Xiamen City of southeast China's Fujian Province has seen a surge in imports of New Year goods as local consumers step up preparations for the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival, which falls on February 17.
To facilitate the swift delivery of fresh produce from South America, the city has established the BRICS freight air route, connecting Xiamen and Sao Paulo of Brazil.
Operating for three years, this air cargo route leverages international networks to transport fresh goods from their places of origin directly to the market.
"Xiamen Airport offers numerous flight routes and high-speed logistics. [Customs cleared] goods can be transported directly to the market right after being unloaded from the aircraft," said Chu Jiang, general manager of a Xiamen-based supply chain management company.
As the Spring Festival nears, Fujian, a province that ranks first in China for seafood consumption, has already imported thousands of tons of festival goods, including a large volume of seafood products.
According to statistics from Xiamen Customs, in January this year, the Xiamen port imported more than 1,400 tons of products including live lobsters, salmon, and grapes, representing a growth of more than 40 percent compared to the same period in 2025.
"Since the beginning of January, we have imported 159 tons of chilled salmon, a year-on-year increase of about 150 percent, and 420 tons of lobster, up roughly 47 percent year-on-year," said Liang Feili, deputy general manager of a logistics distribution center in Xiamen.
As the largest air import hub in Fujian for live edible aquatic animals, Xiamen Airport has launched 16 international air cargo routes. Among them, the BRICS freight air route has increased its regular service from one weekly flight at launch to three flights per week.
Throughout 2025, seasonal fruits imported via the BRICS freight air route accounted for more than 70 percent of the total fruit imports through Xiamen Airport, with salmon imports via this route making up more than 40 percent of the annual total.
In response to the recent substantial increase in import and export volumes, local customs authorities have continuously optimized inspection procedures, significantly improving clearance efficiency.
"To ensure adequate market supply during the festival period, we have implemented 24/7 customs clearance measures for fresh and live products. This achieves a model where goods can be inspected and cleared promptly upon the aircraft's landing, ensuring no delays for companies during inspection and preventing fresh products from being held up," said Bai Yu, deputy director of the Xiamen Airport Customs.
BRICS is a group formed by 11 major emerging countries including Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Saudi Arabia , Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia.
New Year goods imports soar in Fujian as Spring Festival approaches
