Most arrival disputes on small Egyptian orders are not caused by bad fruit. They are caused by an order that was agreed over messages, with a price, a quantity and a sailing date, and nothing written about what the goods should be. A one-page specification, agreed before the deposit, settles almost every argument that would otherwise be settled after the container is opened. This page sets out what belongs in it.
What must the specification identify?
Six items are non-negotiable, because each one is a variable the supplier can legitimately choose if you do not state it.
| Clause | What to state | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Variety and grade | Named variety, Class I or Class II | Valencia orange, Class I |
| Size or count | A range, not a single figure | Counts 56 to 72, or 500 to 900 g |
| Packing | Carton weight, liner, tray or loose | 15 kg telescopic, ventilated, no tray |
| Pallet | Pallet size, cartons per pallet, height | 100 x 120 cm, 72 cartons, corner-posted |
| Temperature | Set point and pulp temperature at loading | Set 4 C, pulp not above 6 C at gate-in |
| Labelling | Carton face text and lot code format | Product of Egypt, packer code, pack date |
What tolerances should the specification carry?
A tolerance is what makes a specification enforceable. Without one, any defect at all is technically a breach, which in practice means neither side can rely on the document. State the percentage of the consignment, by count or by weight, that may fall outside grade, and state it separately for size deviation and for quality defects. Marketing standards for most fresh produce allow a defined tolerance for Class I, and buyers who want tighter than that should say so and expect to pay for the extra sorting. Also state how a defect is counted, whether per carton or across the sampled cartons, since that single sentence decides the outcome of most claims.
How does a specification work on a mixed container?
A part-load makes the specification more important, not less. Your cartons travel at a set point chosen for the whole container, so the specification should confirm that your product is compatible with the load rather than assume it. State the acceptable temperature range for your item and note whether it is ethylene sensitive. Where several products share a reefer, the compatibility rules in our note on mixing products in one Egyptian reefer determine what can travel alongside you.
What should the acceptance clause say?
This is the clause buyers most often leave out. It should state where title and risk pass under the agreed Incoterms 2020 rule, how condition on arrival is to be evidenced, and within how many hours of discharge an inspection must be carried out for a claim to be admissible. Twenty four to forty eight hours from discharge is common on perishable cargo. It should also state that the temperature logger download forms part of the evidence. Our guide to handling a part-load claim explains how that evidence is then assessed.
How does the specification relate to the RFQ?
The RFQ gets you a price. The specification defines what that price is for. In practice the sensible sequence is to send the RFQ, take the quotation, then convert the agreed lines into a specification sheet and attach it to the proforma invoice, so that one document travels with the order. The eight lines that produce a same-day quote are set out in our note on sending an RFQ to an Egyptian supplier.
How long should it be?
One page. A specification that runs to six pages of legal drafting will not be read by the packhouse supervisor who actually decides what goes in the carton. Keep it to the clauses above, put it in front of the packhouse, and ask the supplier to confirm each line in writing before the deposit is paid.
Peivana supplies mixed containers and part-loads from GLOBALG.A.P and BRC certified Egyptian packhouses, with same-day quotations on defined specifications. To have a specification sheet drafted against your order, message us on WhatsApp at +20 10 9911 1918.