- Minimum order: 1 container (about 20 t)
- Ready to pack and ship
- Sample on request, where lawful
- Export documents supplied
Terms at a glance
| Item | Standard terms |
|---|---|
| Minimum order | One container, about 20 tons, for every tobacco type and form |
| Price basis | Per kg, FOB Karachi. Indicative range $8–12 per kg, depending on grade, form and crop. Exact grade prices are in the product tables |
| Cigar wrapper and binder | Priced by origin and leaf role. Ask for a quotation |
| Burley and oriental | Sourced to specification and quoted per enquiry |
| Shipment rate | Standard grades are listed as ready to pack and ship, at about 2 containers a month |
| Payment terms and Incoterm | Set out in the written quotation or contract |
| Loading port | Karachi, by sea in containers |
Grade prices: loose leaf · strips · scraps and stems.
FOB, packing, samples and documents
What FOB means for you
Under FOB, the price covers the leaf, packing and loading onto the ship at Karachi. Freight, insurance and import clearance are yours to arrange, which suits buyers who already have a forwarder and negotiated freight rates. Risk passes to you once the goods are on board. If you want a different term, say so and we will quote it, but our price lists are all FOB. We explain the practical side in FOB Karachi explained.
Packing
Loose leaf goes in jute bags, which let the leaf breathe. Strips and scraps go in C48 export boxes; the F8 scrap grade is listed at 140 kg a box. The quotation states net and gross weight per package, number of packages, labelling and how the container will be loaded. If you need special packing, fumigation or labelling, tell us before the price is fixed, because it changes the cost.
Samples
Where it is practical and lawful for your destination, we send a sample from the lot we are quoting. We note which lot it is, the weight and the date, and whether you will approve it by eye, by laboratory test or both. Current photographs or video of a lot, loading photographs and independent inspection can be arranged if you ask for them up front.
Export documents
Usually a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin, plus a phytosanitary certificate, a fumigation certificate, a weight certificate or a certificate of analysis where your country asks for one. Not every shipment needs all of them. Get the checklist from your customs broker and send it with your enquiry so we can confirm what we can supply. The HS codes we normally use are on the compliance notice, and this checklist post goes through each document.
What to put in an enquiry
Name, company and country of registration; tobacco type and form; grade or nicotine and sugar target; moisture and the stem and fines you will accept; quantity; packing preference; destination port; trade term; shipment date; and your import-document requirements. The more of this you include, the closer the first offer will be.
Buyers, payment and order timeline
Who we sell to
Cigarette, cigar and shisha manufacturers, cut-rag and RYO producers, blenders, reconstituted-tobacco operations, licensed importers, distributors and trading companies. Your own licences and customs checks remain your responsibility; see health and compliance.
Descriptions, photographs, indicative specifications, prices and availability on this site are not a contract, a guarantee, a laboratory certificate or a commitment to supply until confirmed in writing.
How payment is usually structured
Payment terms are agreed in the contract, and they depend on the size of the order, the history between buyer and seller and the countries involved. These are the common structures in international leaf trading, described so you know what to expect, not as a list of what we accept for every order.
| Structure | How it works | Who it favours |
|---|---|---|
| Advance payment | The buyer pays in full or in part before shipment | The seller |
| Part-advance, balance against documents | A deposit up front, the rest when shipping documents are presented | Balanced; common for new relationships |
| Letter of credit | The buyer’s bank promises to pay when the seller presents compliant documents | Both, if the terms are correct |
| Open account | Payment after delivery, on agreed terms | The buyer; usually for long-standing customers |
A letter of credit protects both sides, but only if the documents match its terms exactly. Small differences in names, quantities or dates can cause a refusal, which is why we say to check the paperwork carefully and agree it early.
A typical order timeline
Every order is different, but the sequence is usually as follows.
- Enquiry and specification. You send what you need.
- Offer. We reply with the lot, price, packing and shipment window.
- Sample. Where practical, we send a sample from the lot. You test it.
- Contract. You and we agree the specification, tolerances, price, payment and documents.
- Preparation. The leaf is packed and the export documents are prepared.
- Booking and loading. A container is booked and loaded at Karachi.
- Sea transit. Several weeks, depending on the destination and the sailing schedule.
- Arrival and clearance. You clear customs, inspect and take delivery.
Dates for each step are confirmed in the quotation. We do not quote lead times on this page because they depend on the lot, the season and the shipping line schedule.
Other trade terms you may be offered
| Term | Who arranges main freight | Who arranges insurance | Where risk passes |
|---|---|---|---|
| FOB (our standard) | Buyer | Buyer | When goods are on board at the port of loading |
| FCA | Buyer | Buyer | When goods are handed to the buyer’s carrier at the named place |
| CFR | Seller | Buyer | When goods are on board at the port of loading |
| CIF | Seller | Seller (minimum cover) | When goods are on board at the port of loading |
Our price lists are all FOB. If you want CFR or CIF, tell us and we will quote it, adding freight and insurance. The FOB Karachi guide explains the practical difference.
Inspection, loading and contracts
Inspection, tolerances and claims
Agree these things before the order, not after the problem:
- Quantity tolerance. Leaf is packed in fixed-weight packages, so the final weight can differ slightly from the nominal quantity. Agree an acceptable tolerance.
- Inspection. You may ask for an independent inspection at loading, for weight, quality or both, and say who pays.
- Inspection period. A set number of days after arrival in which you inspect and raise any claim.
- Evidence. Photographs, retained samples and test results for any claim.
- Remedy. What happens if a lot does not match: replacement, price adjustment or refusal.
Container loading and what fits
A single container holds a quantity of tobacco that depends on its size, the packing form and the density of the leaf. Our minimum of about 20 tons is a guide to what one container usually carries for our standard packing. If you have a specific container size or packing plan in mind, tell us when you enquire so we can check it.
A contract checklist
- Parties, with registered names and addresses
- Product, grade, crop year and form
- Specification: nicotine, sugar, moisture, stem, fines and foreign matter, each with a tolerance
- Quantity and tolerance
- Price, Incoterm, currency and payment terms
- Packing and marking
- Shipment window and port
- Documents to be supplied
- Inspection and claims procedure
- Governing law and how disputes are resolved
If your own lawyers have a standard form of contract, send it; we will review it.
Planning repeat supply
Many buyers purchase leaf repeatedly, and a few arrangements can make that smoother. A framework agreement sets the specification, the price basis and the terms for a defined period, with each shipment called off under it. Reserved lots mean that we hold a defined quantity of a grade for you until you call it off. Staggered shipments spread a larger volume across the season. All three work better when you share your forecast, even roughly. If your needs change, tell us as early as you can, so that the lots we hold are the lots you will use.
If you would like to discuss a repeat arrangement, say so when you enquire, and mention how often you buy and in what quantities.
Tobacco is harmful to health. JKTabak supplies tobacco leaf to licensed commercial buyers only (manufacturers, processors, importers and distributors). The buyer is responsible for confirming that import, purchase and resale of tobacco is lawful in the destination country.
Photos and video from our lots
Pictures and clips of leaf we handle. For current photographs or video of a specific lot, ask us. The full sets are on the gallery and videos pages.
