Importing bay leaves from Turkey follows the same path as most dried herb imports: choose a supplier, agree a specification, select an Incoterm, arrange transport and clear customs. This guide walks through each step in general terms. Rules differ by country, so check the requirements of your import country before you order.

What are the steps to import bay leaves from Turkey?

There are six steps: choose a supplier, agree the specification and a sample, select an Incoterm, arrange transport, prepare customs codes and documents, and receive and check the goods. Each step has a buyer task and a supplier task, and writing them down early prevents delays at the port and at customs.

Step 1: choose a supplier and ask for a quote.
Step 2: agree the specification and approve a sample.
Step 3: select the Incoterm and confirm who books transport.
Step 4: arrange transport from the port of loading.
Step 5: prepare the customs code and the documents.
Step 6: receive the goods and check them against the specification.

How do I choose a bay leaf supplier in Turkey?

Start with the product you need and ask each supplier for the same information: botanical name, grade, form, packaging and quantity. Compare the answers side by side. AgroHoby is based in Tarsus, Mersin, near Mersin International Port, and works with bulk buyers, exporters and private label clients.

Ask for the botanical name, Laurus nobilis, and the grade in writing.
Ask for a sample and a written specification.
Compare packaging options and the way each supplier answers questions.
Ask how the supplier handles custom requests.

How do I agree a specification and a sample?

Write down the grade, the form, the packaging and the quality and safety points you will check on arrival, then approve a sample before the order. Our guide to bay leaf specifications gives a checklist. Keep the approved sample, because it is the reference for any later question about the lot.

Read the bay leaf specifications buyers should request.
Learn how grades differ in Turkish bay leaf grades explained.
Ask for a sample with the sample request form.

Which Incoterm should I choose?

The Incoterm sets where delivery happens and who pays for transport and insurance. ICC Academy explains that under FOB, CFR and CIF risk passes to the buyer once the goods are loaded on board at the port of shipment, while under DAP the seller contracts and pays for transport up to the named place of destination and transfers the risk of loss or damage to the buyer there. Choose the term that matches who will book freight.

Incoterm	What it means in short	Mode
FOB	Seller delivers when the goods are loaded on board the vessel at the port of shipment and handles export clearance.	Sea and inland waterway
CFR	Seller pays carriage to the destination port. Risk passes to the buyer when the goods are loaded on board at the port of shipment.	Sea and inland waterway
CIF	Same as CFR, and the seller also buys cargo insurance to the destination port.	Sea and inland waterway
DAP	Seller delivers at the named destination, ready for unloading, and carries cost and risk until then. The buyer handles import formalities.	Any mode

How are the goods shipped from Mersin?

AgroHoby is located near Mersin International Port, which is a possible loading port. Your freight forwarder can quote the route and the container or pallet plan once the packaging and quantity are known. Agree the loading port, the shipping terms and the contact for each side before the order is confirmed.

Loading port: confirm it with the supplier.
Freight: ask your forwarder for a quote based on packaging and quantity.
Contacts: agree who speaks to the forwarder and the supplier.

Which customs codes and documents do I need?

Bay leaves are classified under HS subheading 0910.99. The United States lists them under HTS 0910.99.07.00, and the EU adds its own digits to the same subheading, so ask your customs broker for the exact EU code. Required documents depend on your country, so check the requirements of your import country and confirm them with your customs broker before the goods ship.

Read our guide to the bay leaf HS code and customs codes.
For the EU, the CBI guide mentions recent laboratory reports and complete label details.
Ask your broker for the full list of documents for your market.

How do I ask AgroHoby for a quote?

Send the grade, the packaging, the quantity and your destination country through our request a quote form for Turkish bay leaves. Packaging options are 5 kg and 10 kg cartons and 25 kg and 50 kg bulk, with custom packaging on request. See our export and logistics page and the FAQ about Turkish bay leaves.

More buyer guides are listed on our resources page.

Sources

Last updated: October 2026