Zespri has signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will see the expansion of kiwifruit import facilities at Damaiyu Port in Taizhou, China, located about 450km south of Shanghai. A group comprising of high-level Taizhou Government and business delegates and representatives from Sinotrans PFS Cold Chain Logistics Co Ltd (PFS) ‒ Zespri's customs clearance agent, port operation, and mainland China transportation provider ‒ visited Tauranga recently to discuss the long-term strategic partnership between Zespri and Taizhou, with the MOU signed during the visit.
Chairman Nathan Flowerday took part in the visit, along with representatives from Zespri in New Zealand and China, with the delegation also visiting the Port of Tauranga and the Kiwifruit Breeding Centre. Greater China – Head of Supply Chain, Rahul Bagde says a significant part of the MOU agreement will involve the construction of a new cold store at Damaiyu Port. "Taizhou played a crucial role for us during the COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai in 2022 when we couldn't unload there, with all 15 charters that season unloaded in Taizhou instead. "Since then, we saw four charters unloaded in the 2023 season and five this year. There's also potential for further increases in the annual number of charters to this port," says Rahul.
"A new cold store facility, which is expected to cost around $35 million, will enhance quality inspection, and storage and include a pre-cooling chamber. It will also allow us to directly service customers in the Zhejiang province ‒ which has a population of 65 million ‒ and the Fujian province ‒ which has a population of 42 million ‒ without the need to truck the fruit to Shanghai, and then back south to customers in these provinces." Zespri will play a key role in the design of the new cold store.
For more information:
Anna Cross
Zespri
Tel: +64 27 316 7777
Email: [email protected]
www.zespri.com