Freight forwarding from India to UK

[Barua]

I am interested in freight forwarding service from India to UK. I’m going to start a small business, which involves importing tea from India. Initially the quantity of freight I will bring from India to UK will be around 100 to 200 kilograms, with an aim to increase my sales and import quantity shortly after. In future, my plans are to distribute the tea to retailers in Europe, starting in France from UK. I’m researching to find an efficient, reliable and cost-effective freight forwarding service for my business. Any advice will be much appreciated.

 

[wajidm]

I am aware of a local contact in India who should be able to help you out with freight forwarding from India to UK. Looking at the initial consignment of 100 to 200 kgs it will be a LCL .

Do you have a VAT registered company within UK and have your EORI number sorted for the import purpose?

Which port in the India your consignment will get laid and your preferred destination UK port?

If interested then give me a shout.

 

[Barua]

Dear Wajidm

Thank you for your reply to my post. Yes, it will be LCL.

I am obviously new to business (I am a full time research academic at a university), and this is my first venture. So I am learning as I am preparing to launch this business in February/March.

Based on your email, I went and did a bit of research to know about VAT registration and EORI number. I thought tea was VAT exempt, do I still need VAT registration / EORI number?

As for the port, I am quite flexible with it. My supplier, who is also the producer is my childhood friend. So whatever works out cheaper (FOB terms or ex-works) is fine with us. Kolkata-Haldia port is roughly 30 mins from his unit, also local courier company can be used to drop it to major ports in South India, such as, Mumbai, JNP, Kandla, Marmagao, New Mangalore, Kochi etc.

In UK, I live in Cardiff. So preferred port would be in or closer to South Wales.

 

[wajidm]

I am not an expert on VAT rules so suggest to double check with HMRC regarding the exemption of VAT on tea. You will definitely need EORI number to import any goods to UK from abroad and normally EORI number can be requested when you apply for VAT registration for your business.

Ideally for importing you will need classification code/ tariff code for your product, EORI, VAT but check again with HMRC on vat. These details will be asked by forwarders for customer clearance of your consignment. Advise you to have all your paper work in place before your venture out importing the goods.

My contact is based in Kolkata and he should be able to do the best rate for you be it FOB or ex-works depending on whichever comes cheaper for you. He can sort that out closer to time when you are about to initiate the import process.

Other point worth mentioning is your friend should have necessary documentation in place to do the export from India.

Hope it helps.

 

[Barua]

Thank you Wajidm. This is very useful information; I will get in touch with HMRC. If there is a way to liaise with your contact in Kolkata, it will be very helpful too.

You mentioned that my friend (supplier) should have necessary documentation, would you know or give an idea what sort of documentation he needs to have?

 

[wajidm]

your friend in india will need IEC code to export. It will be possible to liase with my contact in Kolkata to sort out your shipping but before that kindly ask your friend to check the necessary bits required for export. You may be aware that sometimes it may take longer than expected for such code or any license to be issued from the concerned authorities. Best to action that at your earliest.

 

[Barua]

Thank you Wajidm. What is the best way to liase with your contact in Kolkatta to discuss more on shipping? My friend/supplier has started working on the bits necessary for shipping.