Refund Policy & Buyer Protection
Transparent escrow guarantees, inspection timelines, produce quality defect resolution, and multi-asset reversal procedures.
1. Core Escrow Principles
AgriTrust Platform is built on a foundational commitment to eliminate trust deficits between farmers, rural cooperatives, and domestic or international commodity buyers.
Unlike traditional open classifieds where buyers pay upfront directly to sellers and bear the full risk of non-delivery, every transaction executed on AgriTrust is protected by our automated Escrow Vault. Funds deposited by the buyer are never released to the seller until the ordered produce or machinery has been physically delivered, inspected, and confirmed.
If the seller fails to fulfill the order, dispatches defective goods, or misrepresents grain/produce grades, the buyer is guaranteed a 100% refund of the escrow purchase amount pursuant to the terms outlined below.
2. Mandatory Inspection Windows
Due to the perishable nature of agricultural commodities, strict inspection timelines apply from the moment the shipment arrives at the buyer's specified delivery point or designated cooperative aggregation hub:
Covers grains (maize, rice, sorghum, soybeans), tubers (yam, cassava), fresh vegetables (tomatoes, peppers), fruits, and live poultry/livestock. The buyer must inspect and log any defect notice within 48 hours of drop-off.
Covers tractors, mobile threshers, solar water pumps, drone sprayers, processed packaged foods, and bagged fertilizers. Buyers have 7 business days to test mechanical integrity and chemical authenticity.
3. Valid Grounds for Refund Approval
A full or proportional refund will be granted under the following verified circumstances:
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A. Non-Delivery or Vendor Cancellation The farmer or seller fails to dispatch produce within the agreed transit window, cancels the transaction, or tracking confirms delivery failure. (100% full refund).
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B. Material Non-Conformity or Quality Degradation Produce arrived spoiled, rotten, mold-infested, excessively damp above contractual moisture percentages, or livestock arrived diseased/deceased during transit.
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C. Quantity / Weight Discrepancy Actual verified delivery weight falls below the invoiced quantity (e.g. 80 bags delivered instead of 100 bags). A proportional refund is immediately credited for the missing shortfall.
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D. Counterfeit Agricultural Inputs Adulterated fertilizer, uncertified hybrid seeds with zero germination capability, or prohibited chemicals failing lab assays. (100% full refund + vendor suspension).
4. Non-Refundable Circumstances
Refunds cannot be issued under the following conditions:
- Expired Inspection Window: Claims filed after the 48-hour produce inspection window has elapsed without prior dispute notification.
- Post-Delivery Buyer Storage Negligence: Grains or tubers that spoiled after physical acceptance due to buyer's humid warehouse, rainwater leakage, or improper post-harvest handling.
- Change of Mind / Price Fluctuations: Cancellations attempted after produce has been harvested and dispatched because commodity spot market prices fluctuated.
- Off-Platform Settlements: Transactions arranged outside the AgriTrust Escrow system via cash, private bank transfers, or unrecorded channels.
5. Refund Execution by Payment Method
Once a refund is approved by our Dispute Mediation Team, funds are returned according to the originating payment channel:
AgriTrust Naira Wallet
Instant Credit (0 min): Funds reflect in your liquid balance immediately and can be withdrawn directly to your Nigerian commercial bank account.
Debit Card / Flutterwave
3–5 Business Days: Automated reversal back to the originating bank card through Flutterwave's banking switch.
USDT Crypto Wallet
Instant Re-credit: 100% of the locked USDT is returned to your AgriTrust Crypto Wallet with zero loss.
6. Tether (USDT) Cryptocurrency Refund Protocol
For international offtakers, diaspora buyers, and enterprise aggregators settling orders in Tether (USDT):
- Exact USDT Re-credit: When an order paid in USDT is cancelled or refunded, the full USDT principal locked in escrow is returned directly to your AgriTrust Crypto Wallet. You are not penalized for Naira exchange rate swings during the escrow holding period.
- Immediate Re-usability: Refunded USDT can be immediately used to place an alternative commodity order, swapped into liquid Naira at real-time market rates, or withdrawn to your external exchange wallet.
- External Blockchain Payouts: If you choose to withdraw refunded USDT to an external cold wallet or exchange (Binance/Trust Wallet), standard blockchain network gas fees apply ($1.50 TRC-20, $0.50 Polygon).
7. How to File a Dispute & Refund Claim
Filing a dispute is simple, transparent, and tracked through your dashboard:
8. Dispute Mediation & Support Desk
Need assistance with an active marketplace order or escrow dispute? Our dedicated dispute officers are available Monday through Saturday:
No. 1 Sokoto Road, Ammani Shopping Complex, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Hotlines: +234 803 454 6589, +234 807 741 6106
WhatsApp Dispute Line: Chat with Dispute Agent