Exports and imports have a big impact on a country’s economy. Countries with a balanced export-import rate have a stable economy and, that leads to the strong position of the country, in the international market. The agricultural product plays a vital role in the exports of Pakistan. The importance of agriculture crops in human life is well known. These crops play a vital role in the human diet by providing not only energy rich food but also provide important protective nutrients like minerals and vitamins.
As far as export of agriculture is concerned all the agriculture is kept under isolation for the specified time period and after the necessary tests it is then allowed for export. Agriculture is in great demand for the export from Pakistan to Afghanistan, European countries, and Middle Eastern countries.
Also Read: How to Export Product into the New Market
Quality Control Standards of the Agriculture Export
Quality conscious international customers wish each exporting country to meet the international standards system into their supply chain to keep up with the international market. These quality control standards include healthful and Phyto-Sanitary measures, good agriculture practices, quarantine treatments, residues of agrochemicals, and safety of food packing materials.
Following are the few tips for the marketing and quality control of the export of agriculture:
- Recognition of the Produce
- Provisions Regarding Quality
- Provisions Regarding Tolerance
- Consistency in Size
- Consistency in Produce
- Coloring
- Requirements for the Export Quality
- Packaging
- Labeling
Also Read: Step by Step Procedure of Import and Export
Recognition of the Produce
All the quality standards state that the export documents should clearly determine the variety of agriculture and associated information.
Provisions Regarding Quality
The purpose of the quality is to define the standard demands of the agriculture each at the export and import management stages, once classification, process, and packing.
Provision Regarding Tolerance
In terms of health, size, color, and soundness up to 5% tolerance by the number of fruit not satisfying the quality requirements shall be allowed.
Consistency in Size
The difference between the smallest and the largest fruit within the same package shall not exceed the permissible limit of 5% for all fruit organized in regular layers or packed.
Consistency in Produce for Export
The package shall contain only the fruit of the spices mentioned on the package, as an example, kinnow and apple shall be significant of the same degree of ripeness and growth.
Coloring
Coloring shall be normal for the varietal kind on a minimum of 1/3 of the surface of the fruit. Moreover, the degree of coloring shall be specified, following normal growth, the fruit reaches its normal color at the destination point, the description being taken of the time of picking, the growing area, and duration of transport.
Requirements for the Export Quality
Following are the requirements for the export quality of fruits or vegetables and tolerance limits allowed.
The fruit or vegetables shall be:
- Flawless, sound, and healthy.
- Free from damaged and decay caused by bruising, frost, or in depth healed over cuts.
- Free from any visible foreign smell, taste, or matter.
- Free from all external sources moisture.
- Free from disease, fruit flies, and different quarantine pests.
- Free from discoloring other than mentioned in these standards.
Packaging
The fruit or vegetable shall be safely packed in hard paper cartons or any other packing that importer requested. The packaging standard shall be 6, 8, 10, and 13 kg carton. The fruit or vegetable shall be packed carefully so that it won’t be destroyed during handling, transportation, and storage. The material used for packing shall be new, clean, and of high quality.
Labeling
Label the package clearly mentioning the Trade Mark, the Country of Origin, commodity, variety, count, weight, name, and address of the exporter. The name of the importer, shelf life, and nutritional value should also be printed on the label.
Documentation Required for the Export of Agriculture from Pakistan
Documentation may vary from country to country, but the following are the documents required for the export of agriculture from Pakistan.
- NTN (Nation Tax Number)
- GST (General Sales Tax)
- Commercial Invoice
- Packing List
- E-Form (from the authorized Commercial Bank)
- Certificate of Origin (issued by the Chamber of Commerce and Industries)
- Phyto-Sanitary Inspection Certificate (from the Plant Protection Department)
- Non GMO Certificate (required for selected countries like China)
- A NOC if needed that refer to the product or the country wherever the agriculture is supposed to be exported.
Contract
When the price for export order is confirmed, then the contract has to be signed by the buyer and supplier for the supply and payment terms of the agriculture product. A contract is a document which contains the following detail.
- Name of the Exporter of agriculture
- Name of the Importer of agriculture
- The total quantity of the product
- Unit price
- Terms of delivery (FOB, CIF, C&F, etc.)
- Terms of payment (the payment arrangement can be made through direct fund transfer and Letter of Credit (LC). Nowadays Letter of Credit is used for the payment terms because In a letter of credit customer’s bank promises the exporter to pay as long as the terms of the agreement are met.)
- Mode of Shipment (Sea, Air, or Road)
- Currency within which the funds are transferred
- Validity and delivery period of the contract
- Arbitration clause
Final Words
When you are exporting goods to other countries, you should have to keep the quality control in mind, especially when exporting agriculture. Agriculture is a very sensitive thing to export because it could get destroyed during transportation or handling, so you need to follow the things mentioned above for quality control.
