On November 27, a batch of 11.7 tons of fresh Peruvian blueberries quickly cleared customs at the Shenzhen Bay Port and reached the largest fruit distribution center in South China, Guangzhou Jiangnan Market, within two hours, before being distributed across China.
Every year, during the autumn and winter seasons, boxes of blueberries from Peru travel across mountains and seas to reach China. With the advantage of the Southern Hemisphere's seasonal difference, Peruvian blueberries sell well in the Chinese market, making China the second-largest buyer of Peruvian blueberries.
Shenzhen, located close to Hong Kong, has advantages such as a mature shipping industry and low shipping costs, making it the preferred port for many Peruvian fruit companies to transit through Hong Kong. Since October, the peak season for clearing Peruvian blueberries has begun, with 5,400 tons of Peruvian fresh blueberries imported through Shenzhen, valued at 421 million RMB, showing a year-on-year growth of 54.3% and 80.6%, respectively.
Due to their delicate and perishable nature, blueberries require fast customs clearance. To address this, the Shenzhen Bay Customs has developed a customs clearance plan for the fruit peak season, coordinating manpower with shipping schedules and import volumes, increasing cold storage equipment at the port, setting up specialized inspection stations, and avoiding vehicle congestion, ensuring the shortest possible clearance time to keep the fruit fresh and safe.
In addition to southern cities like Shenzhen, other regions, such as Shanghai in East China and Tianjin in North China, are also entering the peak season for importing Peruvian blueberries.
Tianjin Port, the largest comprehensive port in North China, recently launched three new direct shipping routes to Latin America, covering key ports in both the Pacific and Atlantic regions. Among them, the Tianjin to South America West route is called the "Fruit Express." On September 18, the first batch of 11.7 tons of Peruvian blueberries arrived in Tianjin Port via this direct route, marking the first time South American blueberries have landed at a northern port.
During the 31st APEC Leaders' Informal Meeting this year, the opening of Peru's Chancay Port was announced. Fruit-laden ships, including blueberries, grapes, and avocados from Peru, will now sail along the new land-sea route from Chancay to Shanghai, bringing goods to China.
With the official operation of Chancay Port, the shipping time for goods from South America to Asia will be reduced from over 30 days to just 20 days, significantly cutting logistics costs. After the launch of the direct Shanghai route, more shipments will be made to other Asia-Pacific locations based on demand.
"After Chancay Port opens, the volume and quality of blueberries we ship to China will improve. We plan to expand our planting area to meet the growing demand from the Chinese market," said Federico Maggio, production services manager at Peruvian international fruit and vegetable supplier Gambocyan, in an interview with Chinese media.