh produce for Ramadan 2026, expected around 18 February: shipping timelines, RCAC rules and stock-building.
Why source Indian food from Delhi: a buyer's guide to North India
Haryana's basmati belt, Khari Baoli, Azadpur Mandi, Delhi IGI air cargo and ICD rail links to the ports: how North India's food supply chain works.
20ft vs 40ft container: how much rice, pulses or spices fit
Weight vs volume limits, typical payloads for rice, pulses and spices, pallets vs floor-loading, and road weight limits for 20ft and 40ft containers.
How to evaluate a pre-shipment sample of rice, pulses or spices
Visual checks, simple at-home tests, when to use an accredited lab, and how to seal and label counter-samples for rice, pulses and spice shipments from India.
Rice Bags for Export: PP Woven, BOPP, Jute, Non-Woven or Retail Pouch
Compare PP woven, BOPP laminated, jute, non-woven and retail pouch bags for export rice: strength, print, moisture, cost drivers and when to use each.
Private-label spices and masalas: grinding, packaging and the spec
Whole vs ground spices, particle size and grinding heat, barrier films, moisture and shelf life, and what a private-label spice and masala spec should include.
Launching a private-label basmati range: grades, labels and MOQs
How to choose a basmati grade and pack sizes, check label content for Gulf and UK/EU markets, run samples and plan minimum orders for a private-label range.
Storing rice, pulses and spices on tropical islands
How island hotels and resorts can control humidity, spot weevils and beetles, run FEFO, choose packaging and plan with realistic shelf lives for dry goods.
Planning a mixed container for a resort pantry
How resort buyers build a pantry item list, choose kitchen pack sizes, balance weight against volume in a mixed container and set a re-order cycle.
Air freight pricing for perishables: chargeable weight to landed cost
Chargeable weight, the 1:6000 volumetric rule, rate breaks, fuel and security surcharges, handling fees and how carton design changes your landed cost per kilo.
Bitter gourd, drumstick, ivy gourd abroad: shelf life and handling
Shelf life, cold-room temperatures and arrival checks for bitter gourd, drumstick, ivy gourd and other Indian vegetables, and who buys them in export markets.
Marigold for Diwali, Navratri and weddings: planning flower orders
Plan marigold and Indian flower imports for Navratri, Diwali 2024 and the wedding season: lead times, loose flowers vs garlands, wet-pack and volume planning.
Okra by air from India: grading, packing and pre-cooling
How to specify okra length and tenderness, pack it in ventilated cartons and keep it at 7–10 °C so it lands green and crisp after an air shipment from India.
Steam sterilisation vs ETO for spices: a guide for EU buyers
Why EU buyers demand ETO-free spices, what steam sterilisation does to microbes, flavour and colour, and which lab reports and records to ask for.
Pesticide Residues on Basmati and Spices: What to Ask Your Supplier
What residue reports to ask an Indian basmati or spice supplier for: lab accreditation, reporting limits, EU tricyclazole at 0.01 mg/kg, EtO, and Gulf rules.
Indian Dried Red Chillies: Teja, Byadgi, 334/Sannam and Wonder Hot
Match Indian dried chilli varieties to your use: Teja, Byadgi, 334/Sannam and Wonder Hot compared on ASTA colour and SHU heat, plus stemless vs with stem.
Turmeric Fingers, Bulbs and Powder: Curcumin, Polish and Varieties
Buying Indian turmeric: fingers vs bulbs vs powder, polished or unpolished, curcumin and test methods, Erode, Salem, Rajapuri and Lakadong, and what to ask for.
Indian Cumin (Jeera) Explained: Unjha, Export Grades, Colour and Oil
How Indian cumin is traded at Unjha, what Europe and Singapore quality grades mean, what drives colour and oil, and when new-crop jeera arrives.
What "Sortex Cleaned" Means for Pulses and Spices, and How to Spec It
What optical sorting removes from pulses and spices, what it leaves behind, where it fits in a cleaning line, and how to write a cleaning specification.
Kabuli and Desi Chana for Importers: Sizes, Uses and Order Specs
A practical guide to Indian chickpeas: kabuli count per ounce and mm sizes, desi chana, chana dal and besan, which suits which use, and what to specify.
Toor Dal Buying Guide: Finish, Grades, Origins and Price Drivers
How to buy toor (arhar) dal: whole vs split, polished, unpolished and oily finishes, quality limits, Indian and imported origins, and what moves price.
The documents that travel with an Indian food container
Invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, phytosanitary and fumigation certificates: what each proves and what your customs broker needs.
Advance payment or L/C for a first order from an Indian exporter
How TT advance and letters of credit work for a first food order from India: costs, risks, documents, irrevocable and at sight, and common L/C discrepancies.
FOB, CFR, CIF or EXW? Incoterms 2020 for Indian food containers
Who pays, who insures and where risk passes under EXW, FOB, CFR and CIF, and why FCA, CPT and CIP suit containers railed from Delhi ICDs to Nhava Sheva.
Golden Sella, White Sella, Steam or Raw Basmati: What Processing Changes
How raw, steam, white sella and golden sella basmati are made, and how each process changes colour, cooking, aroma, breakage and shelf life.
1121, 1509, 1401 or Traditional: Matching Basmati Grades to Markets
Which basmati grade suits Gulf biryani, UK retail or the EU? Compare Pusa 1121, 1509, 1401 and traditional basmati on grain, cooking, rules and use.
How to Read a Basmati Spec Sheet: AGL, Broken %, Moisture and Purity
Read a basmati rice spec sheet line by line: average grain length, moisture, broken, damaged, chalky and admixture limits, and what to put in the contract.
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