Delivery Terms, Packaging and Analysis Process in Dried Apricot Export

Agreeing on price is only the first step of export. Where the goods will be delivered, who will transport them, in which box and on which pallet they will travel, and which analysis result will be on hand before customs — an order placed without clarifying these questions remains open to surprises on loading day. In this article we look at three practical pillars of dried apricot export together: delivery terms, packaging and the analysis process.

Delivery Terms: What Do FOB, CIF, CFR, EXW Mean?

Standard abbreviations showing who takes over what and when in international trade are called Incoterms. The four terms most commonly encountered in dried apricot export can be summarized as follows:

• EXW (Ex Works): The seller’s responsibility is limited to delivering the goods at their own warehouse/facility. Loading, transport, insurance, customs — all of it falls to the buyer. Preferred when the buyer wants to use their own carrier.
• FOB (Free on Board): The seller brings the goods to the agreed port in Turkey and loads them onto the vessel; from this point on, freight and insurance belong to the buyer. It is one of the most commonly used terms for dried apricot, because most buyers have their own freight arrangements.
• CFR (Cost and Freight): The seller bears the cost up to freight and has the goods carried to the port in the buyer’s country; insurance still falls to the buyer.
• CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight): In addition to CFR, insurance is also arranged by the seller and included in the price. The buyer only wants to be concerned with receiving the goods at the destination port.

Which term is chosen generally depends on the buyer’s own logistics habits, freight contracts and risk preference; the right answer should be discussed separately for each shipment.

Packaging: From Carton to Container

In dried apricot, packaging must protect the product while also fitting the buyer’s sales channel.

• Export carton: The most common size in the market is a 10 kg or 12.5 kg net carton box; a food-grade PE bag is placed inside and the box is labelled.
• Gourmet/gift box: Smaller boxes, generally around 5 kg, are preferred for lots headed to a retail shelf or gift channel.
• Sack: An alternative used for industrial buyers; it requires less labour than the carton-pallet process.

When cartons are palletized, either a Euro pallet or an industrial pallet size is used; which pallet type is chosen directly affects how many pallets fit into a container. 20ft containers are preferred for smaller-volume/heavier loads, while 40ft containers are preferred for larger-volume shipments. The calculation of carton weight × cartons per pallet × pallets per container is planned separately for each shipment; giving a fixed “this many cartons fit” figure would not be realistic.

The Analysis Process: How Is a COA Obtained?

Once packaging and delivery terms are clarified, the analysis results are often the first thing the buyer asks about. The following topics typically come up for dried apricot:

• SO2 (sulphur dioxide): A value that affects the colour and shelf life of yellow apricot. We covered the details in our article Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) Levels and Export Limits.
• Moisture content: Directly related to the product’s storability and microbial risk.
• Aflatoxin and pesticide residue: Values frequently asked about, especially in the European Union market, with accepted limits varying from country to country.

These analyses are not carried out by the company itself but by an independent accredited laboratory; the result is presented to the buyer as a COA (Certificate of Analysis). Rather than giving a fixed limit or ppm figure, it is a sounder approach to confirm the value against the buyer country’s current regulations before each shipment — because these limits are updated from time to time. We covered the analysis and documentation side in more detail in our article What Documents Are Required in Dried Apricot Export?.

Where Does Akyel Kayısı Stand in This Process?

We are not a producer but a party working within the supply chain; accordingly, we do not carry out laboratory analysis ourselves and do not issue official documents ourselves. Upon request, we coordinate having a sample reach an independent accredited laboratory, sharing the result with the buyer, and structuring the packaging/pallet/container plan to match the chosen delivery term. If you would like to see which calibre suits which channel on the product side, you can also take a look at our Apricot Calibration and Sizing Guide.

Delivery terms, packaging and analysis — an order placed without clarifying all three together costs time on loading day. If you let us know your target country, channel (retail/industrial) and preferred Incoterm, we can clarify the packaging and analysis plan together; you can find more information about the process on our supply and logistics page.