Hi Himalayanbuzz
welcome,
I can see your Post isn't going well for you, which is to be expected as you have asked us to help you to import honey that would directly compete against our own, but at least it hasn't gone too negative for you.
You have actually asked a question about Freight Forwarding and Customs Control; you need to use a Freight Forwarding Agent for this kind of stuff, they'll keep you straight and tell you what documentation you need to provide to them, for them to provide to Customs here in the UK. But your situation is a little more complicated than that, as you're gong to have to take the honey through India, meaning you're going to have to do the same there as well, this is a problem as they will not meaningfully communicate with, they will only do that with UK (because final delivery will be to the UK) Agents - so your going to need to convince the UK Agent that you are serious.
Start with Google-ing "uk freight forwarding agents" that'll give you a list of Agents, now contact one at a time (they'll talk to each other and it's a small world) until one of them helps you. You need to ask can they act as your Agent for importing a Box on a standard European pallet, containing Honey from Nepal traveling through India to probably the Mumbia port, weighing one ton (no lower than 250 kilos or they'll not take you seriously). It would be on a CIF basis (this is important as it means the other guy in India/Nepal arranges the paperwork at his end, the downside is you have to pay for it up front AND you have to trust him that it's done right, that's why you need your UK Agent to tell you what will be needed beyond the normal stuff). If you're importing a Box from ONLY Inida, Mumbia, then expect to pay around £250 to £500 ex. VAT, I have no idea how much extra it will be bringing it from Nepal.
You will have to pay for it with TT, an LC for a non-business will not be processed by the Bank, you will need to get from the Bank a list of information for the transfer, make sure the Form is filled out correctly, you WILL need to talk to their Trade Finance Department, MAKE them talk you through filling it out; make copies of everything, use email as there is a paper trail - make backups of this, you will need this all when (not if) things become stressful, for example when it's held up at Customs, or the Indian Bank hasn't forwarded the money on in a timely manner.
As you can see it's not that straight forward, and I haven't even told you about all the tricks, forged documents, deliberately wrong documents and then of course you will be paying someone close to at least a years plus salary.... that's a lot of temptation to fill those barrels with sugar syrup or even water (I've seen containers in which scrap steel was placed in them to get the weight up to match the Bill Of Lading / Packing List comparison - paid 'official' Inspectors are worthless).
I hope this helps you to start out, of course I'm assuming you have found a trustworthy .... supplier in Nepal, and you have worked out a way of determining you are getting the real thing.... and you have received a sample.... which has been tested? Do a Google to find out what the UK requires for Honey quality, etc.
As for the web address for the survey, just type it in without the www and we'll be able to get to it Ok, good luck on your Masters, keep us updated.
