Key points
- Specific, confident answers to detailed questions signal a real operation.
- Vague answers about certifications, packhouse or freight are red flags.
- A good exporter will also question you — volume, market, specs — before quoting.
1. What products do you export?
You want a precise list — varieties, grades, seasons — not 'we can supply anything'. No exporter is strong in everything; honest ones say what they do best and what they source from partners.
2. What countries do you supply?
Route experience matters. An exporter already shipping to your market knows its labelling rules, residue limits, airline options and typical transit times.
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3. Do you offer year-round supply?
Ask which lines run twelve months and which are seasonal, and how they cover gaps. A sourcing agent with several audited farms can hold supply when a single grower cannot.
4. What certifications do you have?
Ask for GlobalG.A.P. status of the supplying farms, KEPHIS exporter registration, recent MRL test results and any retailer-specific standards (GRASP, SMETA, organic) your market needs. Then verify the numbers.
5. What are your minimum order quantities?
MOQs reveal who the exporter is built for. Make sure their minimums match your scale today — and that they can grow with you next year.
6. How do you maintain product freshness?
Listen for specifics: harvest timing, pre-cooling, packhouse cold rooms, same-day delivery to the airline cold room. 'We keep it fresh' is not an answer; temperature targets and timings are.
7. What shipping options are available?
Air freight is standard for flowers, herbs and chillies; sea freight suits avocados and some fruit. Ask which airlines and routes serve your airport and what the typical door-to-airport transit time is.
8–10. Three questions buyers forget
Ask how quality claims are handled (photos on arrival, credit terms), whether you get pre-shipment photos of every consignment, and whether they can pack under your own label. These three answers predict what the relationship will feel like a year in.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the most revealing question to ask an exporter?
- Ask them to walk you through their last quality claim and how it was settled. The answer reveals more about reliability than any certificate.
- Should a good exporter ask me questions too?
- Yes — about your market, volumes, specification and label requirements. An exporter who quotes without understanding your programme is guessing.
- How many exporters should I shortlist?
- Three is a good number. Run the same question list with each, then place a small trial order with the strongest two before committing to a programme.