Identify the lot and the discrepancy first
“The grain is poor quality; we are deducting payment” does not establish the cause or value of a loss. Seller and buyer need a common factual record: which lot, which parameter, which method and which point in the journey. Otherwise the argument about money moves ahead of the investigation.
Preserve the original complaint and notify the person responsible for the contract. Do not wait for the final laboratory analysis before checking notification requirements. Applicable law, contractual wording and any relevant CISG provisions need legal assessment. There is no single claim deadline for every shipment.
Let’s discuss handling a grain quality claim
I can help review your situation, identify documentation and coordination tasks, and agree participants and next steps. We can also discuss related trade issues and similar difficulties across your company’s shipments. Tell me where the process is getting stuck so we can agree a specific task and scope of support.
Discuss your taskAsk for evidence that identifies the goods
Request the lot and transport-unit numbers, discovery location and date, affected quantity, photographs, inspection record and test report. The report should identify the sample, sampling method, parameter, units and analytical method. A laboratory file alone does not show which part of the consignment it represents.
| Question | Purpose |
|---|---|
| When was the cargo opened and inspected? | Separate transport, unloading and storage stages |
| Who sampled it, and where? | Connect the sample to the disputed lot |
| Which seals and packaging remain? | Reconstruct custody and handovers |
| Was it mixed, processed or moved? | Establish what evidence can still be obtained |
| How was the amount claimed calculated? | Separate product value, quality loss and extra expenditure |
Do not preserve unsafe or perishable goods at any cost simply for evidence. Agree handling, further sampling and joint inspection with safety specialists, the insurer and legal advisers as appropriate.
Reconstruct the transport history
A published Nanjing Maritime Court discussion of soybean damage considered temperature and ventilation records. It concerned Brazilian cargo, not a survey of Russian export disputes. Its relevance is evidential: a loading certificate does not describe everything that happened later.
Gather loading records, available carrier logs, discharge documents, storage conditions and handovers for your own shipment. A photograph cannot by itself establish the technical cause of deterioration. Specialist assessment and comparable testing may be needed.
Keep four decisions separate
Decide what must happen to the goods now; what evidence to retain and who arranges inspection; how payment obligations are addressed during the dispute; and whether any liability or amount is accepted. Combining these issues can turn an operational email into an unintended admission.
Maintain a log of dates, senders, facts, attachments, next actions and owners. Mark hypotheses separately. If a claim covers the whole shipment but only a portion was sampled, request the basis for extending the result rather than assuming it is either valid or invalid.
Improve the next contract before dispatch
Review whether quality specifications and test methods, inspector access, notification and discrepancy handling were agreed in advance. These arrangements do not eliminate disputes, but they make the discussion measurable.
Run FTA can coordinate records and participants. Technical conclusions and the legal position remain with the relevant specialists.
Management guidance for exporters. Numerical examples are illustrative; requirements and terms must be checked for the specific product and transaction. Sources checked on 24 October 2026.
