China-Laos-Thailand rail connection streamlines supply chain for imported fruit
A new all-rail cold-chain cargo service linking China, Laos and Thailand has launched, providing a faster and smoother connection for the fresh fruit trade across the markets.
According to a report from Global Times, the first shipment carrying fresh Thai durians bound for China departed at the end of March.
Operator Chengdu International Railway Port Investment and Development (Group) said the service runs entirely on rail, passing through Nong Khai in Thailand and Vientiane South in Laos, entering China via the Mohan port in Southwest China’s Yunnan Province before heading to the Chengdu International Railway Port.
The durians were transported from Thai orchards to Laem Chabang within five hours by road before being loaded onto the train for direct shipment to Chengdu. The direct service reduces transfer time and improves efficiency, while the closed-loop cold-chain system maintains a constant temperature of 13°C from loading to unloading, to maintain optimal freshness.
To date, the value of imports of South-East Asian fruits at Chengdu International Railway Port has exceeded Rmb100mn (US$13.9mn), according to Chengdu International Railway Port Investment and Development Group, a number set to further increase with the new service.
Improvements in customs operations have also facilitated a surge in China’s fruit imports, the Global Times report said.
In the first two months of the year, Tianbao Customs handled 14,000 tonnes of fruit imports from ASEAN members, more than quadrupling year-on-year, including more than 10,000 tons of durians alone, according to Kunming Customs.
