DKC::Agricultural Commodities Service

1-Agricultural Commodities Definitions

Agricultural commodities include commodities resulting from a cultivation of the ground, the rearing of livestock,fishing,fish farming and including

fertilizers.

Such commodities can be divided into the following categories:

Cereal:

Defined as edible grains and their by-products, rye, flour, bran etc.

Pulses:

Defined as edible seeds of leguminous plants and their by-products such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.

Oil Seeds:

Defined as seeds producing oils and their by-products such as flaxseeds, linseeds, palm kernels, rapeseed, soybeans, sunflower seeds, etc.

Vegetable and animal oils and fats , both edible and technical:

Defined as oils and fats obtained from oil seeds or animals such as coconut oil, corn or maize oil, ground nut or peanut, lard, linseed oil, olive oil, palm

oil,tallow, tung oil, fish oil etc.

Sugar:

Defined as the sweet crystallized product of plant juices, particularly of sugar cane or sugar beet.

Fertilizers:

Any natural based source for cultivation of ground.

Fruits:

Defined as edible products of plants and trees, and their by-products.

Vegetables:

Defined as plants or roots cultivated for food and their by-products.

Herbs:

Defined as plants whose stem does not become woody and are used for food or medicine.

Spices:

Defined as aromatic substances of vegetable origin obtained from plants.

2-Methods, Procedures and Standards

Methods and standards published by trade organizations and frequently encountered in the agricultural filed include:

3-Inspection Agricultural Commodities

DKC must have a clear mandate given by the principal.

A nomination must be received for:

A- Loading/Discharge

B- Sampling and Samples

C- Weight Ascertainment

D- Packing Inspections

E- Heating/Chilling Instructions

F- Monitoring

G- Stock Taking and Tallying

H- Fitness for Particular Purpose/Merchantability

I- Sealing of Tanks, Containers, Storage Area

J- Health/Sanitary/Phytosanitary/Radioactivity

K- Disinfestations, Fumigations, Pest Controls

A- Loading / Discharge:

DKC shall check that cleanliness of receptacles, cleanliness of loading / discharge equipment, collection and removal of previous cargoes.DKC shall

visually verifying as far as is reasonable that all goods are loaded / discharged , that conveying carriers/ equipment are empty and shall visually check for

spillages or losses during operations and for abnormalities in packing.The purpose of cleanliness inspection is to assess using visual means whether a

receptacle or transmitting conveyance is in a clean condition.The cleanliness inspection shall be done only as far as is accessible and does not relieve the

partner to the contract of sale nor those to the contract of carriage from their obligations.Notably those pertaining to the presentation of a receptacle fit

for carrying or containing the goods.DKC shall report on condition of receptacles, of their walls, on presence of residues and shall report on the

existence of any foreign odors if noticed.Our responsibility for visual inspection is strictly limited to a determination that the designated vessel,

receptacle or transmitting conveyance, as seen by the naked eye from reasonably accessible and safe vantage points, appears to be clean.Such

inspections are not meant to and do not include advice on or determinations such as,(without limitation) compatibility of previous cargoes or tank

coatings, suitability of cleaning methods or shortage of adjacent cargoes , presence of trace residues, or general fitness or suitability to contain or carry a

specific cargo.

If requested, DKC may reproduce for information purpose only and without responsibility the carrier’s declaration on the cleaning method applied.

Advice or recommendations on the compatibility at adjacent storage, previous cargoes and tank coatings are not duties of DKC Company.Where

instructions or inspection procedures call for a closer examination and / or testing cargo tanks and / or containers for previous cargoes or suspected

contaminants, DKC shall obtain and review all relevant documents presented( all such documents should be presented in a language intelligible to DKC

inspector ).Any reproduction made from the above-mentioned documents shall be done without responsibility of DKC Company and shall be for

information purpose only.DKC shall not asses or certify the fitness of a receptacle to contain or carry the goods except with regards to the fact that the

receptacles have been visually inspected and / or checked by wall washing as far as accessible.

B- Sampling and Samples:

The object of sampling is to obtain a small manageable quantity from all or part of a larger parcel representative of the whole or a designated part of the

properties corresponding there to or informative of condition, status or particular characteristic.The instructions given by the principal , standard

defined procedures or inspectors decision (due to circumstantial issues such as local regulations or sampling limitations ) shall all or individually

determine the procedure , purpose and other parameters for a sample or samples to be drawn and how.Where automatic or semi-automatic samplers

are employed, DKC shall verify relevant documentation of the apparatus and shall check visually that it is in apparent good working order.Distribution

and conservation of samples shall likewise be determined by the instructions or by relevant trade customs.The receptacle of the sample should be such

that it protects the content against external elements, yet does not react with the container.Samples shall be labeled so as to give the particulars of the

company who drew the sample, where and when the samples was drawn as well as the purpose of the sampling.

Samples shall be sealed and seals identified so as to prevent any opening of the samples unless such opening is obtained by breaking or removing the

seals.Where sampling is to be done jointly, the sealing of the samples must bear the identity seals of all interested parties. If an interested party is not

required to perform such dealing, his signature on labels may be acceptable.In the absence of special instruments, samples drawn by DKC inspector

will normally be retained for three months.

C- Weight Ascertainment:

When DKC is requested to report quantity determinations, he shall check the weight ascertainment and verify relevant documentation.DKC shall note

the method used for ascertaining the quantity, the parties participating in the ascertainment, the apparatus used, calibration dates as well as any

pertinent particulars or influencing factors that may be observed.The choice of the method used in the weight ascertainment shall be specified in the

instructions remitted by the principal. The method shall be in accordance with local custom or practice.

D- Packing Inspections:

When called upon to inspect packing, DKC will report on the condition and the markings of the packing but will in principle not certify the suitability

thereof.

E- Heating/Chilling Instructions:

If requested by the principal, DKC will transmit to the carrier, heating or chilling instructions received from the principal in good time prior to

departure.

If requested by principal, DKC shall seek evidence of the execution of such instructions from the carrier upon arrival.

F- Monitoring:

When DKC is requested to monitor a loading, discharge, transport, handling or other such operation, DKC shall observe the proceedings in a

reasonable manner so as to safe guard the principal’s interests, reporting to the principal accordingly.

G- Stock Taking and Tallying:

DKC will check existing stocks from a qualitative or quantitative point of view or record the number of packages on an information basis only at the

time of intervention.Tallying, where authorized by rules and customs, shall be effected without checking the contents of the packages.

H- Fitness for Particular Purpose/Merchantability:

No statement contained in any certificate report or document shall relieve the parties to the sale contract from any obligations to provide goods fit for a

particular purpose or of merchantable quality.Any statement by DKC relating to an analysis or test result will only refer to the specific sample analyzed

or tested.

I- Sealing of Tanks, Containers, Storage Areas:

Where DKC is called upon to seal the tanks, containers, storage areas etc, such sealing shall be considered as proof of DKC attendance however shall not

be considered as proof of inviolability.

J- Health/Sanitary/Phytosanitary/Radioactivity:

DKC shall not presume upon functions normally belonging to or provided by national or governmental authorities.DKC may be requested to provide

samples so as to permit the performance of tests or analysis by these national or governmental authorities.If called upon to reproduce findings of the

national or governmental authorities, such reproduction shall be for information purposes only and without responsibility of DKC.

K- Disinfestations, Fumigations, Pest Controls:

When requested by principal, DKC will attend during loading or discharge and report on measures taken, by whom these measures were taken and the

circumstances surrounding the intervention in view of disinfestations and pest controls.In cases of fumigation, DKC will attend the application of the

fumigation and / or gas proofing after completion of loading or before discharge and will report on the measures taken , by whom these measures were

taken and the circumstances surrounding the intervention.

4-Agricultural Commodities Related Marine /Cargo Damage & Condition Inspections

Agricultural commodities as explained in section 1.1 include commodities resulting from a cultivation of the ground, the rearing of livestock, fishing,

fish farming and including fertilizers.Due sensitive nature of such commodities, they are always in danger and exposed to various damages, especially

biological damages.In case of problems, irregularities, marine damages or condition inspections related to such commodities, DKC must have a clear

mandate given by the principal.A nomination must be received from the principal exactly verifying the required services.DKC shall use all its

knowledge and expertise to examine or observe commodities, products, services, procedures or operations in order to provide information on the

nature and cause of the problem, irregularity, damage or condition to the principal and/or the principal's designees.In addition, determination on the

extent shall be provided by required professional means.The methods, procedures and standards to be applied on inspection shall be those agreed upon

between the principal and DKC, provided such instructions are considered appropriate on technical and financial grounds by DKC at the time and

place of performance.

GAFTA	Grain and Feed Trade Association
FOSFA	Federation of Oils, Seeds and Fats Association
NOPA	National Oilseed Procedures Association
NIOP	National Institute of Oilseed Products
NCPA	National Cotton seed Procedures Association
ISO	International Organization for Standardization