Freight trains for fruit transportation are in large demand during the Spring Festival
Omnimedia reporter: Zhang Zhuo; correspondent: Li Hui (Huaihua Daily)
On January 25, 50 large containers carrying 1,200 tons of fresh longans from Laos arrived at the freight yard of Huaihua International Land Port. Two reach stackers moved fast among the containers. As the Spring Festival approaches, domestic demand for fresh fruit is increasing, and Huaihua International Land Port is bustling with people.
The longans, large and plump with translucent flesh and rich fragrance, are favored by both consumers and merchants across the country. Cold-chain trains are operating efficiently to ensure the safe and quick supply of fresh fruit to markets across China during the Spring Festival.
“The value of cold-chain fruit transported this month equals that throughout 2024,” said Lei Mingxiong, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Huaihua International Land Port Development Co., Ltd. In 2024, the port’s cold-chain trains transported 210 TEUs of fruit, weighing around 2,523.61 tons and worth approximately RMB12,856,100. As of January 26 this year, 108 TEUs of fresh fruit were transported, weighing about 1,571.67 tons and worth about RMB11.8 million, marking a upsurge in cold-chain transportation as a new year begins. A Southeast Asian fruit express is taking shape.
“This is the peak season for merchants to stock up for the Spring Festival. Demand for longans, durians, and mangos has greatly increased, and fruit prices have risen. To ensure a steady supply during the Spring Festival, Holdsing Supply Chain Logistics Co., Ltd. has partnered with Haihan International Logistics Co., Ltd. to develop a logistics plan,” said Yang Linlin, a staff member at Holdsing.
After loading and sorting at the container center, the containers loaded with fruit are promptly dispatched to markets in cities such as Changsha and Nanchang, enriching the fruit supply for people during the Spring Festival.
To ensure the quick and safe delivery of imported fresh fruit, Haihan International Logistics Co., Ltd. is responsible for picking, packing and loading fruit, while Holdsing Supply Chain Logistics Co., Ltd. is in charge of rail transportation and final distribution. The two companies have formed a strong partnership. At the same time, Huaihua International Land Port actively collaborates with the Huaihuaxi Marshalling Station, Huaihua Customs, and the Huaihuaxi Railway Freight Yard to ensure efficient and prompt fruit transportation.
Since the launch of the cold-chain trains loaded with Southeast Asian fruit from Vientiane to Huaihua, Huaihua International Land Port has focused on the improvement of transportation efficiency and cost reduction. With close coordination across the entire logistics process, including highway-railway intermodal transport and immediate cold-chain delivery, the time from harvest to table is no longer than five days.
According to Tang Youru, Chairman of Hunan Yousu International Trade Co., Ltd., in preparation for large-scale shipments of cold-chain trains in 2025, the company successfully negotiated with China Railway Kunming Group in 2024 for a fare reduction policy for the scheduled cold-chain trains from Kunming to Huaihua, which will lead to a significant decrease in total transportation costs.
In recent years, cold-chain trains at Huaihua International Land Port have been developing rapidly. In 2022, 74 TEUs were shipped with a total value of RMB3.5 million. In 2023, shipments increased to 142 TEUs, with a total value of RMB6.5 million. In 2024, the number increased to 210 TEUs, with a total value of approximately RMB12,856,100 and a total weight of around 2,523.61 tons. Among them, Hunan Changhuai Cold Chain Logistics Co., Ltd. imported 110 TEUs of durians, bananas and longans, while Huaihua International Land Port Development Co., Ltd. exported 10 TEUs of onions. The types and structure of cargo have been improved, meeting the diverse demands of the market.
Currently, the scheduled cold-chain trains from Kunming to Huaihua take only 25 hours to reach Huaihua, saving two days compared with regular trains, significantly improving transportation efficiency. As planned, starting from the end of April 2025, the scheduled cold-chain trains from Kunming to Huaihua will be officially launched for operation, with a monthly capacity of 10 trains, injecting new energy into the development of the international land port characterized by cold-chain logistics.
“In 2025, Huaihua International Land Port Development Co., Ltd. will continue to fully implement the decisions and plans of CPC Hunan Provincial Committee and People’s Government of Hunan Province, driving high-quality development through high-standard cold-chain logistics,” said Yang Shijun, General Manager of Huaihua International Land Port Development Co., Ltd. “In 2025, the transportation volume of cold-chain trains is expected to exceed 300 TEUs. Looking ahead, we will strengthen cooperation with regions such as Yueyang, Changsha and Xiangtan, to jointly develop the cold-chain logistics market, share resources and form synergy. At the same time, we will leverage the existing advantages of the cold-chain logistics platform to introduce more favorable policies and provide better services, thereby enhancing the entire cold-chain logistics process for efficiency improvement, cost reduction and effectiveness enhancement. This will attract more cold-chain logistics and trade companies to join, thus providing strong support for expanding the transportation volume.”
(Translated by Professor Yu Jie)