Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on international trade in fresh produce

International logistics continues to be affected by port closures and congestion in China, which has led to localised shortages in the availability of refrigerated shipping containers. In addition, containers not being unloaded for days or even weeks has led to a 30–50% increase in the cost of reefer containers. This is the case for imports of summer and stone fruits from the southern hemisphere (about 20,000 tons of cherries from Chile, as well as other products from Peru and Argentina).

Trade with China also remains a challenge, and worldwide many other governments are now introducing measures such as border closures and restrictions on the movement of people, which have an impact on transport, carriers and trade.

At European level, the food trade is exempt from many special measures, and efforts are made to minimise any impact on the food supply chain; priority is being given to keeping food retail outlets open and well stocked. In these challenging times, it is essential to maintain access to healthy and nutritious food for all consumers, including fresh fruit and vegetables.