The new Chancay-to-Shanghai shipping route is speeding up the delivery of South American fruits to China, providing consumers with a more diverse selection of fresh and exotic produce.
Peru's Chancay Port, built by Chinese companies, officially opened in Peru last month, with the leaders of both countries in attendance.
On December 18th, the first direct cargo shipment—carrying over 20,000 tons of Peruvian specialty fruits, including blueberries, avocados, grapes, and mangoes—arrived at Yangshan Port in Shanghai, marking the inaugural bidirectional connection between Chancay Port and Shanghai Port.
Among these fruits, 180 boxes of Peruvian grapes are temporarily stored in a warehouse before being moved to the packaging line. The variety, called "Candy Snap," is currently in harvest season in Peru. While they are relatively small, their taste is unique, with a distinct strawberry flavor.
Chen Xiang, a fruit importer whose company regularly imports Peruvian fruits such as blueberries, grapes, and avocados to China, noted that the opening of the shipping route has significantly reduced logistics costs.
"Logistics used to take between 35 and 45 days, but the new shipping line cuts that time to just 23 days. The shorter transit time greatly improves the quality of the fruit," said Chen Xiang, commodity director of Riverking Logistics.
Fresh fruits typically stay in warehouses for only two or three days—or even less—before reaching supermarket shelves. As this is the first season for "Candy Snap" grapes in China, they must first undergo food inspections. Once approved, the grapes are repacked and sent to their next destination; supermarkets.
"It's summer in the Southern Hemisphere, making this the import season for fruits like cherries and grapes. We'll closely monitor the performance of these grapes in the market, as we believe they have great potential," said Cheng Shizhuo, head at Grape Purchase Department of Freshippo.
The popularity of "Candy Snap" grapes in China remains to be seen, but South American fruits are already favorites among Chinese consumers, particularly as holiday gifts.
The Chancay-to-Shanghai shipping route is expected to further boost trade between the two countries. Currently, one ship operates weekly on the route, with plans to increase frequency to strengthen trade across the Asia-Pacific region.
China has been Peru's largest trading partner and largest export market for 10 consecutive years. From 2016 to 2023, bilateral trade grew at an average annual rate of 14.6 percent, reaching 37.69 billion U.S. dollars last year.
Chancay-to-Shanghai shipping route boosts South American fruit imports to China
Chancay-to-Shanghai shipping route boosts South American fruit imports to China
