Wuhan in Hubei

Wuhan in Hubei province

A 200,000 tonne capacity cool store is planned for the Chinese city of Wuhan, with the first phase opening in 2009.

The facility will be built by Wuhan Rouliang Foodstuff Co, the product of a merger between the province’s two biggest cold chain logistics companies, Wuhan Rouliang and Wuhan Wandun Cold Storage.

September saw the foundation laying ceremony for the new facility, which will combine a 200,000 tonne cool store with four specialised markets for frozen food, seafood, dry food and chestnuts.

The new cool store and markets represent an investment of US$139m, and will cover 300,000m2.

April of 2009 will see the completed first stage of the project; a 60,000 tonne cool store. The rest of the project is expected to be completed in 2010.

Wuhan Rouliang Foodstuff Co already owns the biggest agricultural wholesale market in central China, Baishazhou Market, and has 80 per cent of Wuhan’s total cold storage at 81,600 tonnes.