Agricultural Export Finance
From Field to
Foreign Account.
The Process
Five stages. One unbroken
chain of capital.
Every export transaction follows the same anatomy. We've opened the filing cabinet so you can see exactly where your money is, and why, at every stage.
Collateral begins in the field
Our agronomists review crop inspection reports, warehouse receipts, and export licences. Typical assessment window: 3–5 working days. We lend against physical commodity, not projected futures.
Fund Flow
Advance rate: 70–80% of FOB value against certified warehouse receipt. Commodity must be insured under an approved marine cargo policy.
The term sheet is the contract in plain language
We issue a Pre-Export Finance (PEF) facility. Typical tenors run 90–180 days aligned to the shipping and collection cycle. Pricing is SOFR + 4.25–6.50% depending on commodity, jurisdiction, and offtake quality.
Sample Term Sheet
The letter of credit is the payment engine
Once a confirmed buyer is in place, we assist in structuring the documentary letter of credit (LC). The LC is issued by the buyer's bank, confirmed by our correspondent bank, and assigned to Harvest as security.
SWIFT MT700 — Simplified
Capital follows the cargo
We track vessel position, bill of lading issuance, and phytosanitary certificates in real time. Drawdowns against the facility are released in tranches: 60% on bill of lading, 30% on LC acceptance, 10% on final settlement.
Drawdown Schedule
The cycle closes when the buyer pays
On presentation of conforming documents, the buyer's bank releases payment under the LC. Proceeds are applied against the Harvest facility. Net proceeds — after principal, interest, and fees — are remitted to the cooperative within 2 business days.
Settlement Waterfall
Who We Finance
Three desks. One
common problem.
Export Manager
Mid-Size Trading House
Geneva · Singapore · Nairobi
Typical Tenor
90–150 days
Advance Rate
Up to 80% FOB
Juggling three LCs across time zones with a vessel laycan in 11 days
Pre-export facility confirmed before the ship's nomination deadline
"We had 40,000 MT of Arabica ready to ship. Our LC hadn't been confirmed. Harvest structured the bridge in 72 hours."
Olivier Marchetti
Head of Origination, Marchetti Commodities SA
CFO
Agricultural Cooperative
Brazil · Ukraine · Ethiopia
Facility Size
$500K – $25M
Decision Window
5–7 working days
Bumper crop in warehouse, no liquidity to pay members or move the grain
Working capital against warehouse receipts before the next harvest starts
"We had 12,000 tonnes of soy in store and couldn't pay our growers. Harvest advanced against the warehouse receipt within a week."
Adaeze Okonkwo
CFO, Cerrado Grains Cooperative
Commodity Broker
Independent Brokerage
London · Dubai · Houston
Commodities
Grain, Softs, Fibers, Oilseeds
Response Time
Same-day indicative terms
Buyer confirmed, seller ready — but the pre-export financing isn't in place
Fast-tracked facility structuring to protect the deal and earn the commission
"I needed a structured PEF facility for a cotton deal in Uzbekistan. Harvest had a term sheet on my desk before the seller's patience ran out."
Tariq Al-Rashid
Principal Broker, Meridian Soft Commodities
Market Reference
Typical tenor ranges &
margin structures.
These are indicative, not guaranteed. Every facility is structured individually. We publish these so you can walk into the conversation knowing what the market looks like.
$2.4B+
Facilities Structured
since 2014
127 days
Average Tenor
across all facilities
38
Jurisdictions
active origination markets
99.1%
Repayment Rate
on-time principal recovery
Indicative Pricing Grid — Q1 2026
* All pricing referenced to 3-month SOFR. Rates subject to credit assessment and market conditions.
Standard Facility Clauses — Plain Language Summary
Borrowing Base Certificate
Monthly certification of eligible receivables and warehouse stocks. Triggers automatic facility review if coverage ratio falls below 1.25x.
Offtake Assignment Clause
Borrower irrevocably assigns all LC proceeds to Harvest as first-ranking security. Confirmed by correspondent bank acknowledgement.
Force Majeure & Crop Failure
Facilities include a 30-day grace period for declared force majeure. Crop failure triggers insurance assignment, not immediate default.
Ready to Proceed?
Structure a facility for your next
export transaction.
Share your commodity, volume, and destination — we'll have indicative terms back within one business day.
The Export Finance Playbook
The next chapter is
already written.
The Playbook continues what this page started — sample clauses, worked examples, and the questions every CFO should ask before signing a facility letter.
Pre-export finance facility structures explained
Documentary credit checklist (LC issuance to settlement)
Sample borrowing base calculation worksheet
Typical covenant package for cooperative borrowers
SWIFT message guide for export managers
Red flags in offtake agreements — what lenders check
PDF · 48 pages · No account required
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