How to verify an ICUMSA 45 sugar seller
Verify an ICUMSA 45 seller by checking the company in its registry, the mill or trading house behind the offer, the export documents and inspection by SGS or a surveyor you appoint, and any bank instrument bank-to-bank. A price far below the market is the first warning.
Check this ICUMSA 45 sugar offer free
ICUMSA 45 refined sugar is one of the most offered commodities in broker chains, often from Brazil. Real sugar is sold by mills and established traders against an LC or documents. Many offers repeat the same FCO template with a low price and a request for the buyer's proof of funds first. Use these checks before you sign anything.
5 steps
- Check the seller in its registry. In Brazil, look up the CNPJ with the Receita Federal. Confirm name, address, activity and directors, and compare them with the offer.
- Check the mill or the source. Ask which mill produces the sugar and confirm with the mill, through its own website contacts, that it knows the seller.
- Check the price. Compare the price with the current market for refined white sugar. An offer far below it is a red flag, not a bargain.
- Insist on independent inspection. Quality (ICUMSA, polarisation, moisture) and quantity must be certified at loading by SGS or another surveyor you appoint.
- Use an LC confirmed by your bank. Pay by an LC that your bank opens, against shipping documents. Never send fees for "registration" or "export licences" before the contract.
Red flags
- A price far below the market for ICUMSA 45
- A request for the buyer's POF or an MT799 before the seller shows proof of product
- Fees for registration, licences or certificates before the contract
- A seller with a free webmail address
- An FCO that names no mill and no registration number
- 100% advance payment on a first deal
Documents to ask for
- CNPJ record or registration extract. Active status, legal name and address matching the offer.
- Mill name and its confirmation. Which mill produces the sugar, confirmed by you with the mill.
- Draft SPA, not only an FCO. Quantity, price, loading port, inspection and payment terms in one contract.
- Recent SGS or surveyor report from a past shipment. Confirm the report number with the issuer before you rely on it.
- Export history. Past shipments, buyers you can contact, or customs export records where available.
What a sound deal looks like
A sound sugar offer names the mill and the loading port, quotes a price close to the current market for refined white sugar, and accepts an LC opened by your bank with inspection at loading by a surveyor you appoint. The seller provides proof of product before it asks for your proof of funds, and it does not ask for fees to register you as a buyer. Trial shipments of a smaller quantity are normal and are a good way to start with a new seller.
Next step: Deal Check, USD 8.88 › · Check the whole deal free ›
FAQ
What is ICUMSA 45?
Refined white sugar with a colour of 45 ICUMSA units or less, used for food and drinks.
Who provides proof of funds?
The buyer. The seller provides proof of product. A seller who asks for your POF before showing anything is a red flag.
Is SGS inspection enough?
SGS or another independent surveyor at loading confirms quality and quantity. Confirm the certificate with SGS directly.
How much does a Deal Check cost?
USD 8.88 per deal, automated, result in minutes: registry and LEI, sanctions, bank and SWIFT format and document forensics on both sides. A human-reviewed written report is the Analyst Deal Check, USD 299, within 2 working days after your documents are complete.
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General information, not legal or financial advice. Vanguard Trade Capital Goods Wholesalers DWC-LLC, Dubai South, UAE · [email protected]