Minimum order quantity is the first question every first-time importer asks. The answer in one line: one 20ft FCL container — roughly 25 metric tonnes of rice — is the standard MOQ for sea freight from India. For new buyers, smaller trial shipments are possible. Here's the math behind it.
Why 25 MT
A standard 20ft dry container has 28 cubic metres of internal volume. Bagged rice (25 or 50 kg PP sacks) packs at roughly 850–950 kg per cubic metre, which means a fully stuffed 20ft container holds 24–27 MT of rice depending on bag size, palletised vs floor-loaded, and stuffing efficiency.
25 MT is the industry shorthand because the freight cost is virtually identical whether you load 23 MT or 27 MT — under-loading just wastes freight. The MOQ aligns with the natural break-point of the container's payload.
FCL vs LCL
| Mode | Typical volume | Freight cost basis | Lead time |
|---|
| 20ft FCL | 24–27 MT | Flat per container | Standard |
| 40ft FCL | 48–54 MT | Flat per container | Standard |
| LCL (consolidated) | 5–15 MT | Per cubic metre or weight | +5–10 days for consolidation |
LCL — Less than Container Load — means your shipment shares a container with other exporters' cargo. Freight is billed per cubic metre or per weight tonne, whichever is higher. LCL is typically 15–30% more expensive per MT than FCL, but it lets new buyers test a supplier without committing to a full 25 MT order.
How to size your first order
- Calculate your monthly retail or HoReCa pull-through in kg. Multiply by 3 months of inventory cover — that's your first FCL target.
- If your 3-month cover is under 20 MT, consider LCL for the first shipment. The freight premium is real but acceptable as a trial-cost.
- If your 3-month cover exceeds 25 MT, ship a single 20ft FCL — even at 27 MT — rather than trying to split across two LCL slots.
- For 48 MT+, a 40ft FCL is cheaper per MT than two 20ft FCLs.
New-buyer trial terms
First-time importers should expect 100% advance payment against a Performa Invoice for the first shipment. Once one container has shipped and the lab COA + sample-on-arrival match the cuttest, repeat orders move to 30% advance + 70% against scanned Bill of Lading, or irrevocable L/C at sight from a reputed bank.
Vilora Impex accepts LCL trial shipments from 5 MT for new buyers under L/C or 100% advance. The smaller MOQ trial is offered as a goodwill margin compression — the per-MT cost is higher, but the buyer can validate quality, documentation discipline and shipping reliability before committing to FCL volumes.
What "MOQ" actually includes
- The rice itself (25 MT for FCL).
- Sortex-cleaning, hand-grading and packing in 5/10/25/50 kg PP, BOPP, jute or private-label sacks.
- Full documentation packet: phytosanitary, FSSAI, APEDA, certificate of origin, Bill of Lading, lab/COA, sortex pass log.
- Container stuffing at Mundra or Kandla port.
Origin sourcing, milling, grading, packing, documentation, stuffing — all included in the FOB price. Ocean freight and destination-port handling are buyer-side under FOB Incoterms (we can quote CIF or CFR if preferred).
Frequently asked
- Can I order less than 5 MT?
- Below 5 MT, LCL handling costs make the per-MT price uncompetitive. We don't recommend it. Air freight of small samples (5–50 kg) is fine for cuttest validation, but not for commercial supply.
- What's the difference between MOQ for rice vs spices?
- Rice loads heavier — 25 MT per 20ft FCL. Spices are lighter and bulkier — 14–18 MT per 20ft FCL depending on whole vs ground. Dry fruits load 18 MT per 20ft FCL.
- Do you accept consolidated orders across rice + spice + dry fruit?
- Yes. Multi-SKU FCLs across our product lines are common — each line ships in its own lot ID with its own COA and HS code in the documentation packet.