A complete enquiry gets a faster and more accurate answer. Commodity prices depend on grade, volume, packaging, origin, destination and delivery terms, so a request that says only “price for urea” cannot be priced. This is what to include when you ask for a bulk commodity quotation.
What to include
- Product and grade: for example urea 46% granular, NPK 15-15-15, ICUMSA 45 sugar, EN590 10ppm diesel.
- Technical specification: the parameters that matter to you, such as moisture, protein, calorific value, sulfur or broken percentage.
- Quantity: per shipment and in total, and whether it is a spot purchase or a contract with monthly shipments.
- Packaging: bulk, big bags, 50 kg bags, flexitanks or another format.
- Origin: a preferred origin, or any origin that meets the specification.
- Destination: the country and discharge port.
- Delivery terms: for example FOB or CIF; see FOB vs CIF.
- Timing: the shipment window you need.
- Payment: the instrument you can open, such as a documentary LC or SBLC.
- Documents: any certificates your country requires.
What happens next
For several products, including urea, coal and petroleum products, suppliers issue an offer only against a Letter of Intent (LOI) from the end buyer. The offer, often called a full corporate offer (FCO), states the price, specification, quantity, delivery terms, payment and validity. Terms are then negotiated and recorded in a sales and purchase agreement.
Common mistakes
- Asking for prices without a destination or delivery terms.
- Leaving out the specification, then rejecting the offer because it does not match.
- Requesting quantities that do not fit vessel sizes or packaging.
- Treating a price as valid indefinitely: offers have a validity period because markets move.
Quotations always depend on availability and on market conditions at the time of the offer. When you are ready, use Agromer’s quote request form, which asks for each of these details.