The strengthening of the bilateral trade relations between Peru and China opens new export opportunities for mango producers from Piura. This new opportunity arose after mango producers made an exclusive air shipment tryout.
The president of the Association of Mango Producers and Exporters (APEM), Juan Carlos Rivera, said China Eastern Airlines was responsible for transporting the fruit.
The first airfreight, which marks a milestone, was sent on Monday, but producers will attempt seven other trial runs to determine whether this is a feasible option, according to the Xinhua website.
"We'll know if it is viable within a month, meanwhile we'll perform other experimental shipments. We need to balance time and cost, because China does like our mango," he said.
Rivera said they were evaluating this option because the main difficulty they face in exporting their products to China was the time taken for the cargo to arrive there by ship. "It takes mangoes, which have had hydrothermal treatment, a month to get there and that affects quality, as it can deteriorate," he said.
By plane, it only takes five days to arrive but costs are six times higher than by boat.
It depends on the market
Humberto Correa, a teacher at the National University of Piura, said the viability of using air transport depended on the market it was used for; i.e. if importers were able to cover transportation costs.
"It implies giving the product an added value, as Chile and Ecuador do. This increases its price and covers the cost of transporting it," he said. An advantage would be increasing customer loyalty by offering the fruit at the right time.
Source: eltiempo.pe