Anyone on New York’s import side of produce sees port upgrades as a welcome necessity.
“Due to consumers wanting all products all the time, imports are always growing,” says Stefanie Katzman, executive manager for fourth generation S. Katzman Produce Inc.
“Certain products only grow in other countries, and some domestic products don’t grow in the United States year-round, so if consumers want them, then it’s up to us to have the supply,” she adds. “The ports are the best way to bring in most products, so upgrades are important to continue that flow.”
Timing, however, is everything, especially with perishables.
“We’re in a time-sensitive business with a cold chain that needs to be respected,” says Charlie J. DiMaggio, president of Fres Co LLC. He also sees a significant need for improvement in customs clearance and container release, for these vital processes to be given their due.
“Allocate resources that clear and streamline the process to release containers to importers.” Doing so, he says, “ensures a fresher product to the end user, which may reduce the possibility of waste, resulting in a lower cost for all.”
DiMaggio also highlights how different the clearance process is in the tristate area compared to ports in Philadelphia, which he tends to use more because they’re “geared towards the handling of fresh products.”
This comes, however, with the tradeoff of higher transportation costs. “It is our belief that if New York and New Jersey ports emulate Philadelphia’s ports, it will result in a win for both the importer and consumer.”
This is an excerpt from the most recent Produce Blueprints quarterly journal. Click here to read the full article.
