FEATURE
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
container-liner shipping or conventional
shipping. On a global basis, it is expected
that the use of containers will continue to
increase. Alternatively, reefer vessels can
be used.
Note that the industry uses the informal
word ‘reefer’ to denote refrigerated.
Confusion arises when, for example, the
phrases ‘reefer container’ and ‘reefer
vessel’ are used. This is because the former
refers to the container shipping industry
while the latter refers to the conventional
shipping industry – yet both have the
word reefer in them. Reefer vessel
means conventional vessel, whilst reefer
container is a refrigerated container.
Alternatively, produce may be
imported in containers via airfreight
and this is usually done for high-margin
produce such as berries where transit
time is shorter. It may also be imported
by road (trucks) in sealed containers (for
example, bananas from Mozambique).
As with most developing countries,
the availability of fresh produce in South
Africa on a year-round basis has become
the norm. Consumers want grapes when
they want it and want to squeeze orange
juice from fresh oranges whenever they
feel like it and not necessarily when the
fruit is in season.
South Africa is no exception and
imports of out-of-season fresh produce
have grown tremendously over the past
10 years. For this reason, the FPIA was
established to facilitate and develop
the fresh-produce import sector in South
Africa. The FPIA acts as a platform through
which importers can interact with each
other, government and international
agencies involved in the management
and control of the perishable industry to
achieve and facilitate free and safe trade
of fresh produce into South Africa.
As an industry organisation, FPIA
focuses on providing its members with the
most recent and up-to-date regulatory
information relevant to existing import
markets to allow for effective supply-
chain management in terms of such
Distance (trade cost) and refrigeration plays an important role in choosing a transportation
mode.
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www.coldlinkafrica.co.za
Importing countries have their own unique requirements for packaging, labelling and packing.
Promotion of healthy eating and an increasing world population are driving the consumption
of fruit and vegetables.
COLD LINK AFRICA •
OCTOBER 2019