MSC ships first ever shipment of avocados from Colombia to China

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company is shipping the first ever shipment of avocados from Colombia to China. The shipment of fresh avocados was loaded from the Port of Buenaventura on 28 May, and is being shipped on MSC’s Aztec service, with an expected arrival date of 29 June in Shanghai.

 

This first ever shipment follows the signing of a ‘memorandum of agreement on avocado exports to China’ during a state visit by the Colombian President to China last July. Located in South America’s northwest area, Colombia is a rising force in the global avocado trade and is now the fourth largest producer of the Hass variety of avocados worldwide.

 

MSC is proud to be supporting  this  milestone  shipment  of  avocados  from  Colombia  to  China  for Mr. Avocado, a leading Chinese supplier of ready-to-eat avocados. “Transporting perishables such as fruits and vegetables require a high level of care and expertise, and we are delighted that Mr. Avocado has placed their trust in us for this inaugural shipment,” said Jonathan Zhu, Managing Director for MSC Greater China.

 

In recent years, demand for this ‘heart-healthy’ fruit has been growing quickly in China. Chinese customs data show that avocado imports grew 34.4 per cent from 32,000 tonnes in 2017 to 43,000 tonnes in 2018. Avocados are known for their nutritional and health benefits, and their versatility of use, making them one of the fast-growing produce items in the world.

 

Growing trade between Colombia and China

 

Bilateral trade between Colombia and China has been growing in recent years. China has become Colombia's second largest trading partner, and Colombia is China's fifth largest trading partner in Latin America. According to Chinese customs statistics, the bilateral trade volume reached USD14.6 billion in 2018, an increase of 29.2 per cent year-on-year.

 

With its comprehensive global network, MSC has been facilitating the flow of goods from Latin America to China and can attest to the continued level of imports over the years.

 

The main imports MSC has been shipping from Latin America to China include meat (e.g. pork, beef, lamb), bananas, seafood (such as fish, shrimps and crabs), as well as other commodities such as cotton, paper and pulp, and timber.

 

“A significant amount of imports from Latin America are refrigerated food cargo. With our mature network in China, we are able to support refrigerated container transportation to a wide range of coastal ports and inland destinations, enabling these food products to reach consumers across China,” added Jonathan Zhu.

 

Expert in shipping refrigerated cargo

 

Globally, MSC has shipped over 1.8 million TEU of reefer (refrigerated) containers in 2019, and over the years, the company has developed a team of over 1,000 reefer experts around the world who can provide guidance to customers through every step of their shipments.

 

To meet the growing international demand for reefer cargo services, MSC has also continually invested  in the best-refrigerated transport solutions. In February 2020 MSC announced the addition of over 5,000 Star Cool units using Controlled Atmosphere (CA) technology. CA is an active process to regulate atmosphere composition to extend the shelf-life, maintain the appearance, freshness and quality of perishable products such as apples, avocados and bananas.

 

Source:XINDE MARINE NEWS

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