For a first-time agri-commodity exporter, the gap between "buyer confirmed the order" and "money in the account" is where most deals actually fail. Trade finance instruments exist to close that gap — but only if they’re structured correctly. This guide walks through the instruments INCA structures most often for agri-export clients.
Why trade finance trips up new exporters
Perishable and semi-perishable agri commodities add time pressure that manufactured-goods exporters rarely face. A discrepant Letter of Credit (LC) that takes ten days to amend can mean a container of produce degrades before payment ever clears customs on the buyer’s side.
Rule of thumb
Never ship against an LC until your documents-against-LC checklist has been reviewed by your bank’s trade desk — discrepancies found post-shipment are far costlier to fix than pre-shipment ones.
The core instruments
| Instrument | Purpose | Typical Tenor |
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