On February 4, a shipment of 27 tons of Thai fresh longan, consisting of more than 2,000 boxes, arrived at Chenglingji Port in Yueyang, Hunan Province. After going through conformity assessment by the Yueyang Customs Authority, the fruits completed customs clearance formalities that day, bringing more diversity to the supplies of Hunan's consumer market before the Spring Festival. This was the first batch of imported fruits handled at Chenglingji Port.

Twenty-seven tons of fresh longan, consisting of more than 2,000 boxes from Thailand were shipped to Chenglingji Port in Yueyang, Hunan Province. (Photo/Hu Xi)

The designated supervision site for imported fruits at the Chenglingji Port, Yueyang was approved for operation in December 2023, making it the third site in Hunan after Changsha and Zhangjiajie airports. It is also the only designated supervision site for the import of fruits via water transportation in Hunan Province.

Deng Xiaoge, chairman of the Hailun International Logistics Development Corporation in Yueyang, said that this batch of fruit departed from Laem Chabang Port in Thailand on January 13, and arrived in Hunan after about 20 days. Compared with air logistics, water transport has the advantages of large volume in a single trip and low shipping costs, which is appropriate for the import of large quantities of fruits with storage resistance. Therefore, Hunan consumers have the chance to buy imported fruits at more affordable prices and with more delicious taste. Deng added that his company is negotiating further cooperative agreements with fruit traders and orchard owners in Southeast Asia and other places. In the future, fruits can be quickly loaded into ships after picking in overseas orchards and directly transported to Yueyang by water transportation.

After going through conformity assessment by the Yueyang Customs Authority, the fruits completed custom clearance formalities on February 4. (Photo/Hu Qian)

Tu Hongwei, deputy director of the Yueyang Customs Authority, explained that in view of the tight customs clearance time and high quality requirements of imported fruits, the authority will promote favorable policies while strictly controlling the safety standards of imported fruits. Tu added that the development of imported fruit business will also help improve the function of Chenglingji Port and promote the development of local fruit markets and other industries.

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Chinanews