In today’s global trade, Indian exporters are facing several challenges due to gaps in infrastructure, regulatory hurdles, and limited access to finance. This stands as a hindrance to reaching their business potential and makes them less competitive in the export industry.
Taking these factors into consideration, the government has offered various schemes and incentives, such as RoDTEP, RoSCTL, and Interest Equalization, to help exporters expand their businesses globally. India is well-positioned in the perishable export market and will continue to compete strongly in global markets.
What are the 4 main problems faced by the Indian exporters?
The major challenges faced by the exporters in global trade are as follows:
1. Lack of Market Knowledge
- Challenge: Challenge: Exporters often overlook the importance of conducting thorough market research on the destination country for their perishable goods . Understanding market trends is important, as they can vary significantly from region to region. Once you are aware of the competition, you can effectively highlight your unique selling proposition (USP) to attract customers.
- Solution: Solution: Proper market research, combined with data-driven insights and surveys, can facilitate long-term growth. Exporters can understand international buyers, study their buying patterns, and differentiate their brands. Attending trade fairs, participating in exhibitions, and using digital platforms helps them interact with foreign buyers and understand demand better.
2. Cross-Border Shipping for Perishables
- Challenge: Challenge: When it comes to exporting perishable goods, both shipping and logistics play a major role. Exporters must choose a reliable freight forwarder to deliver goods in optimal condition. However, rising freight rates, unpredictable fuel surcharges, port delays, and the risk of cargo spoilage can severely affect both competitiveness and timely delivery.
- Solution: Solution: Citrus Freight provides all the essential solutions in one place. Citrus offers competitive sea freight services from India to key global destinations with reefer containers that maintain constant temperature control to prevent spoilage and damage.
3. Cultural Differences
- Challenge: Challenge: Businesses often struggle to establish relationships in foreign markets due to language and cultural barriers. If international customers are not familiar with your language, it can lead to misunderstandings about product quality and cause negative repercussions. Clear communication is essential to avoid such issues.
- Solution: Solution: Businesses can hire local experts, localize their content, and offer multilingual customer support. Professional translation tools and localized product descriptions build trust and help exporters strengthen ties with international buyers in trade negotiations, contracts, and relationships.
4. Product Standards
- Challenge: Challenge: Indian exporters face challenges in meeting the strict product standards required by importing countries, which often involve rigorous testing and certification. Failure to comply can result in shipment rejection or loss of credibility.
- Solution: Solution: Exporters should adopt robust quality assurance processes, conduct thorough product testing, and obtain necessary certifications such as GlobalG.A.P., HACCP, ISO, and phytosanitary certificates . Prioritizing compliance boosts competitiveness and ensures continued market access.
How does Citrus Freight overcome international shipping challenges?
End-to-end shipping service: Unlike regular shipping partners, Citrus Freight offers reliable end-to-end pickup, clearance & sea freight services to ease export activities. Citrus ensures the freshness and quality of perishable goods throughout transit, allowing exporters to monitor movement, detect temperature fluctuations, and take preventive measures in advance. Maintains less than 2% spoilage, 99% on-time delivery & dedicated on-ground operations.
Documentation Simplification: At Citrus Freight, we simplify the lengthy documentation process by guiding exporters through only the essential requirements. We focus on mandatory documents such as IEC and AD Code , while assisting with commodity-specific certifications like phytosanitary or health certificates where required. This reduces the paperwork burden and ensures compliance.
Cargo Insurance: We understand that pilferage, theft, loss, or damage during shipping can be challenging. Citrus Freight offers comprehensive cargo insurance as an additional service. In the event of any loss or damage, financial risks are covered, giving exporters peace of mind.
Conclusion
Navigating the complexities of exporting from India demands diligence, adaptability, and meticulous planning. Exporters must be prepared to face challenges such as global competition, varying regulatory standards, documentation hurdles, and financial/payment risks such as Letters of Credit (LCs) and forex fluctuations. Overcoming these obstacles requires informed decisions, effective risk management, and a strong understanding of international markets.
At Citrus Freight , we help exporters expand their horizons by delivering fresh produce globally, simplifying logistics, and ensuring smooth cold chain management—paving the way for greater opportunities in perishable exports.