Farm and supplier selection
We visit growing areas before we buy, look at cultivation and post-harvest practice, and build a shortlist of farmers we can go back to season after season.
Quality & export
Nothing ships until it matches what you ordered
Quality control is not a certificate on a wall — it is a sequence of checks, each with someone accountable for it. This is exactly how a consignment moves through our hands.
Quality control
Six checkpoints between the field and your port
01 02 Harvest timing
Picking is scheduled against your shipping window, not against whatever is standing in the field. Fruit is harvested at the maturity that will arrive in the condition you need.
03 Incoming inspection
Each lot is checked on arrival for size, colour, moisture, damage and foreign matter. Anything outside specification is separated before it enters the packing area.
04 Grading and sorting
Product is graded to the standard you ordered — Alba through M5 on cinnamon, count sizes on fruit, bulk density on pepper — and cross-checked by a second person.
05 Packing
Packed into food-grade materials to your carton or bag specification, labelled with lot identification so any consignment can be traced back to its source.
06 Pre-shipment verification
A final check against the order and the documents before the consignment is sealed, with photographs of the loaded shipment sent to you.
Standards
Meeting the standard your market sets
Requirements differ by destination — EU maximum residue levels, Gulf import rules, North American labelling. We work to whichever applies to your shipment, and we would rather say so upfront than discover a problem at the port of entry.
Being straight about certification
Ceylon Island Harvest was established in 2026 and is building its certification portfolio as it grows. Ask us about the specific certification your market requires and we will tell you plainly what we hold today, what we can arrange through a certified partner facility, and what we cannot yet offer.
Paperwork
Export documentation we prepare
Documents are prepared alongside packing rather than after it, so nothing sits at the port waiting for a signature.
Commercial invoice & packing list
Itemised against the agreed specification, lot numbers included.
Phytosanitary certificate
Issued by Sri Lanka's National Plant Quarantine Service for plant products where the destination requires it.
Certificate of origin
Arranged through the relevant issuing authority, including preferential-origin forms where a trade agreement applies.
Bill of lading / air waybill
Released per the payment terms agreed in the contract.
Analysis & fumigation certificates
Where your market or your own QA process requires them, arranged with accredited laboratories.
Insurance certificate
Provided on CIF shipments, covering the terms stated in the contract.
Logistics
Out of Colombo, by air or by sea
Fresh fruit generally moves by air from Bandaranaike International Airport, where speed protects condition. Spices and other dry goods usually go by sea from the Port of Colombo, one of the best-connected transhipment hubs in South Asia.
We quote FOB, CFR or CIF as you prefer, book through established freight forwarders, and send the tracking reference and document copies the day the consignment leaves.
- Air freight
- Fresh fruit, samples, urgent orders
- Sea freight
- FCL and LCL for dry goods
- Incoterms
- FOB · CFR · CIF
Common questions
What buyers usually ask first
What is your minimum order quantity?
It depends on the product and how you want it shipped. Spices are usually quoted from one pallet upward, and fruit from a part-container air shipment upward. Tell us your target volume and we will tell you honestly whether we can serve it well.
Can you send samples before we place an order?
Yes. For spices and dried products we can courier a representative sample of the exact grade being quoted. Sample and courier costs are usually borne by the buyer and credited against a first order.
Which payment terms do you accept?
We commonly work against an irrevocable letter of credit at sight, or telegraphic transfer with an advance portion. Terms for a first shipment are agreed case by case, and we are happy to work through your procurement team's requirements.
How long does a shipment take?
Air freight to most destinations is a matter of days once packed. Sea freight transit from Colombo is typically two to five weeks depending on the destination port and routing, plus the packing lead time quoted with your order.
Do you hold organic or food-safety certifications?
We are a young company and are building our certification portfolio as we grow. Please ask us directly about the specific certification your market requires — we will tell you plainly what we currently hold, what we can arrange through a certified partner facility, and what we cannot yet offer.
Can you supply under our own brand?
Yes. Private-label packing, custom carton printing and retail-ready packaging can all be quoted. Send us your artwork and packaging specification with your enquiry.
Still have a question?