LIMA, PERU – Peruvian citrus may soon be making its way into the U.S. through the Port of Miami.
In a meeting with representatives of the Lima Chamber of Commerce, Eric Olafson, Director of the Port of Miami, explained that this difficult process may take some time since Florida is a citrus producing state and is strict in preventing the spread of the fruit fly, according to Agraria.
“We hope to have news soon, since these processes take time to determine the best procedures to minimize risk. Hopefully, the first shipments of citrus from Peru will make its way through Miami in the coming months,” Olafson said.
At the meeting, Carlos Garcia, the Lima Chamber of Commerce’s Center Manager of Foreign Trade (CCEX), said that there is no doubt about the importance of gaining more points of access in the U.S.
“Increasing the frequency that we ship to Miami should impact a reduction of logistics costs in the storage and transportation of our products to the United States and thus increase our competitiveness,” Garcia said.
CCEX figures from January to June of this year show that exports of fresh Peruvian citrus to the U.S. totaled approximately $14 million, representing a 90% growth over the same period in 2013.
Agraria reports that Eric Olafson is optimistic about the port becoming “the main gateway for perishable products from Peru” due to geographical advantages and services offered.
The Port of Miami uses mobile technology to process fruit and vegetable containers in real-time to streamline distribution and decrease the cost of ground transportation.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to monitor this story as it continues to develop.
