Find out why the date was missed, in writing, and ask for a firm new date backed by evidence. Then use your contract and payment terms to decide whether to accept the delay, ask for a concession, or cancel and recover any advance.
Act quickly. A few days' delay is common and often recoverable. A delay with no clear explanation tends to get longer.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. If you are thinking of cancelling, or a large advance is at stake, speak to a lawyer before you act.
Find out the real reason
Delays on agri orders from India usually come from one of these:
- The vessel booking was rolled to a later sailing, or containers were short.
- Raw material arrivals at the APMC were late, low or poor in quality.
- A lab test failed, and the lot is being cleaned again or replaced.
- A government export restriction or new condition came in.
- The market rose, and the supplier is slow to ship at your price.
Ask for evidence
A supplier that cannot show your goods exist may not have them. That changes your next step. Keep every message and reply in writing, since you may need the record later.
- The booking confirmation and the new sailing date.
- Photos or a stock report of your goods, packed and marked.
- The lab report, if testing is the cause.
- A written new date, confirmed by the person who signs contracts.
Check your contract and payment terms
Look for the latest shipment date, any clause on late shipment and what happens to the advance. If you pay by letter of credit, check its latest shipment date and expiry date. A supplier who ships late cannot present compliant documents unless the credit is amended, so talk to your bank early.
If you paid an advance, your rights depend on what the contract says. See typical payment terms for agri imports for what to agree next time.
Your options
Whatever you choose, do not let the rush skip the checks. Goods loaded in a hurry are where many problems start. Keep the pre-shipment inspection. Read common quality problems with Indian agri exports.
- Accept a new date, confirmed in writing, with any changed terms.
- Accept a part shipment now and the balance later.
- Ask for a concession to cover your extra costs.
- Cancel under the contract and ask for the advance back within a fixed number of days.
- Buy urgent volume elsewhere while you settle the original order.
Preventing it next time
- Build a buffer between the shipment date and the date you need the goods.
- Book raw material and price early in the season. See the best time to book agri contracts.
- Ask for production and booking updates at agreed points, not only at the end.
- Put late shipment and advance refund terms in the contract.
How we help
We follow production and vessel bookings on every order, so a delay shows up early. When one happens, we check the stock in person and report what we find. Ask for a free sourcing review.