Two importers can buy the same grade of Egyptian fruit in the same week and end up with completely different commercial exposure. The difference is rarely the specification. It is the pricing model written into the contract. Before the 2026/2027 citrus, pomegranate and vegetable programmes are contracted, it is worth being precise about which of the three common models you are actually agreeing to.

Fixed price against a stated Incoterm

The most common arrangement on Egyptian exports is a fixed price per carton or per kilogram, quoted against an Incoterms 2020 term. FOB Alexandria, FOB Damietta, CFR Jebel Ali and CIF Novorossiysk are the terms we quote most often. Under a fixed price the number does not move after confirmation. If freight rises between booking and sailing on a CFR sale, the exporter absorbs it. If the market at destination falls, the importer absorbs it.

Fixed pricing suits programme buyers who need a landed cost they can build a retail or wholesale margin on. It requires a tight specification, because once the price is locked the only remaining variable is quality. Variety, class, size or count range, carton net weight, pallet configuration and the shipping window should all be written into the same document as the price. Our note on reading an ocean freight quote explains which surcharges a CFR figure should already contain and which ones commonly sit outside it.

Price after sale

Price after sale, sometimes written as PAS or minimum guaranteed price, sets a floor at the time of shipment with the final number agreed once the fruit is sold at destination. The importer reports the sale, deducts agreed costs and remits the balance. It is used on short-window products where destination markets move quickly, fresh figs, guava and late-season grapes among them.

The model transfers most of the market risk back to the exporter, so it is normally offered only to buyers with a trading history and a transparent reporting practice. If you are proposing PAS, expect the exporter to ask for account sales documents, the identity of the final receivers and a settlement deadline in days rather than weeks. The floor price should be stated in the same currency as the eventual remittance to avoid an argument about which rate applies.

Consignment

Consignment removes the floor entirely. The exporter ships, the importer sells, and the return is whatever the market delivered less commission and costs. On Egyptian produce this is rare in first-season relationships and is generally restricted to surplus volume, Class II lots or a market being opened for the first time. Where consignment is used, the commission percentage, the cost lines that may be deducted and the maximum holding period before the fruit must be cleared should be listed explicitly.

Where currency sits in the number

Egyptian export prices are usually quoted in US dollars, with euro pricing common on EU destinations. The exporter’s own costs, carton board, labour, inland haulage and packhouse energy, are incurred in Egyptian pounds. That mismatch is the reason a quote carries a validity period, often three to seven days on fresh produce and longer on frozen and dry goods. A price agreed in March for December loading will normally be revisited unless both sides accept an escalation clause tied to a stated cost index.

Two practical points follow. First, name the contract currency and the payment currency separately if they differ. Second, agree who carries bank charges, because on a small consignment the deduction can be material. The mechanics of settlement itself, from advance transfer through documentary collection, are set out in our guide to payment terms on Egyptian produce exports.

Choosing before you contract

For a first shipment, a fixed price against FOB or CFR with a clear specification is the cleanest starting point. It makes any later dispute a quality question rather than an accounting question. Move to price after sale only once both sides trust the reporting, and treat consignment as an exception rather than a habit.

PEI Trade quotes fixed FOB and CFR prices on 35 export-grade crops, with SGS or Intertek inspection available on request. To discuss the 2026/2027 programme and get a written offer with specification, packing and pallet configuration on the same page, message our export desk on WhatsApp at +20 10 9911 1918.