Rotterdam's Fruit Wharf ready for a warm summer

"For us in The Netherlands the weather is, of course, important, but in business terms weather conditions are also viewed in the production areas of the southern hemisphere with interest since this is where a lot of the fruit comes from for our customers. Good growing conditions ensure a good harvest and good export amounts to Europe," explained commercial manager Peter van de Laar from Rotterdam's Fruit Wharf.

Poor weather conditions in Argentina last year, Chile and South Africa has led to lower volumes of many fruit varieties in recent months. Peter van de Laar, just back from Argentina explained, "last July lemons in Tucuman suffered a very cold period followed by a long dry period which means there will be fewer lemons for harvest."

Rotterdam Fruit Wharf, part of the Belgian SEA investment group, specialises in the storage and handling of fruit from the southern hemisphere. In addition to handling many thousands of containers every year, this coming season the company will also manage a large number of conventional ships delivering 3,500 to 4,500 pallets at a time. General manager Fred Krijnen says that the unique location of Rotterdam Fruit Wharf on the Rotterdam harbour make it an extremely efficient location for unloading. Pallets of fruit are moved directly from the ships hull to the wharf side and on into the cold stores." An important part of supplying fruit lies in the storage where it can sometime lay for weeks, while the rest is distributed almost immediately to receivers in the hinterland. Much depends on what the fruit market is doing at that moment. We have the capacity to offer flexibility: storage or transit."

Rotterdam Fruit Wharf also arranges all the formalities of import, including financial responsibilities for customers both in and outside of The Netherlands "We are just a small link in the whole fruit chain but for European importers we are very important," said Krijnen. The company defines itself by its speed and accuracy. Van de Laar adds: "Arriving in Rotterdam is better for access to the Westland and Barendrecht/Ridderkerk, where many importers are located. From other harbours you have to travel some additional 150 km, which costs extra time and service."

Both gentlemen confidently expect a warm summer. "It will not be a top year like 2013, but we expect good export from South Africa and with increased consumer confidence on this side, it can only be a great year," concluded Krijnen.

For more information:
Fred M. Krijnen MBA
Rotterdam Fruit Wharf B.V.
tel: +31 10 2215000
fax: +31 10 2215001
info@sea-invest.nl
www.sea-invest.be