Resources

Trade resources for exporters, importers and global buyers.

The Pathfinder resource centre covers three practical themes: export readiness, buyer and supplier evaluation, and international market preparation.

Trade documents, world map and a brass compass on a desk

Guidance

Resource themes.

Practical guidance for exporters, importers and international buyers, organised across three themes. Each note is reviewed for editorial accuracy and compliance language before publication.

01

Export Readiness

Assessing product, documentation understanding, pricing structure and capacity before approaching international markets.

  • Confirm IEC, GST and product-specific registrations such as FSSAI, Spices Board or APEDA before quoting.
  • Build a costing sheet that separates ex-works price, inland movement, port charges, insurance and margin.
  • Prepare a technical specification sheet with grade, moisture, packing, shelf life and testing standards.
  • Verify realistic monthly capacity and lead time before committing to a repeat-order buyer.
02

Buyer and Supplier Evaluation

How counterparties are screened across company identity, product capability, documentation and transaction-specific due diligence.

  • Establish legal identity: registration number, trading history, banking reference and physical address.
  • Assess product capability against the exact grade and specification under discussion, not the catalogue.
  • Review documentation practice — past invoices, certificates of origin, lab reports and inspection records.
  • Match payment terms to the risk profile; advance, LC and documents-against-payment carry different exposure.
03

International Market Preparation

Selecting realistic markets, understanding buyer expectations and preparing packaging, specification and communication standards.

  • Shortlist destinations by tariff position, certification burden and existing demand for the grade offered.
  • Align labelling and packaging with destination regulations before samples are dispatched.
  • Standardise the enquiry response: specification, packing, price basis, validity and inspection terms.
  • Maintain consistent communication cadence — buyers evaluate reliability long before the first order.

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