An avocado exporter in New Zealand has launched a new brand as seaports all over the world are taking centrestage during the rampaging COVID-19 pandemic. Many airports, roads, and trains grounded to a halt during the peak of the pandemic last year.
Now, authorities continued to wave ships into ports. Though this emphasizes the importance of shipping, the same goes for the danger of port disruptions in the future and stakeholders are witnessing the biggest disruption to ports since the start of container shipping 65 years ago.
Industry player in the US, Kuehne+Nagel, says 353 container ships are currently anchored outside ports around the world, more than doubling the number from earlier this year. The busiest ports, such as Los Angeles / Long Beach, are experiencing delays of 12 days or more.
The logjam, according to him, has caused shortages of stock and delayed deliveries, raising prices, frustrating consumers, and alarming regulators.
Adding to the problem is an aging and overburdened port system. “There were problems before the rush of cargo,”
Chief Executive of the world’s second-largest container shipping group MSC, Soren Toft, says “port complexes were becoming old, there were capacity restrictions and restrictions on the ability to serve the ever-growing size of ships.”
The most obvious solution to the problem is investing in port infrastructure, short sea shipping, and short sea distribution.
However, the New Zealand avocado harvest for the local market started in mid June. The Honeytree Farms orchard situated in the Far North region where, Fresh Solutions Group’s avocados are grown delayed harvest until export started last week.
Director at Fresh Solutions Group, Marie Nelmes, says this season is the launch of The Honeytree Farms brand, pointing out that they are really proud of it.
‘’We have had an excellent growing season with good fruit set. The healthy trees will provide good volume and fruit size. Asian countries are our main export markets. A large volume of New Zealand fruit also goes to Australia”Marie said.
Australia is a major export destination for New Zealand’s avocados, but this season there is a big crop of domestic fruit.
Marie explains that they are focused on supplying the Asian markets, and diverting fruit to Asia away from Australia where possible, but they are now competing with Australian avocados in many markets.
The company also supplies a range of customers in the New Zealand domestic market from retailers to food service businesses. The avocados are packed by Far North Packers, which is very close to where the fruit is grown.
Honeytree Farms only grow quality New Zealand avocados.
Fresh Solutions Group exports stonefruit, cherries, berries, citrus, grapes, apples and avocados from New Zealand, Australia, USA, South Africa and Chile.
