I am a small farmer. Can I start exporting with a small quantity or do I need a full container right from the start.
3 जवाब
There is no single legal minimum, but practically most sea shipments go as a full container (FCL), so buyers usually want enough to fill a container, which for fresh produce can be a large quantity. For smaller volumes you can use LCL (Less than Container Load) where your goods share a container, or air freight for high-value, low-weight items, though air is expensive. For a small farmer the realistic ways to start are: pool your produce with other farmers through an FPO to fill a container, or supply to a merchant exporter who aggregates from many growers. Trying to export a small lot alone by sea is often not economical once you add freight and handling. Start by supplying an exporter or FPO, learn the quality and process, then scale up. Confirm container sizes and freight options with a freight forwarder or CHA.
We small farmers in our village pool through our FPO to fill a container. Alone none of us could. Pooling is the answer for small holdings.
I started by selling to an exporter, did not handle the container myself. After two years I understood the system. Do not jump to full container alone in year one.