Let’s be brutally honest: Importing agricultural commodities from Vietnam is not like buying electronics. A phone chip doesn’t mold inside a container. A plastic toy doesn’t contain banned pesticides.
But Cashews and Coffee do.
For international buyers, the line between a profitable deal and a financial disaster is incredibly thin. One rejected container due to moisture, or one canceled contract due to price volatility, can wipe out your entire year’s profit.
At An Supply, we don’t just supply commodities; we supply survival strategies. Here is the unvarnished truth about the top 5 risks in this industry and the specific “Shield Protocols” we use to protect our partners.
Risk #1: The “Bait & Switch” (Sophisticated Quality Fade)
The Nightmare Scenario: You receive a sample of pristine W320 Cashews. You order 5 containers. When they arrive, the top layer of bags looks perfect. But underneath? It’s a mix of smaller sizes, broken pieces, and worst of all—Old Crop mixed with New Crop. The old nuts taste stale and rancid. Your customer rejects the entire lot.
How An Supply Disarms This:
- The “Master Sample” Protocol: We don’t just send you a sample; we create a Triplicate Sample Set. One for you, one for us, and one sealed for a neutral third-party surveyor.
- The “Unannounced” Inspection: We allow—and encourage—you to appoint SGS or CafeControl to pull random samples from sealed cartons during loading. If the lab result deviates even 5% from the contract spec, we stop the shipment ourselves. We never ship “hope”. We ship certainty.
Risk #2: Contract Default (The Volatility Trap)
The Nightmare Scenario: You sign a contract for Robusta Coffee at $2,400/MT. A sudden frost in Brazil spikes the global price to $2,800/MT. Your supplier suddenly goes silent. They claim “logistics issues” or “crop failure,” but in reality, they are selling your coffee to someone else at the higher price. You are left with no stock and furious customers.
How An Supply Disarms This:
- Inventory Ownership: Unlike brokers who speculate, An Supply often secures physical stock or hedges positions immediately upon signing.
- Integrity Over Profit: We view a signed contract as a binding bond. In 2023, when cashew prices fluctuated wildly, we delivered every single ounce committed, even when it meant absorbing a loss. We protect your supply chain stability at our own expense.
Risk #3: “Container Rain” (The Moisture Killer)
The Nightmare Scenario: You load perfectly dry coffee beans in Ho Chi Minh City (35°C). The ship travels to Rotterdam (5°C). The temperature drop causes condensation (“sweat”) to form on the container roof, dripping onto your cargo for weeks. The result: A container full of moldy, fermented beans unusable for human consumption.
How An Supply Disarms This:
- The Science of Drying: We strictly adhere to safe moisture limits (Max 12.5% for Green Coffee, Max 5% for Cashews).
- The “Fortress” Packing: We don’t skimp on protection. We use:
- High-absorption Desiccant Poles (1kg – 2kg per container).
- Kraft Paper Lining: Dressing the container walls to create a barrier between the cold steel and your goods.
- Vented Containers: Choosing shipping lines that offer better ventilation when possible.
Limit). TheThe entir Minefield (Pesticide Residue)destr Nightmareoyed.The Root Cause: Sourcing from unc EU. Port Health Authorities test it and find Chlorpyrifos at 0.02 mg/kg (The EU limit is 0.01 mg/kg). The verdict? Destruction of the goods. Cost: $50,000+ plus disposal fees.How An Supply Disarms This:
- Farm-to-Fork Traceability: We map our sourcing network. We know which farms follow GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) and strictly control spraying cycles.
- The “Eurofins” Standard: For sensitive markets (EU, Japan, US), “the su compositepplier” asking to chang SGSk account details for the deposit. You send the money, and it vanishes.
The Root Cause: Email hacking (Business Email Compromise).
The An Supply Shield:
- Verification Protocol: An Supply will NEVER change bank details via a simple email.
- Multi-Factor Confirmation: If bank details ever need to change, we require a video call confirmation and an official letterhead signed and stamped by our Director.
Conclusion
Risks in agricultural trade are inevitable, but they are manageable—if you have the right partner.
At An Supply, we don’t just sell commodities; we sell risk management.
Ready for a safe transaction? Contact An Supply for a consultation.
