Terms of Service

1. Scope of Agreement

These Commercial Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern all wholesale procurement, supply agreements, and export transactions entered into with Santal Nexus (“Seller”), registered in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Issuing an official Purchase Order (PO), confirming an export Request for Quotation (RFQ), opening an Irrevocable Letter of Credit (L/C), or executing a formal Sales Contract constitutes unconditional acceptance of these Terms.

2. Produce Grading, Calibration & Tolerances

All fresh agricultural commodities (including Cavendish G9 Bananas, Small Red Onions/Shallots, Green Chillies, Moringa Drumsticks, and Pomegranates) are graded and packed according to agreed commercial specifications, APEDA standards, and Codex Alimentarius guidelines.

• Natural Transit Weight Loss: Fresh fruits and vegetables are living, respiring biological commodities. A natural transit moisture evaporation variance of 2.0% to 3.5% between packhouse weighing and destination discharge is recognized as customary international trade practice.
• Caliber & Sizing: Calibration (e.g., 40mm+ for Shallots, 39–46 caliber for Bananas) is calibrated on packhouse sorting lines prior to pallet strapping.

3. Commercial Quotations & Validity

Due to seasonal market dynamics, freight rate fluctuations, and diesel logistics benchmarks, written quotations and Proforma Invoices issued by Santal Nexus remain valid for five (5) business days from date of issuance, unless explicitly stated otherwise in writing.

4. Incoterms & Maritime Delivery

Unless alternative arrangements are mutually countersigned, all cross-border commercial transactions are executed under Incoterms® 2020 (ICC) rules:

• CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight): Seller arranges and pays for ocean carriage, port loading at V.O. Chidambaranar Port (Tuticorin) or Chennai, and marine cargo insurance (ICC Clause A Institute Frozen/Chilled Produce) to agreed discharge port (e.g., Port Klang, Singapore, Jebel Ali). Risk transfers to Buyer once container passes the ship's rail at loading port.
• FOB (Free on Board): Seller is responsible for packhouse sorting, local cold trucking, customs clearance, and loading aboard Buyer's nominated vessel. Buyer bears freight costs and transit insurance.

5. Cold-Chain & Reefer Voyage Integrity

For refrigerated ocean containers (40ft High Cube Reefers), Seller guarantees that produce is pre-cooled and containerized at the agreed transit setpoint (e.g., +13.5°C with 15 CMH ventilation for Cavendish Bananas).

Every container carries dual certified USB/IoT voyage data loggers. The carrier's maritime reefer plug-in logs and data logger readings serve as definitive proof of cold-chain continuity during transit.

6. Payment Terms & Letters of Credit

Accepted payment modalities for international trade include:

• Irrevocable Confirmed Letter of Credit (L/C): Payable at sight against presentation of clean On-Board Ocean Bills of Lading, Commercial Invoice, Certificate of Origin, and Phytosanitary Certificate issued by first-class international banks.
• Telegraphic Transfer (T/T): Part-advance deposit upon contract signing, with final balance payable against soft copy presentation of Bill of Lading prior to vessel arrival at destination.

7. Inspection, Discharge & Claims Protocol

Buyer has the right to inspect the cargo at the port of discharge. In the rare event of quality divergence or temperature abuse in transit:

1. Notice of discrepancy must be communicated to Seller within 48 hours of container destuffing, accompanied by unbroken container seal records.
2. Claims must be supported by an independent joint survey report performed by an accredited maritime surveyor (e.g., SGS, Bureau Veritas, or Intertek).
3. Seller shall not be liable for quality deterioration resulting from post-discharge warehouse delays, customs clearance holds at destination, or reefer power disconnections attributable to consignee agents.

8. Force Majeure & Port Congestion

Neither party shall be held liable for failure or delay in performance resulting from causes beyond reasonable control, including cyclones, catastrophic floods, strikes, port canal blockades, civil unrest, export embargoes imposed by regulatory authorities, or global maritime vessel omissions.

9. Governing Law & Arbitration

These Terms and all commercial contracts derived hereunder are construed and governed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of India. Any unresolved commercial dispute shall be submitted to binding arbitration in Madurai / Chennai, Tamil Nadu under the Indian Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.