The pandemic has severely disrupted port movements, increasing the time it takes for a cargo to reach its destination. Those extra days are endangering the quality of exports such as fresh fruit.
It was the lack of dockworkers due to sanitary restrictions combined with the effect of quarantines and social benefits, which increased the demand for products in the market, causing US ports to have dozens of ships waiting to unload containers.
The port traffic jam has created a growing trend of preferring air transport over sea transport. Although the first option is more expensive, many companies are choosing to bear that cost rather than risk losing more investment waiting for their fresh produce to enter the port of destination.
If before it took 40 days for Chilean cherries and blueberries to arrive in Korea, now it only takes 4 to 5 days by air cargo. From California, it takes 3 to 4 days for grapes by plane, ten times less than by ship.
"It takes less than a week for the fruits to arrive at each of our branches from the country of origin, and it is fresher than obtaining them by sea freight," the Emart spokesperson informs Korea Joongag Daily. This year the proportion of products received by plane at Emart increased by 26% compared to last year.
Source: blueberriesconsulting.com
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