KEDIRI — In commodity trading, good goods are not enough. Without complete and correct documents, containers can be held at port, storage costs pile up and trade relationships suffer. That is why exporters and importers need a document checklist from the very start of a transaction.
Quality documents
- Certificate of Analysis (COA): laboratory results per batch proving compliance with the specification.
- Halal certificate: required for food products sold to countries or buyers that require halal assurance. In Indonesia, halal certificates are issued by the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH).
- Food safety certification: such as the FSSC 22000 scheme, or U.S. FDA facility registration for food shipments to the United States.
Legal documents
New buyers usually verify their suppliers. Commonly requested documents include the Business Identification Number (NIB) and business licence. CV ECHOTECH, for example, is registered under NIB 1233000671246.
Origin and shipping documents
- Certificate of Origin: shows the country of origin and can be used to obtain preferential tariffs under trade agreements.
- Commercial invoice and packing list: details of value, quantity and packing.
- Bill of Lading: proof of shipment and document of title to the goods.
- Insurance policy: must be provided by the seller under CIF terms.
Destination-country documents
Each destination country may have extra requirements, such as health certificates, fumigation for certain products, or importer registration. Buyers should confirm these with the authorities in their country before signing the contract.
The key: confirm early
The document list should be agreed at the quotation stage. At CV ECHOTECH, supporting documents are tailored to the transaction and the agreement with the buyer, from a COA per batch, halal certificate and legal documents to certificates of origin, shipping documents according to Incoterms and destination-country requirements.
