Containers filled with imported cherries from Chile now take less than two hours to go from docking to market in China, thanks to close coordination among ports, customs and logistics firms, resulting in a sweet deal for the country's many cherry lovers.
As the peak season approaches, China's largest cherry import hub, Nansha Port in Guangzhou City of south China's Guangdong Province, is processing massive volumes at record speed.
Before the Spring Festival in mid-February, imports at Nansha Port are expected to exceed 200,000 tons, accounting for nearly one-third of China's total cherry imports.
China has been Chile's largest cherry export market for seven consecutive years, with more than 92 percent of Chilean cherries destined for Chinese consumers. Supporting this flow is a highly efficient logistics system designed to move fresh fruit from ship to shelf within hours.
"[The cherry season runs from] mid-December through February. So far, Nansha Port has operated 18 dedicated cherry routes. For each ship and its specific conditions, we develop a tailored plan. The containers are unloaded directly from the ship onto the customer's trailer and transported directly to the market," said Huang Minshan, client manager of the Business Development Department at Guangzhou Port Nansha Phase II Terminal.
Just ten minutes from the dock sits Asia's largest single integrated cold-chain facility, where temperature-controlled inspections keep cherries fresh, even during peak arrival periods. Customs officers use smart devices to verify shipment data submitted before vessels arrive.
"With a focus on both safety and efficiency, we have opened a green channel for fresh imports with 24-hour appointment-based customs clearance. Containers that don't require inspection can leave immediately, while those awaiting inspection are sent directly from the ship to the Nansha international logistics center. The Nansha Port has attracted the import of 23 types of fruits from 13 countries and regions, continuously enriching the dining tables of domestic consumers," said Lin Xiaojing, head of Cold Chain Supervision Section 1 at Nansha Customs.
From the port, the cherries make their way to Jiangnan Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Market, the largest of its kind in south China. There, distributors move fast and sign their names on the boxes to lock in the freshest arrivals, ensuring that produce reaches dining tables as quickly as possible.
Close coordination allows imported cherries to quickly reach consumers in China
