KENYA · GUIDE 0007 · EDITION 4.2
Coriander Business Worksheets: Orders, Costs and Delivery Records
1. Seed and sowing record
Create one row for each planting: plot or container, sowing date, seed supplier, packet or lot identifier, quantity used and water arrangement. Add observation dates for emergence, yellow leaves or bolting, and note who was consulted about an uncertain crop problem. Keep the seed packet and receipt with the record. KEPHIS provides general information about seed certification; the record does not replace a formal seed test.
2. Buyer specification card
For each proposed customer, write the business name, agreed contact method, required delivery day, location, rooted or cut format, approximate bunch or pack specification and quantity. Record the proposed price and whether the person has merely shown interest or placed an order. Ask permission to retain contact information and avoid collecting unnecessary personal details.
3. Harvest and handover log
For each delivery, record harvest and packing times, package arrangement, departure and arrival times, and how the herbs were protected from crushing. Count the bundles prepared, rejected before departure, delivered, accepted and returned. Ask the buyer to inspect the pack after the actual journey; record condition and specific reasons for rejection. The FAO postharvest reference is general background, not proof that a particular pack will remain fresh for a given time.
4. Cost and payment worksheet
List direct seed and water allocations, harvesting and sorting labour, packaging, transport and other attributable expenses. Divide direct costs by the actual accepted quantity to understand the cost per accepted bunch. Separately list overhead and equipment replacement. Record the invoice amount, payment received, date and outstanding balance. If accepted quantity is zero, do not divide by zero: record the loss and investigate the cause.
5. Review and next decision
Compare the buyer's requested specification with what arrived. Note the paid repeat order, if any, rather than counting a verbal promise as a sale. Identify one change to test next time, its expected effect and how it will be measured. A sample table can be kept in a notebook or spreadsheet; use actual observations, not invented figures.
Keep receipts, enquiry responses and order confirmations together. These worksheets support a practical decision but do not certify food safety, establish legal compliance or guarantee crop performance. Ask qualified local advisers and the relevant authorities about the circumstances of your own operation.