Logistics plays an essential role in the import of perishable products, especially when it comes to the shipment of fresh fruit like mangoes, whose season is already underway in Mexico, and even more so for ready-to-eat fruit, which requires not only a fast, but also an effective means of transport, such as air transport, to ensure an optimal condition on arrival and the preservation of its added value.
"The first mango shipments of the season were made in February. Exports to Japan, our most important destination, have resumed this year, following last year's last-minute change in the amounts of chemicals allowed in the fruit. In fact, almost nothing was shipped then, which led to frustration amongst growers, importers and customers, who saw shipments that could have continued until as late as September ending in March/April."
"This year, the market in Japan is a bit depressed due to the exchange rate between the yen and the dollar, and this has slowed Mexican mango imports down. Besides, the Haden variety started with low Brix degrees; however, interest seems to have rebounded with the Kent variety, and our shipments are increasing," says Arturo Hernandez, of Fresh Cargo.
"In addition to Asia, Fresh Cargo also ships mangoes by air to Europe. The variety normally consumed there is the Kent, which is very popular in the European market, and now quite a significant volume of those is being shipped there."
"The list of the main products shipped to Europe also includes oriental vegetables, such as bitter melon or long green beans, which are grown in the southeast of Mexico and are fully intended for export. In Europe, they are consumed by the Muslim community, for whom this kind of vegetable is part of their daily diet," says Arturo.
"Cargo transportation has been moved to Mexico's new airport"
Starting in July, all of Mexico's cargo transportation will be handled at the Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA), following a presidential order intended to decongest the airport and the often-clogged roads to Mexico City's International Airport, which handles up to 900 flights a day, says Arturo. "Since the airport became too small to deal with such a volume of flights, freighters have had to operate in the early hours of the morning to avoid the heavy traffic of passenger flights. Now, with the new AIFA in Tecámac, we will be able to operate 24/7 on 4 runways, with super-modern facilities."
"There we have 12 warehouses of about 5,000 m² each and 25 meters high, with refrigeration chambers to store all the perishable and pharmaceutical products we transport without breaking the cold chain at any time. The cargo comes from different parts of the country, is brought in through the loading terminal, goes through an X-ray tunnel that scans the truck and is taken directly to the corresponding warehouse. We even have a refrigerated area in our warehouses for the repair of pallets to ensure this can be done without the cold chain being broken in the process," says Arturo Hernandez. "Great exports rely on small details, like this one."
"Importers are always looking for ports that are neither as inflexible, nor as demanding in terms of phytosanitary requirements as Paris"
Fresh Cargo shipped half a thousand tons of fresh produce by air in the first quarter of the year; 189 tons in January, 150 t in February and 160 t in March. "Mangoes are our No. 1 export product, followed by tomatoes, of which we ship large quantities to Japan from October to April, with two flights a week. The third biggest product is Persian lime, which we export all year round, mainly from the state of Veracruz," says Arturo.
"We are always looking for ports that are neither as inflexible, nor as demanding as Paris when it comes to phytosanitary requirements. That is why many importers prefer to ship the goods to Amsterdam and distribute them from there to the rest of Europe, or to Madrid, which is one of the most convenient airports to export from Mexico."
For more information:
Fresh Cargo
Tel.: +52 56 4162 1913
aries@freshcargo.com.mx