The Port of Barcelona’s Carles Mayol looked at the development of logistics and transport networks supporting the surge in demand for tropical fruit
Tropical fruit was the focus during a Logistics Hub session that took place on the opening day of Fruit Logistica in Berlin.
Soaring global demand for tropicals such as avocados and mangoes has sparked significant growth in production and export markets, with the session delving into the development of the logistics and transport networks necessary to support this surge.
Carles Mayol, head of the container division at the Port of Barcelona, opened by pointing to some of the wider challenges being faced, such as shifting shipping alliances, the situation in the Red Sea, US tariffs, port strikes, and rising demand for reefer containers.
”In the upcoming years the tropical fruit trade will increase dramatically according to a Drewry report, moving from 1.5mn tonnes to 9mn tonnes in the next four years – it’s huge in terms of the demand,” he explained.
“This is the result of new behaviours in consumption, not just in the western world but in Asia as well.”
Mayol highlighted tropical fruit trade flows, noting that avocados, pineapples, mangoes and watermelons were the most traded tropical categories, with Costa Rica and Mexico the biggest suppliers and Asia – especially China – enjoying rapid growth in demand.
He then turned his attention to how the Port of Barcelona helps ensure a reliable and sustainable supply chain for importers and exporters respectively.
Key elements to being successful included maintaining a balanced reefer market in Barcelona, having good infrastructure, connectivity, multimodality and sustainability, and added-value services, Mayol said.
Looking ahead, he said that for tropicals and exotic fruit, the port was preparing for further growth by adapting and expanding its services.
”What we are planning is to provide a place for this kind of cargo, looking to offer a warehouse for tropicals,” he told delegates. ”We are preparing for upcoming tropical growth with infrastructure, connectivity and services.
“We have to accommodate everything in parallel with growth, together with our logistics operators and the market.”
