Hong Kong banks on reefers
The Hong Kong Seaport Alliance (HKSPA) is investing in its perishables business which has a value of USD 3 billion a year. 60% out of the fruit handled at HKSPA’s terminals annually are transported onward to Mainland China.
The Alliance now deploys more than 7,800 reefer points, twice the capacity of other terminals in South China. Shenzhen is an hour away, Guangzhou’s Jiangnan wholesale fruit and vegetable market four hours by road.
For large or less time-sensitive shipments, the HKSPA built up the Hong Kong-Nanhai reefer express 17-hour barge service to get fruit consignments to market.
With fruit imports into the Mainland forecast to grow 55% by 2025, HKSPA recently organised a webinar on the topic “Tapping into the fast growing fruit markets”. (cd)