A quotation is a purchasing document, not a price list. Because of this, the fastest way to judge a supplier is to read how they quote. This checklist covers what a fertilizer quotation should contain, and what to ask when something is missing.
What a Fertilizer Quotation Should Contain
A usable quotation names the product, the grade and the analysis. It also states packaging, quantity basis and delivery terms. Moreover, it should tell you which documents travel with the shipment. If a supplier answers only the price line, treat that as a warning about the rest of the process.
Specification and Analysis: Read This First
Check that the grade matches your program, and that trace elements are declared. Fully soluble grades matter for drip and foliar use, which we compare in our water-soluble versus liquid guide. Then confirm how the ratio fits your crop stage, as set out in our NPK ratio notes. If the analysis is vague, ask for the specification sheet before you go further.
Packaging, Labelling and Palletisation
Packaging decides your handling cost and your storage footprint. Therefore ask for bag or drum size, pallet configuration and stack height. Label content matters too. It should carry the analysis, net weight, batch number and handling notes. On liquid products, check seal type and closure, because a weak closure turns into leakage claims later.
Documents, Not Promises
Serious suppliers attach documents to the offer. Ask for the certificate of analysis, a specification sheet and a packing list. If a claim is not written down, it is not part of the contract. Meanwhile, keep the documents from each lot, so you can trace any issue back to a batch.
Delivery Terms and Incoterms in Plain Language
Delivery terms decide where your risk starts. For example, FOB hands over at the port of loading. CIF includes freight and insurance to a named port. DDP puts delivery and import duties on the seller. Each term changes your landed cost, so compare offers on the same term. Otherwise, you are comparing two different prices. For inland destinations, ask how the supplier plans port clearance and trucking, as buyers do in our East African sourcing notes.
Reference: ICC Incoterms rules for the official definitions of delivery terms.
Six Questions That Separate Serious Suppliers
- Which lot will we receive, and can you test a pre-shipment sample?
- How do you control batch variation between lots?
- What is the minimum order basis, and how is it calculated?
- Which documents travel with the shipment?
- How do you handle residue, moisture or caking complaints?
- Who is the technical contact after the order is placed?
Two of those questions touch commercial terms. Where a figure is required, ask for it in writing on the offer. That keeps the comparison like for like.
Reference: FAO Soils Portal for nutrient management context.
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