CFI was proud to assist Domex Superfood and Norris Farms with their market entry into China this summer. While blueberries can be some of the most sensitive perishables to move internationally, we are looking forward to future growth and success into the China market for each of them. It took a great deal of preparation, work, negotiation, and building an infrastructure to support the shipment to Guangzhou, China.
The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC), the Chinese fruit retailer Pagoda, Chinese customs, and the Guangzhou, China office of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) worked together to to create export phytosanitary protocols suitable for fresh blueberry shipments into China. Years in the making, the approval finally came in May 2020, a huge milestone concerning the opening of the Chinese market to US growers and exporters.
The coming together of two nations, multiple agencies, growers, buyers, and years of revising the process was a critical step to ensuring the safe consumption and sale of fresh blueberries from the US to the Chinese mainland. Initially, three pallets were sent to Guangzhou from the Umpqua River Valley in Oregon, where the ideal growing conditions, mild weather and microclimate yield large, delicious berries. Setting the standard here in this first shipment, we’re honored to see Superfresh Growers, a family farm, as the first grower to achieve this milestone.
Our planet is becoming smaller every day as more often logistics and trade drives nations to open new lanes of traffic and bring new commodities to people where they normally couldn’t access before. It’s the honor of CFI to see these relationships flourish and once again see fruit moving at the peak of freshness with a healthy shelf life to new markets. It’s our experience that a rising tide lifts all boats and we’re eager to continue working with perishables shippers to find more doors to open to overseas markets.
If you want to know more about the shipment to China or have a question about your fruit shipments, contact your CFI representative to discuss more.
