Opening the Chinese market raises prospects exports

17 December 2024

Opening the Chinese market raises prospects for Brazilian grape exports in DaColheita/FarmFresh packaging

In partnership with Abrafrutas, Termotécnica provides expertise to overcome logistical barriers, ensuring that Brazilian grapes reach the Asian market with premium quality 

Termotécnica, the largest manufacturer of storage solutions in EPS (better known as Styrofoam*), packaging in Latin America and leader in Brazil, celebrated the recent signing of the Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Fresh Grapes from Brazil to China, signed by the Brazilian and Chinese authorities. With this protocol, a channel for exporting grapes to the Asian country has been opened. According to the latest IBGE Census, in 2023, 1,757,891 tons were produced in Brazil, moving the fruit chain.

According to Eduardo Brandão, executive director of ABRAFRUTAS - Brazilian Association of Exporters of Fruit and Derivatives -, “Brazil exports 70% of its volume to Europe, and it’s important to seek new markets. Asia has a huge fruit consumption, however, as it’s a more distant market geographically, there’s also a logistical challenge to be overcome by integrating the cold chain with air and sea operators”, says.

Termotécnica has already been working in partnership with Abrafrutas and producers, mainly from the São Francisco Valley, for over a decade in fruit exports and sees great potential from China opening its market for Brazilian grapes. In just six years, close to 2 million conservers have been used to export over 7 thousand tons of premium Brazilian fruits such as grapes, lemons and limes, mangoes, pitayas, figs, papayas, guavas, passion fruits, lychees and atemoyas to countries throughout Europe, such as France, Spain, Portugal, England and Austria, and also to the Middle East, Russia, China and Canada.

DaColheita provides tangible  gains for fruit exports

According to Termotécnica’s Managing Director, Nivaldo Fernandes de Oliveira, DaColheita packaging solutions - FarmFresh brand for the international market - have been a differential that adds great value throughout the chain in long-distance transit time. EPS is composed of 98% air, which provides a significant reduction in weight and consequently in CO2 emissions during transportation.

A case regarding grape exports to Asia using EPS/Styrofoam* conservers was conducted in partnership with the APPC Agro-industrial Cooperative, representing a group of rural producers from Pilar do Sul (SP). Composed mostly of Japanese immigrant descendants, APPC focuses on producing differentiated, high-quality fruits, including grapes, atemoyas, tangors (a type of tangerine), plums, medlars, peaches and lychees. APPC's flagship grape is the Pilar Moscato, a gourmet grape that is the Cooperative's trademark. The cooperative exported this grape to Hong Kong, and the premium quality fruits traveled in DaColheita/FarmFresh conservers.

DaColheita/FarmFresh solutions offer benefits for the entire fresh produce value chain, from producers to point-of-sale, and a strong appeal for sustainability in all these processes. By extending shelf life, maintaining a constant temperature and for being very lightweight, DaColheita/FarmFresh packaging also contributes to sustainability aspects such as reducing losses and waste in the distribution chain and reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, in addition to being 100% recyclable. “All the conservation technology and design of our EPS solutions allow our customers to communicate these differences to international markets”, emphasizes Termotécnica’s President, Albano Schmidt.

Since it began working with fruit exporters, Termotécnica has been part of the Global Packaging Alliance, a global packaging recycling partnership. And it is one of the partner suppliers of Fermac Cargo, which became part of the SAF Corporate Program - Sustainable Aviation Fuel - of Air France KLM Martinair Cargo – a milestone that symbolizes the pursuit for more sustainable aviation. Through SAF, there has been a CO2 reduction of around 102,070 kg on the three main routes used to export Brazilian fruit to Europe with the partnership between Fermac and Air France KLM Martinair Cargo.

A shipment of mangoes from Brazilian producer Happy Fruits carried out by European fruit importer and distributor Capexo on board Air France’s “eco-friendly” aircraft was sent to Paris in DaColheita/FarmFresh conservers. Made from EPS DaColheita/FarmFresh solutions weigh 60% less than corrugated boxes, which can reduce air freight costs by up to 6%, generating significant savings throughout the chain and thus reducing CO2 emissions on the planet.

* Styrofoam is a third-party registered trademark.

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