THE Port of Wilmington in north Carolina is expanding its refrigerated operations through the establishment of a certified cold treatment facility-one of only 14 in the US, reports New York's Journal of Commerce.
This facility is equipped to handle and clear foreign-grown produce, including grapes, blueberries, and citrus fruit, primarily sourced from Peru and Chile for entry into US markets.
Lewis Nursery and Farms and its subsidiary American Blueberries, LLC inaugurated the cold treatment facility after securing certification from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This certification allows the facility to re-treat cold-treated commodities that initially did not pass customs clearance.
Located in nearby Rocky Point, North Carolina, this operation positions the Port of Wilmington to emerge as a crucial point of entry for importers dealing with refrigerated blueberries, grapes, apples, pears, citrus, and a diverse range of organic products, said the North Carolina Ports Authority (NCPA).
'From our standpoint, we're trying to grow our capabilities and be a more competitive port with regard to refrigerated trade,' said NC Ports executive director Brian Clark.
Mr Clark added that the cold treatment facility is essential to growing Wilmington's customer base and complements NCPA's heavy investments in infrastructure, including increasing the number of refrigerated container plugs on site, which now number more than 1,500.
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This facility is equipped to handle and clear foreign-grown produce, including grapes, blueberries, and citrus fruit, primarily sourced from Peru and Chile for entry into US markets.
Lewis Nursery and Farms and its subsidiary American Blueberries, LLC inaugurated the cold treatment facility after securing certification from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This certification allows the facility to re-treat cold-treated commodities that initially did not pass customs clearance.
Located in nearby Rocky Point, North Carolina, this operation positions the Port of Wilmington to emerge as a crucial point of entry for importers dealing with refrigerated blueberries, grapes, apples, pears, citrus, and a diverse range of organic products, said the North Carolina Ports Authority (NCPA).
'From our standpoint, we're trying to grow our capabilities and be a more competitive port with regard to refrigerated trade,' said NC Ports executive director Brian Clark.
Mr Clark added that the cold treatment facility is essential to growing Wilmington's customer base and complements NCPA's heavy investments in infrastructure, including increasing the number of refrigerated container plugs on site, which now number more than 1,500.
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