LATAM Cargo continues its reign in the conveyance of Chilean cherries, concluding 2023 with an approximate 7,546 tons of the fruit exported from Chile, marking a 32% surge compared to the preceding year.
Chile is the South American cherry export champion with LATAM Cargo instrumental in the transportation of 30% of the total volume via air. The lion's share of cherries, approximately 90%, are shipped to Asia for the Chinese New Year festivities, while a smaller fraction is distributed to other markets including the United States and Brazil.
Customer-centric LATAM Cargo readied for the season by introducing 19 weekly frequencies from Santiago exclusively for cherries. The firm temporarily added a new cargo aircraft to its fleet to accommodate the cherry demand and the forthcoming flower high season. This increased the total aircraft count to 20, enabling the company to boost the available capacity for cherries compared to the previous year.
Despite rainfall-related challenges in Chile significantly impacting cherry production, LATAM Cargo registered significant growth by year-end. Claudio Torres Faini, Commercial SVP in South America at LATAM Cargo, stated, "We are wholly devoted to offering our customers solutions customised to their requirements. In reaction to a difficult season, we have introduced flexible measures, modifying both flight frequencies and destinations."
The company kicked off the 2023-2024 season with the inaugural shipment of Chilean cherries leaving Santiago in mid-October on one of LATAM's planes to New Zealand, subsequently transported to China through interline agreements.
Source: www.ajot.com